An invitation to explore the world of faith alongside lessons drawn from real events that changed perspectives on life. Num Kongkraphan On Woody Talk, with over 20 years of experience producing content on beliefs and the supernatural—karma, Naga, sacred objects, and UFOs—he revisits a pivotal lesson from the case . (This part is incomplete/fragment, so translation is left as is.) Mek Winai Kraibutr received treatment from Ajarn Paisan at a time when all options were exhausted. He admits deep regret, reflecting on the need to screen information carefully and fulfill media responsibilities to encourage viewers to approach faith with mindfulness and gain deeper life understanding—balancing faith with awareness.
The intersection between “faith” and “Dharma”?
Num Kongkraphan: “I like mysterious topics, which also touch on Dharma. Dharma sometimes presents questions without answers, often involving faith and belief. Many people cannot distinguish these and fall into superstition. When presenting, I always say we learn together with the audience. For example, Buddhists believe in realms of existence and reincarnation—birth and death as a continuous journey. Science cannot prove this yet, but the Buddha clearly taught it in the Tipitaka. He was born countless times, accumulating merit until becoming the Buddha. We trust the Buddha’s words, though modern science has no answers yet, so it remains a mystery. However, many teachings in the Tipitaka are scientifically verifiable today.
Many things the Buddha taught in the Tipitaka have scientific evidence supporting them, which convinces me without doubt. From my programs since “Bangkhor” and “Real Stories on Screen,” I have encountered stories of past-life recollections and reincarnation that convinced me fully because I witnessed many miracles. Yet when something is superstition or unprovable, I tell viewers we learn together. That’s how it is—we observe and use critical thinking to judge truthfulness. I want people to know the legends as they are.”
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Do you think 90% of Thais still strongly connect with occultism and amulets?
Num Kongkraphan: “Before Buddhism arrived, Thai people worshipped spirits, nature deities, trees, and mysteries according to their traditions. Some worshipped the sky spirits. These were anchors in times when there was no knowledge of agriculture or law—people relied on rain from Phirun and spirits. Thus, our origins are rooted in spirit belief. Buddhism came about 2,500 years ago and beautifully blended its teachings with existing beliefs. Thais often jokingly say ‘Buddha-spirit’ to describe this mix, but I don’t see it negatively. The core of Buddhism is Dharma teachings. Using spirits to draw people to Dharma is acceptable, as spirits in Buddhism relate to realms of existence, i.e., ghosts.”
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What is the boundary between faith and superstition?
Num Kongkraphan: “From my experience, superstition itself is not harmful; it was traditionally used to instill fear of sin and wrongdoing. But when superstition becomes a tool for fraud—such as promising love spells for payment, or worse, sexual abuse—that’s when it becomes problematic.
For most Thais who have not deeply studied Buddhist teachings or the Tipitaka, these beliefs serve to attract people toward Dharma. Our programs sometimes use this approach to draw viewers but always incorporate Dharma teachings, reminding people that to avoid becoming wandering spirits, one must diligently do good, accumulate merit, and ensure a good rebirth.”
Top 3 beliefs and faiths among Thai people in 2026?
Num Kongkraphan: “Number 3 is deities, such as gods, angels, Thao Wessuwan, Ganesha, and various sacred entities. People are interested in their identities, origins, legends, and blessings. They want to know how to respectfully pray. But I always say praying alone won’t make you rich—you must work hard honestly in a proper occupation for the deities to help. Also, there are revered monks who are considered sacred in a similar vein.”
Who is the most viewed revered monk currently?
Num Kongkraphan: “Luang Pu Suk of Wat Pak Khlong Makham Thao. He resonates with Thais because he was a master of mystical arts, including incantations and miracles. He was a contemporary and close disciple of Prince Chumphon Khet Udomsak. There are credible records because the prince was royalty with attendants who documented events.
For example, when Prince Chumphon visited the temple, he saw an elderly monk playing with children, magically transforming banana flower heads into rabbits for them. Impressed, he became a disciple. Numerous events followed, such as magically transforming soldiers into crocodiles that could dive and emerge from water—though some accounts may be exaggerated, many records exist making disbelief difficult.”
Number 2 is?
Num Kongkraphan: “Scientific Dharma—Buddha’s teachings about UFOs, science, conception, atoms, etc.—are very popular with millions of views. Many Buddhist followers haven’t read the Tipitaka because it’s long, difficult, and voluminous. I learned from guest speaker Ajarn Danai Preecha Permphisit, one of our most viewed guests.
When we discuss Buddha’s 2,500-year-old scientific statements, people are very interested as it serves as documentary evidence. But Buddha also warned not to know everything or study all teachings, as it can drive one mad. It is a mystery beyond full human grasp.”
Number 1 most popular belief?
Num Kongkraphan: “The Naga. From my studies, the Naga realm is very close to humans. We are deeply connected with the Naga. Even the Buddha spoke of them, and many revered monks in the past mentioned encountering Nagas frequently. Listening to stories from Luang Pu Mun and Luang Pu Chob, major Buddhist masters in Thailand, who spoke of meeting Nagas in many places convinces me of their reality.”
The Naga are legendary and dramatic beings close to humans, experiencing anger, love, envy, and belonging to many clans. They inhabit oceans, mountains, soil, and swamps everywhere. Their stories are fascinating—they can transform into humans, live among people, eat with them, attend merit-making ceremonies, and when angered, shift back to Naga form. Their tales are quite thrilling.
Because these revered monks spoke so much about Nagas and the Buddha mentioned them, I believe they are real. Today, I believe in Nagas 99.99%. When filming, I encounter many Naga legends, such as at Kamchanod, a place strongly associated with Nagas due to its unusual geography. Kamchanod is like a floating landmass in a large swamp lake. Visiting there reveals many mysteries. The damp, eerie atmosphere with tall palms and surrounding water makes one imagine ghosts at night. If someone says Nagas exist there, it’s easy to believe.”
Why do most Thai people worship the Naga?
Num Kongkraphan: “To ask for luck, fortune, and lottery blessings. Legends say Nagas are wealthy deities with treasures in their cities. They also desire to ordain as monks and are guardians of Buddhism. Nagas are greatly loved by Thais. Content about Nagas always gets good views. But I remind people to use discretion and that their existence is uncertain. If worship brings comfort and does not harm anyone, and inspires hard work, success will follow.”
What was Mek Winai Kraibutr’s illness crisis like?
Num Kongkraphan: “Regarding Ajarn Paisan, I’ll mention names directly. I first went to see him because of Mek Winai Kraibutr. I’m a private person with few friends, but Mek and I have been close since youth. We lived and worked together, acting and growing up side by side. Though we started families separately, we remained close friends.
One day, Mek suddenly fell ill with a rare disease—bullous pemphigoid—with blisters all over his body, including his mouth, tongue, and throat, making eating extremely painful. It’s like having small blisters that peel to reveal sensitive skin underneath. Mek suffered all over, even between his toes, causing immense pain.
How did treatment with Ajarn Paisan begin?
Num Kongkraphan: “He was treated by top doctors at Chulalongkorn Hospital with steroids and medications for 3-4 years without improvement. Not knowing what else to try, I recalled hearing about Ajarn Paisan for a long time from my shows “Bangkhor” and “Real Stories on Screen,” but never visited him. I heard his reputation and decided to consult him first.
Ajarn Paisan told me to bring Mek immediately. The treatment was to make merit and worship at 4-5 temples. Afterward, he would provide the names of Mek’s karmic creditors for apology requests. I thought it wasn’t scary. Mek’s steroid use caused swelling and internal organ risks. He was suffering terribly.
I discussed with Mek’s family about trying this approach—no medicine, no ointments, no injections, no risky treatments—just making merit and worshipping. After receiving the karmic creditors’ names, we sought their forgiveness. I saw this as positive: even if it didn’t heal, it was merit-making and understanding karmic forgiveness in Buddhism, which brought peace. If a miracle happened, even with a 0.01% chance, it was worth trying.”
Mek wanted to try since he had no other options. We filmed it like a reality show, visiting temples, donating, and after five merits, met Ajarn Paisan to get karmic creditors’ names. We searched as instructed—some we found, some not. Some forgave, some didn’t. Mek improved for a while but later developed blood infection, his condition worsened, and he eventually passed away. I haven’t met Ajarn Paisan since.”
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How many years have passed since the incident?
Num Kongkraphan: “About 2-3 years after Mek’s death. When recent events happened, I was very saddened and called to ask what occurred, whether it was true. When I visited Ajarn Paisan, there was no formal procedure or taking people into private rooms—everything was in open spaces with many people present.
Ajarn Paisan was already well-known, but our program increased his fame. When news broke, I felt very sorry for the victims. I was stressed and upset because it seemed our content contributed to his popularity, and I didn’t know how many people were harmed due to our program. I apologized and deleted all Ajarn Paisan videos from our channel as a responsibility measure.”
Regarding legal matters and victims, justice must decide. But this made me realize future similar content must be more carefully vetted. I did some checking before making content since Ajarn Paisan had practiced this for 30-40 years, written books, and locals said he didn’t charge fees, only accepting donations. Most clients were seriously ill, bedridden, or arriving by ambulance. I wondered if he truly could get karmic creditors’ names. Though he helped many people without charging, sitting and talking with hundreds of clients, I was amazed and puzzled why he did it.”
What is the current status of the matter?
Num Kongkraphan: “It ended with legal prosecution. According to police statements, he admitted his actions. He obtained full information—names, phone numbers, addresses, districts, subdistricts, provinces—by reading yearbooks he had collected. Previously, I wondered how he could name karmic creditors with such detail—five to seven names per person. I observed and questioned how he remembered or sourced such data. Some addresses were real; some people rejected the claim, others accepted and allowed apology rituals, which involve offering flowers and seeking forgiveness for past karma, whether in this or previous lives. The ritual is simple and brief.”
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Should content creators be more cautious after this? Has this been a big lesson?
Num Kongkraphan: “Yes, we must be more careful. Even monks—recent scandals involved monks we donated to frequently. Sometimes, we cannot see the hidden side of people, but we try to screen carefully. As a media person meeting many daily, I can say Ajarn Paisan may not be the last case; others may arise.
Even outside belief circles, as time changes, some may act immorally, leading to problems. We strive to vet thoroughly. I always remind people to fear sin and wrongdoing because bad deeds bring bad results. Please do good. I continuously incorporate Buddhist teachings to remind viewers.”
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