The "sacred ivory tusk" has been returned to the "Long-Haired Karen Hermits" of Letongku Village after a former village headman secretly took it across the border to Myanmar. It is believed to be a sacred object that protects the village.
At 14:00 on 26 Feb 2026, a reporter from the Thai-Myanmar border area in Umphang District, Tak Province, reported that Mr. Manoch Phoniem, district chief of Umphang, presided over the ceremony to bring the ivory tusk back to Letongku. The village headman and villagers, dressed in Karen Pakakayo tribal attire, received the tusk. Officers from the Umphang Police Station facilitated traffic and led the procession to return the tusk at the Umphang District Office, Tak Province.
According to reports, earlier Mr. Choku Rojsirichai, village headman of Letongku in Mae Chan Subdistrict, Umphang, along with villagers of Letongku (the Long-Haired Karen Hermits village), submitted a letter to Mr. Chusak Ruying, governor of Tak Province, requesting the return of the ivory tusk to their village. The tusk is a village treasure, a sacred ivory object that holds great spiritual significance for the villagers and is venerated to be used in rituals.
The village's treasured ivory tusk, located in Letongku Village, Mae Chan Subdistrict, Umphang District, Tak Province, is an ancient tusk carved with Buddhist history from the Ayutthaya period. It is a sacred object housed in the hermit's pavilion. The tusk was previously stolen but later recovered. Today, a ceremony was held to formally return the sacred ivory tusk to Letongku Village.
Regarding the history and significance of the Letongku ivory tusk and its sacred nature: this ancient pair of tusks measures over 1.70 meters in length and weighs more than 40 kilograms. They are intricately carved with Buddhist historical motifs and have long been revered as sacred objects at the hermitage of Letongku Village.
Culturally valuable, the Karen Pakakayo villagers of Letongku, who strictly observe the five precepts, regard the tusk pair as an important ritual artifact. In a significant event in June 2017, the tusks were secretly taken to Myanmar by a former village headman, causing great dissatisfaction among the villagers. This led to a coordinated effort by Thai authorities to recover the tusks. After their return, a traditional apology ceremony was held. The villagers believe the tusks are sacred objects that protect their village.
Mr. Choku Rojsirichai, village headman of Letongku (the Long-Haired Karen Hermits village), told reporters, “The ivory tusk is a sacred emblem of our village. We have brought it back to hold our traditional rituals. The villagers also request relevant agencies to improve the road leading into the village and address border security issues, as Letongku borders a neighboring country. We hope security agencies will enhance their border patrol efforts.”