It’s no exaggeration to refer to the esteemed Ajarn Tuad Kwet
Ajarn Tuad Kwet Kongkaew
Originally from Hua Sai, Nakhon Si Thammarat
Later in his life, his parents resettled in a house in Ban Lam, Phatthalung
When Ajarn Tuad Kwet was 12, his father was advised by Phra Atikan Sang
In the same year, his uncle, who was very close to the famed Phra Ajarn Thong Tao
While at the temple, Ajarn Tuad Kwet was renowned for his exquisite penmanship and was always assigned to copy texts and important books for the temple. It was this seemingly menial task that exposed him to a plethora of spiritual knowledge, more so than the average monk. He also studied the dark arts, sorcery and traditional folk medicine at the temple. From age 12 to 30, Ajarn Tuad Kwet vociferously absorbed everything he could, accumulating a vast trove of esoteric knowledge. He also became a close friend of Phra Achan Eiad of Wat Don Sala
After serving as a monk for 18 years and 9 Pansa, Ajarn Tuad Kwet decided to disrobe and leave the Sangha, as his father was getting old and required care. After his sister was robbed and assaulted, his decision was sealed. Before returning to Ban Rom Mueang however, he copied the contents of some textbooks for himself, determined to perfect his arcane knowledge.
Upon returning to the home, he set upon the task of identifying the robbers who had killed his sister and stolen the family’s prized buffalo herd. Unable to appease his anger, he tracked down the robber’s lair, and personally visited them to seek vengeance. Ajarn Tuad Kwet was set upon by 5 people and badly outnumbered, but it is said that he fought them off alone, stabbing the leader to death with nothing but a sharp stick, and severely injuring or incapacitating the accomplices.
Before long, the authorities in Phattalung
When the situation in his home province finally cooled down, Ajarn Tuad Kwet returned to Phatthalung Province, but this time he had to go out of his way to maintain a low profile owing to his notoriety. This proved to be easy though, as the villagers were more than willing to shelter the benevolent criminal.
Sometime after this, he embarked on the first of a long procession of marriages. Throughout his life, he married as many as 14 wives. For 4 of his wives, he built a series of adjacent houses at Ban Rom Muang. These women were Mrs. Net Khotchasen
It was around this time that he received legal assistance from Sir Than Chao Khun Phat
Aside from being the village headman, he also functioned as the village shaman, specializing in Saneh
Ajarn Tuad Kwet was reputed to be able to cure any ailment, even those brought upon by powerful hexes. He did so without accepting any fees. Because of this, his fame and renown spread far and wide, and he even served as a doctor for the Royal Family for a short period of time.
Having been a lifelong practitioner of the mystical arts, old habits were woe to fade. Ajarn Tuad Kwet occupied his time creating over 56 types of Saneh potions, spread over 4 broad categories; Deities, Teachers, Humans and Lower Line. We will explore each at length in a later article.
Perhaps the most esoteric of these, were his famed Spirit potions, which were fashioned from actual spirits, and buried underground for storage, in the grand tradition of the ancient lineages of knowledge involved in their creation. It was believed that these spirits would be protected by Mother Earth herself, and anthills and termite mounds were often selected as storage areas, owing to their low human traffic, for obvious reasons. Many examples of these potions survive to this day, passed down through the myriad lineages birthed from his virtuosic knowledge.
Ajarn Tuad Kwet himself was purported to have mystical powers. Some accounts state that he never lost or was injured in a fight, he could never be captured and never lost while gambling.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of teachers he is purported to have studied under:
- Phra Ajarn Thong Tao of Wat Khao Or
- Phra Ajarn Kliang(unknown temple)
- Phra Kru Inthamoli of Wat Prang Mu Nok
- Phra Atikan Sang of Wat Rom Mueang
- Phra Ajarn Nu of Wat Khan
- Phra Ajarn Dam of Wat Tha Kae
- Brahm (Brahmin) Kong (his father)
- Brahm (Brahmin) Bua Thong (his grandfather)
- Mor (Witchdoctor) Phuang at Ban Lam
- Samrut Khiew
- Mor (Witchdoctor) Rung
- Toh Mut of Ban Charat
- Toh Yisen of Ban Khu
- Tuad Khon Than, who according to hearsay, was one of the Gandharva. When Tuad Kwet was a fugitive and fled to Khao Chet Yodmountain, he received tutelage from him.
Owing to the furtive nature of long stretches of his life, as well as the ravages of time and poor, inconsistent records, the names of many of his teachers have been lost to time. The most referenced, however, was Phra Ajarn Thong Tao of Wat Khao Or.
Many other renowned pupils also studied under this master, including:
- Mor Hoi of Ban Klang
- Mor Luean of Mab Yang
- Mor Chan of Ban Na Phu
- Mor Kling of Ban Na Tom
- Mor Jang of Tha Kae
- Mor Heet(Mr. Jaeng Rattana Brahm, who is his nephew)
- Mor Mueang of Tha Miram
- Nang Rung Fah (Nang Nuam)
- Mor Thong of Mueang Thang
- Mor Klong
Ajarn Tuad Kwet was perhaps most famous for his love charms and amulets imbued with spirits. Philanderers and Casanovas of the day lined up seeking amulets from him. He even had a special house constructed for use in the associated ceremonies, where the amulets created by him and his disciples were kept, accessible only to trusted devotees and friends.
By the time he was old, the surviving examples of his life’s work were primarily housed in 4 areas:
- A house belonging to Mor Heet (Jaeng Rattana Brahm), his nephew. The artefacts here consist mostly of potions, and various charms and amulets. Some of Ajarn Tuad Kwet’s most important textbooks are stored here.
- Mor Hoi’shouse. The surviving texts concerning herbal and powdered medicines are preserved here. Mor Hoi was himself famous for treating people with herbalism.
- Mor Luean’shouse. The textbooks concerning rituals involving geomancy are stored here.
- Lab’s House. Labis Ajarn Tuad Kwet’s son. His most coveted, valuable scrolls, manuals and amulets are stored here, though mostly in memoriam, as his son has scarce knowledge about the field, and little interest in pursuing it.

Ajarn Tuad Kwet passed on at the age of 84 years, but not before having a structure purpose-built on the grounds of his home to store his ashes. Upon his passing, his family attempted to defy his wishes by relocating his remains to the temple instead.
Astoundingly, they realized that no amount of effort would allow them to move his remains. After trying and failing with the combined strength of over 10 people, they relented and agreed to inter his remains on the grounds of his house as he had wished. Miraculously, the funeral carried on without a hitch after.
At present, his ashes are located in the home of Ajarn Sitthichai Honbandit
Further interesting accounts exist of Ajarn Tuad Kwet.
- His hair growth was much more advanced than the average person, and he had long copper-tinted hair all over his body. Because of this, he was often known by the nickname Kwet Khon Thong Daeng, or Kwetwith copper hair.
- At the time of his cremation, his hair, teeth, fingernails, and toenails were not burned. They appeared impervious to fire. These artefacts were retained by his family for worship.
- Throughout his life, he was purported to have never been harmed by a single weapon.
- Though he had many wives, he often slept in solitude and barred anyone from disturbing him at night.
- Each day after sunset, he was functionally uncontactable by the outside world. Any pressing affairs would have to wait for sunrise unless he had prior arrangements with whom he promised.
- He is exceedingly secretive about his diet, and oddly enough, also refuses to eat at funerals (eating meals at funerals is a common Thai practice). Only his wives were vaguely aware of his dietary preferences.
- He was fond of sleeping in the forest for nights on end, earning him the nickname Kwet Khon Pa, meaning person of the forest.
- He was a teetotaler, and generally silent in disposition, unusual for Thai men of the day.
- He aided the famed Ajarn Khun Phanwith apprehending robbers at Khao Khram, Phatthalung. Khun Phan respected him as a senior, and he often joined him on missions.
- He served as a doctor to many wealthy elites.
- He knew exactly when he would die, and hired craftsmen to build the mausoleum for him well in advance.
Many more colourful tales of Ajarn Tuad Kwet’s amulets are scattered throughout our articles, many of which are as astounding as the man himself. For more information, browse our website.