Por Sala Tan

Ngan Mae Prai – Coffin Wood Spirit Figure by Por Sala Tan (6–7”)

Large Size Piece

This piece was chanted with the more popular Metal Batch in 2014 which is worth $1000 + today this is a affordable version yet similarly efficacious. 

This Ngan Mae Prai was hand-carved by Por Sala Tan from the wood of a woman’s coffin — a medium chosen for its ability to retain and transmit the essence of a restless spirit. Standing 6–7 inches tall, the figure bears natural age and ritual markings, with eyes inlaid to reflect the living and the unseen. Scripted Khom inscriptions run across its back, sealing the invocation, while a pair of lead takruts hang at the neck — the channels through which commands and wishes are conveyed.

Por Sala Tan’s coffin-wood creations were never made for display. Each was awakened through prolonged solitary meditation, merging the spirit’s lingering karmic energy with his own. In this piece, he summoned a Mae Prai — a female spirit who died with deep emotion — and bound her to serve not through torment, but through exchange: granting wishes, protection, and fortune in return for offerings and remembrance.

Those who kept such a figure often described subtle signs — the scent of jasmine at night, whispers in dreams, objects moving faintly when prayers were heard. The Mae Prai’s energy is direct and responsive; her favor comes swiftly when approached with respect and clarity of intent.

Beyond its ghostly origin, this Ngan carries the quiet mastery of Por Sala Tan’s southern wicha — the art of animating matter through mind and compassion. It stands as both a relic and a living conduit for wish-granting, attraction, and karmic elevation. The energy within does not merely answer — it aligns, turning unseen forces toward the fulfillment of rightful desire.