Q&A: Nuttawut Songkram

October 2nd, 2008

Except for a long scar on his cheek, Nattawut Songkram looks like an ordinary waiter. But back in his hometown, Trang, he is a mah song, a spirit medium that has climbed bladed ladders and pierced his cheeks with long skewers to honor the gods during the annual Vegetarian Festival.

BK: How did you become a mah song?
Nattawut Songkram: There are two types—those who invite the gods to possess them and chosen ones like me. I was chosen by a god when I was about 10. My family runs a small Chinese shrine and my mother is also a mah song, so it runs in the family.

BK: So there are female mah songs?
NS: Of course. Women are mah song for female gods. Instead of performing dangerous stunts, female mah songs communicate with spirits and treat sickness caused by evil spirits.

BK: Have you ever hurt yourself?
NS: I’ve performed the rituals around 20 times, and I only tripped once when walking on hot charcoals. But apart from that, not really. Before a procession, each mah song recites a spell to prevent injuries, and once the god takes over our body, we become oblivious to the pain. The most amazing thing is I don’t even have to go to the hospital afterwards. All I do is cover the wounds with yant [a holy cloth] and they heal within a week.

BK: Aren’t you afraid?
NS: I was scared at first because even though I didn’t feel the pain, I was aware of what was going on. But I have a strong faith in my god. I only become a mah song once a year. It’s the least I can do for him.

BK: Some dismiss the ritual as a mere stunt. How do you feel about that?
NS: I can’t blame them because it’s almost a trend to become a mah song in Trang and Phuket. A lot of teenagers do it to look cool and some do it for money, because there are shrines that pay B10,000 for each inch-long wound. So it’s natural you have those that are real and those that are fake, who use anesthesia to numb the pain. There are also real mah songs that use their powers to trick people for money or put girls into a trance.

BK: Are they punished by the gods?
NS: You bet! There was one mah song said to have an affair with other people’s wives, and his god punished him severely. He was climbing a 99-step bladed ladder and just when he reached the top, the god left his body. It was horrendous.