Amulets and Auspicious Objects in Lao PDR. Material Buddhism in Practice

In recent years, there has been an uptick in devotional and amuletic objects that are (re)produced from and distributed throughout Laos, notwithstanding the socialist regime’s long-running initiatives against ‘superstitious’ and economically detrimental practices. The circulation of these objects has become more unrestricted since they can travel across geographical borders and along digital networks, especially during and after the global pandemic. To shed light on these objects’ unfettered movements on the ground, this chapter approaches Lao amulets as part and parcel of a broader category of ‘auspicious objects,’ including buildings and statues, often replicated in miniature artefacts made of metal, clay, or paper. It particularly explores the materiality of religious and ritual practice through the lens of amuletic culture in Laos, based on research conducted by the two authors from 2023 to 2025, mostly (but not only) among Buddhist populations of the country. By comparison with neighboring Thailand, where amulets have received scholarly attention for decades, the topic is understudied in Laos. Bringing this overlooked subject into focus can contribute to the social analysis of (a) the local taxonomy of amulets and auspicious objects in Lao PDR; (b) the role of ‘things’ in Lao Buddhist practice; and (c) the moral economy of talismanic culture in market-socialist Laos.