Sangworn Liemgpheng works
to restore broken religious figurines.
Patcharapol Panrak
A Sattahip marine is winning accolades for his
efforts to rescue and restore broken religious figurines and portraits
of Thailand’s King and Queen.
Sangworn Liemgpheng, 53, can often be found on his
days off sitting under a big tree near Jetsada Camp gluing hands, legs
and heads back onto miniatures of Lord Buddha and various lesser gods.
Sangworn, attached to the Marine Corps’ 1st Infantry
Battalion, said he found all of the statues discarded along the
roadside, but that many were still in good condition. He’s been able to
find missing limbs for the male and female figurines and has cleaned and
restored paintings of Their Majesties the King and Queen and the Thai
flag. He then displays the completed figures and portraits at a shrine
in his front yard.
As his collection has grown, so has Sangworn’s
reputation. Spectators often come by to watch him work and he was
featured on a Thai television show Sept. 19.
He said that, even broken, religious figures command
spiritual power. And, of course, pictures of the revered royal couple
and flag must be respected. He’s simply following his beliefs and duty
to his country, he said.
