Rooted in religious sanction, the “Sak Yant” form of traditional tattoo has been a pivotal part of Thai culture for generations. The tattoo is believed to act as a form of spiritual shield for ...

If you were following pop culture even half-heartedly in the mid-2000s, you probably remember Angelina Jolie's adventures in Southeast Asia. During one of her most famous photo ops, the actress flew a ...

Thousands of Buddhist devotees gathered at Thailand's Wat Bang Phra temple on Saturday for an annual festival celebrating Sak Yant tattoos. Sak Yant is the Thai term for the special tattoos that many ...

Wat Bang Phra, a temple in central Thailand, is renowned as a center for sak yant, a style of tattoo art believed by some to convey protective powers. An unordained tattoo artist applies ink with a ...

Before our trip to Thailand, many friends and readers inquired as to what we were most excited about. The epic food? Breathtaking beaches? Intricate temples? Friendly people and affordable prices? Of ...

Dr. Shephard's tattoos of enigmatic figures and Chinese characters run deeper than television. Actor Matthew Fox, who plays Shephard, acquired the tattoos before working on the show. The writers of ...

For Thai Christians, seeking spiritual protection or help through sak yant or other practices is clearly outside the bounds of their faith. Thai pastors say it’s not necessary for new believers to ...

When Angelina Jolie showed off her first Thai tattoo 15 years ago—five lines of Buddhist blessings running down her back—she raised the country's international status for spiritual tattoos. The artist ...

Maggie Wilson got herself inked in Thailand with a five-line Sak Yant tattoo, a sacred hand-poked tattoo which is said to offer protection from bad fortune and unwanted spirits. Wilson gave a glimpse ...