Phra Thammavaro stayed at  Wat Taladneau for a period of time.  Later the Abbot of the temple left his monkhood for an unknown reason. The Head of the Monk’s Committee of Pathumthani named Phra Thammavaro to be acting Abbot until a new senior monk could take up the position.   He had not known about this promotion at all but he thought that taking up the duties of abbot would prevent him doing the tasks he was very fond of.  The high position was to direct and deal with monks while tattooing was not really meant to be the monk’s activity.  He still loved to do tattooing and was concerned about his devotees.  He thought over the improper aspects of having the magical lessons when he was the monk and the temple’s activities could not go with his character.

            He finally left his monkhood.  Ajan Noo Kanpai was gradually becoming well known.  Lines of disciples knew about his tattooing place or samnak behind  Wat Taladneau.  At that time, there were a few, or somedays only one, taking tattoos with him.

            Ajan Noo’s place was a small one-storied house with a corrugated iron roof and wooden floor.  He lived alone with settled Buddha images for worship.  Closed disciples usually came to take tattoos and chatted with him.  He wore white clothes with another piece of white cloth wrapped his shoulder crossing his body.  He said that the behavior was suitable practice for doing penance and meditations (Vipassana, Samathi and Khammathan).

            I, as the author, had a chance of visiting Ajan Noo at that time about twenty  years ago.  I asked Ajan Noo why he stayed

and handled the magical tattooing at the little home where there was not many visitors.  He answered that it was quiet, and peaceful for his practices.

            After that I went there frequently.  I was close to Ajan Noo and knew more about his life. He did not live alone.  He had his mother and close relatives.  His family was not poor. His mother had 10 rowhouses and received the rentals.  She also earned more by selling things at her  home.  His close relatives had their own jobs.

            Ajan Noo paid attention only to the magical sciences and was not concerned about  his family.  He stayed alone quietly, wearing a long disheveled beard, with a fearsome appearance.  His house was called “samnak” which means an institute.

            I stood at the front of his house and sighted an abandoned graveyard.  The frightening environment made me wonder why the master treated himself  like that.  I felt it was so strange that anyone could torment himself as seriously as he did.

Everyday, any followers who were in cruel fights came into samnak for taking Ajan Noo’s tattoos and incantation on their heads.

Ajan told them in case they were attacked first they could take revenge on their enemies. He would wait there to hear the magical result.  However, the followers must kept their words, not to bully anyone weaker.                                        

Such scenes and talks  between the master and his followers happened there everyday.

Later on Ajan Noo became widely known in Nonthaburi, Ayuthaya, Nakhon Pathom, Singburi, Samut Prakarn and Bangkok.  These provinces were all near to Prathumthani.  People started to mention to others that Ajan Noo had such powerful materials.  Most new comers really wanted to take them for self – protection.

In 1984,  Ajan Noo remarked that he had completed sacred alphabet (i), and was reaching the letter (ti) soon. The progress would make him able to help more of his visitors to protect themselves more safely.

Many able-bodied men who had heard about his success visited samnak each day.  Now most visitors are far different from the original ones. Things have definitely changed.

Young men and women, as well as the elders, asked Ajan Noo to make incantations and to place the virtue of kindness over their heads and bodies.  The power is believed to provide them with prosperous businesses and good works.

Having talked to those who came from far provinces as to why they made the journey, I found that they knew about Ajan Noo’s abilities from his followers’ words.  Since then, increasing numbers of believers came from all the corners of Thailand. However, no-one knew who could turn the above news into a current affairs item.  The number of visitors eventually resulted in a need to develop a bigger samnak. 

So far the master had not accepted anyone to be his main disciples.  Until the year 1994, Ajan Noo recruited some assistants as a large number of new devotees come into his place.  Nai Lek and Nai Kai were his first trainees.  He had been training both of them hard for almost a year.  Nai Jame and Nai Jon are the second pair.  The latter was his younger blood brother.  He has also taught Tid Mhan for another tattoo maker.  It took about 10 years training them all.

            Ajan Noo said that it was quite tough screening the potential trainees as he had to consider their behavior. Strength is important because the trainees need to work very hard at tattooing to be really successful.   Till now no one could gain all the powerful skills.  For example, Ajan Lek at Wat Bang Phang established his own samnak but the devotees taking tattoos there still needed incantations  from Ajan Noo.

            Kru Kai and Kru Nid are the only two new masters who can tattoo powerful alphabets.  However, neither one could handle incantation on yantra as it is very difficult.  It is also believed that success depended upon the good and the bad they had done in  their past lives.          

             Actually, ink tattooing by Ajan Noo realizes Bhuddist virtues.  Instruments,  needles and inks, usually go with his incantation many times.  He himself also practices incantations every night before bedtime.                     

            About early 1985, Ajan Noo thought he should rebuild his house to make more space for receiving the increasing numbers of visitors.  In the middle of the year his little house was demolished and builders and his devotees helped with the rebuilding.  They completed construction of a new 2 storey – house within a month. There were so many changes in the new house and samnak where Ajan Noo could welcome more people.

            Some miracles happened to Ajan Noo at samnak – he was invincible and survived from accident and being shot and stabbed.  These experiences told us why this samnak interested newcomers.  They made the journey there to witness such magical truths with their own eyes.   Some people saw what they thought were miracles and accepted the powers as being magical and mysterious. However, we should not insult them as the believers could gain good virtues while unbelievers would possibly face bad effects.

A little while ago Ake or Ling Jiek was an experienced driver who was driving a 6 wheel lorry along an expressway going from a movie film location in the country. Near a crossroad he felt Takrud, a magical material which Ajan Noo had put onto the skin of his arm, start beating for no known reason.  He stopped the vehicle and raised his hands in a “wai” to pay respect to all his masters. Then he drove on.  Shortly he came across a serious accident at the crossroads – a car had crashed into a 6 wheel lorry.  The car driver had injured his head.  Ake thought that it would have been him in the accident if there had not been any magical sign just a little earlier.”