More than 10,000 visitors from around the country arrive in this southern province each day, and the 6,000 available hotel rooms are regularly fully booked, said Wichoke Angmanee, a senior Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) official.

The number of tourists registered at hotels has risen 17 per cent since last year, when the amulets became extremely popular following the funeral of the late crimebuster Phantharak Rajjadej, who helped create the popular amulets.

Buddhist Malaysians and Singaporeans are also regular visitors to Nakhon Si Thammarat and frequently have their sons or nephews ordained as monks or novices during their school breaks at Mahathat Woramahawihan temple, at which official productions of the amulets are based.

However, Wichoke said the TAT would not rely solely on the promotion of Jatukham Rammathep amulets to boost tourism.

"The TAT's culture-oriented tourism will focus on helping the regular tourism industry continue and be sustained, with or without the popularity of the amulets involved," he said.

Jamorn Jaroenphibal, chairman of the Nakhon Si Thammarat Chamber of Commerce, said an additional Bt300 million to Bt400 million had been pumped into the province among general business-owners, including those directly involved with the sale and production of the amulets.