Former Thai pop sensation discloses new venture: collecting the faces of the dead

Each strand of facial skin, according to Jill, is valuable and can bring good fortune to those who pray or own it. Over the years, those who worked in the theater have passed down the skins. The skins in some cases are said to be over a century old. Pong’s family was unable to pray for them and did not wish to have them kept. Pong handed the skins to Jill before he died. Jakkapong “Jill” Karnsomphot and his twin brother Jakkaphan “Jack” Karnsomphot collect the dried facial skins of people in their society who used to be powerful and revered. In a long time, he hasn’t sung any of their songs. This week, online users shared photographs and videos of 20 dried facial skins of deceased people on social media, bringing them back into the spotlight. It quickly went viral. He went on to add that he received the 20 dead facial skins by chance from Pong, a 91-year-old man he met in Ayutthaya, central Thailand, in 2009. Because he was involved in Thai performing arts, Pong introduced them. He also told the media that once his singing career ended, he and his brother started a business that bought and sold powerful Thai amulets. In a media interview last Monday, Surat Jongdan, an expert in arts and culture, performing arts, and the foundation of Thai dance, declared that he had never heard of someone praying to human facial skin for success in their profession. According to Surat, Jill should shatter or destroy the skins. The fact that a once-famous Thai pop artist is no longer writing successful songs doesn’t concern him because he’s moved on to a new line of business: collecting the faces of the dead.

He went on to claim that each piece of facial flesh came from actors with a long history in Thai theater. They pledged to sacrifice their facial skins and use them as sacred amulets for their family and followers before they died. The former music sensation claims that his life has altered since obtaining the skins and that he now believes in them. He went on to add that his convictions had gotten him nowhere and that there was no law forbidding residents from keeping the skins of the dead. He claims he approached the Fine Arts Department after obtaining custody of the skins, but an official told him there was no information in the state database. When he learned what had transpired, he decided to keep the skins. He claims that many Thai stars and artists have come to worship the skins at his home.