Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand. 25th May, 2015. A tattoo needle is sterilized in a flame in Ajarn Neng Onnut's Sak Yant tattoo parlor. Sak Yant (Thai for ''tattoos of mystical drawings'' sak=tattoo, yantra=mystical drawing) tattoos are popular throughout Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The tattoos are believed to impart magical powers to the people who have them. People get the tattoos to address specific needs. For example, a business person would get a tattoo to make his business successful, and a soldier would get a tattoo to help him in battle. Credit: ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy Live News

• Contributor: ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo
• Image ID: ER4JPC
• File size: 45.6 MB (1.8 MB Compressed download)
• Releases: Model - no | Property - no
• Dimensions: 4608 x 3456 px | 39 x 29.3 cm | 15.4 x 11.5 inches | 300dpi
• Date taken: 25 May 2015
• Photographer: ZUMA Press

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May 25, 2015 - Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand - A tattoo needle is sterilized in a flame in Ajarn Neng Onnut's Sak Yant tattoo parlor. Sak Yant (Thai for ''tattoos of mystical drawings'' sak=tattoo, yantra=mystical drawing) tattoos are popular throughout Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The tattoos are believed to impart magical powers to the people who have them. People get the tattoos to address specific needs. For example, a business person would get a tattoo to make his business successful, and a soldier would get a tattoo to help him in battle. The tattoos are blessed by monks or people who have magical powers. Ajarn Neng, a revered tattoo master in Bangkok, uses stainless steel needles to tattoo, other tattoo masters use bamboo needles. The tattoos are growing in popularity with tourists, but Thai religious leaders try to discourage tattoo masters from giving tourists tattoos for ornamental reasons. (Credit Image: © Jack Kurtz/ZUMA Wire)