Bad luck prompts tourist to return glass to sacred temple 

A German tourist who took a piece of decorative glass he found at Thailand's most sacred shrine has sent it back after two years of bad luck.

The tourist, who identified himself only as Juergen Z in his letter, claimed a tour guide suggested he keep the fragment from Bangkok's Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

Chakrarot Chitrabongs, permanent secretary at the Thai Culture Ministry, told the The Nation newspaper that the hapless tourist mailed the glass fragment to the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

He said the 2.5 centimetre-long green, polygon-shaped shard was believed to have broken off an old pavilion at the temple.

Juergen Z claimed he prayed for "permission" from the Emerald Buddha before taking the fragment but it has brought him nothing but bad luck.

"Since returning to his country, Juergen suffered bad luck both in his personal and work life," Chakrarot quoted the letter as saying. "It was just like a curse. Previously such things had never happened to him."

The tourist was advised by a Thai friend to return the glass fragment.

"He said he felt remorseful for his ignorance, and he urged the TAT to put the glass back into its place," Chakrarot said.