Ghosts and Animals in Thailand
Ghosts having their own extravagant houses? Only in Thailand do they...
Before "modern" religions there were spirits. And still are... Thailand is 95 percent Buddhist. The rest are Muslim, Hindu, Christian and Sikh. However, before Buddhism and Islam were animist beliefs including worship of spirits in the forest, trees and in your house. Some are these spirits are considered ghosts.
I Ain't Afraid of No Ghosts
By building a mini palace outside of your house, the ghosts (Phi in Thai means ghost or spirit. So Phi Phi island is Ghost Island!) will want to live there rather than your house. As well, you must feed them, give them drinks, and pray to keep them happy. From a Western point of view the idea can be quite confusing. Thais seems to be obsessed by ghosts as can be seen in virtually almost every movie and TV show it seems. If someone is "crazy" or suffering from mental issues, Thais very well may think they are possessed by a spirit or ghost. Personally, I can fully accept this concept and appreciate the mixing of old beliefs with new ones compared to the strict guidelines of some other religions.
The ghostly dancers.
The ghost house on the corner.
Another ghost house
This a really beautiful ghost house outside a hotel.
Ghosts just chilling.
Another ghost sitting
A Thai spirit house. There are many types for many different reasons. The story is long and complicated. Maybe another post ;)
Old lady ghost. Getting scared yet?
Thanks for reading! Hope you learned a little about ghosts in Thailand and feel free to...
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Nah, not scary. You should visit Mae Nak shrine. Recently there is a popular drama on TV known as Long Khong (Art of the devil). Witch doctor (Mhor Phi) is scarier.
Haha exactly! I'm not afraid too. I've seen some pretty funny TV shows actually. I think we are much more afraid of ghosts in the West because we don't want to accept their existence. Thai's just incorporate them into daily life... Thanks for the tips! I'll check out those shows and the shrine...
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Thanks for commenting. I don't profess to know much about it although I find it interesting and couldn't find much information in English to learn about it. So you've educated me quite a bit and thanks for that. As well, of course writing about something without much understanding of it certainly isn't done with an intention to insult anyone. Thanks for the clarification and feel free to clarify more :)