Every Thai house has a house of spirits. The spirit house size is related to the owner's house. The biggest it is, the biggest the spirit house shall be. Every morning the owner of the house shall feed the spirits. It was mandatory to install a spirit house when building a new house. In fact the house is made for the spirit of the land. It calms the spirit and assure good blessings for the owner of the house.
Everywhere in Thailand, spirit houses can be seen. Food, drinks and also little figurines representing servants, dancers, elephants, cars are given to the spirit of the land. The dancers shall entertain him. The elephant shall transport him.
ผีต้นไม้ or "PHI TON MAI" means "ghosts that reside in tree".
Everywhere in Thailand, some trees are wrapped with a cloth. Especially in temples but also in forests. It means that a spirit inhabits the tree. Of course the tree shall not be cut without warning the spirit in order to let him find another tree. There is often a certain spirit associated to a certain type of tree such as banana tree spirits and so on...
นางไม้ or "NANG MAI" is a female spirit inhabiting a tree.
To protect forests against logging, some monks ordain trees and wrapped them up with a thin orange cloth. Trees were then sacred. For Buddhist people it was now impossible to harm the trees. Alas sometimes officials used another monks to defrock the trees.
หมอผี or "MO PHI" are the spirits doctors.
In Thailand many spirit doctors help people to get chance, to gain the heart of a desired mate, to get rid of ghosts, to reveal future, to get rid of curses. These spirit doctors can be ordinary persons who have spirit power ("PALANG CHIT" - ปลั่งจิต) or also monks. But monk hierarchy does not tolerate those monks.
The annual biggest concentration of spirit doctors happens each September in Phuket and South of Thailand during the Vegetarian festival. Many men pierce their body with sharp objects or walk on fire. They feel no pain and show the power of the spirit that inhabits their body. This festival is linked to Chinese religion and beliefs.
A monk or astrologer may suggest that misfortune or suffering can be terminated by taking a new name.
นางกวัก or "NANG KWAK" is a spirit.
The "NANG KWAK" is a spirit supposed to bring money in the household. Its statue represents a woman in Thai traditional clothes, sitting on her knees with the right hand up and the hand making the gesture to bring money to her-self. Thai people like to have this statue in their home or their shop.
In July 2001 a woman who claims her son has been reincarnated as a lizard can keep it until she performs religious rites to send his spirit away. She claims the monitor lizard followed her home after her son was cremated one month ago. It's illegal to keep the reptile in captivity, but officials have agreed to let her keep it until she's performed the rites. Crowds have visited her home, believing the lizard is lucky. Some have rubbed its skin hoping to see winning lottery numbers. The reptile is being fed on yogurt and milk - favorites of the dead boy. The lizard is said to be in a poor condition and growing weaker. It will be taken to a wildlife sanctuary once the rites have been performed.
กุมารทอง or "KUMAN THONG" is a baby spirit.
The first story related to "KUMAN THONG" was found in the Thai book "KHUN PAEN AND KHUN CHANG" (คุณแปนคุณชาง). The way to get a "KUMAN THONG" is quite horrible: one must get a dead fetus and burn it in order to obtain a small body. Then dark incantations are cast to insert black magic inside. The "KUMAN THONG" spirit is supposed to warn and protect his owner in case of danger. The owner must also feed and protect it.
Nowadays "KUMAN THONG" are made of wood. It often represents a little child with a hair top cut. If the owner doesn't take care of his "KUMAN THONG", power disappears from the statue.
A few years ago a monk addicted to black magic made a "KUMAN THONG" with a dead fetus. He was disrobed.
ผีปอบ or "PHI POP" is an evil spirit.
These ghosts are powerful and fearful. If they succeed to possess someone, they eat his intestines. One solution to get rid of them is to call a "doctor" dancer. This spirit doctor chases the "PHI POP" by making a whirlpool dance. When watching the dance, the "PHI POP" entered a whirlpool and is chased from the body.
Origin of "PHI POP" came from an old legend. Once upon ago a Prince fond of magic found the way to enter inside alive bodies and to take control over them. Once the prince said magic words and entered into the body of an animal. His servant listening to those words repeated them, entered to the body of the Prince and of course became the Prince. The Prince entering the body of a bird rushed to tell the truth to his wife. This one destroyed the servant's body and challenged the false Prince to enter the body on an animal, then the real Prince re-entered in his body but the servant was not able to re-enter his body. Since this time his spirit goes from one body to the other eating its intestines.
ผีอำ or "PHI AM" is a spirit.
The spirit "PHI AM" sleeps on the chest. When somebody has difficulty to breathe, Thai people say that a "PHI AM" spirit sleeps on his chest.
ผีกระสือ or "PHI KRASEU" is a evil spirit.
The spirit "PHI KRASEU" is often represented as a woman head with intestines.
ผีตายโหง or "PHI TAI HONG" are the most fearful ghost.
These spirits died of violent death ( murder, crash car and so on...). The velocity of their death surprised them. The most powerful of all is "PHI TAI HONG TONG KLOM" (ผีตายโหงทองกลม), spirit of a pregnant woman. This ghost is more powerful because it has the power of two people.
Thai people are really afraid of these ghosts. Even today the belief is still strong in Thai society. Some ghosts stories are often based on women already pregnant and abandoned by their husband or boyfriend. After committing suicide, the ghosts of these women could be seen wandering and looking after their mate.
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