10 January 2016

Spirit Houses of Thailand - and a Ghost-Filled Building

Every building in Thailand has a spirit house.

It has to be in a special location.
Preferably where the shadow doesn't fall on it.

It's usually on a pedestal. 
Even commercial buildings can have a spirit house.

In this miniature house, there are all sorts of offerings. 
It provides a home for the protective spirits of the property.

If these spirits aren't appeased, they can cause trouble.
And no one - likes angry spirits.

Erik adjusts a spirit house offering near a cave outside Hua Hin.

From my balcony in high-rise Bangkok, I can look down from the 28th floor and see a number of spirit houses - in gardens, at street corners, on tiny platforms in the corner of a lot.

Even trees can have spirit houses.
Boats have spirits, too.

Every day, offerings have to be made to these spirits -

Strings of flowers.
A bunch of bananas.
Any fruit will do. 
Food, even sodas (they're partial to red sodas, with a straw!)
Incense, candles.

All to keep the spirits happy. 

Or - there could be consequences.

There's a large unfinished high rise building nearby in downtown Bangkok. 
About 80% complete, 49 stories tall.

They say it will never be finished.
No one will work there. 
No Thai feels at ease entering the building.

It's abandoned. 
It has ghosts. 

Those spirits are not happy.

This spirit tree even gets a soda 6 pack!
Perhaps - for the price of a few mangos and a string of jasmine.
Things could have been different.

Who can tell how spirits work?

Cheers! From Bangkok, Trish, Ray, Erik and Stan.


  1. Just received an email from your website!

    1. Tnx! It was a simple fix (I think!) It was scheduled to be sent at midnight, Mountain Time. But I'm 14 hours ahead here in Thailand.
      (All this tech stuff, when all I REALLY want to do is draw cool stuff!)