Ghosts in Thai culture

Belief in ghosts in Thai culture is both popular and enduring. In the history of Thailand Buddhist popular beliefs intermingled with the legends about the spirits or ghosts of the local folklore. These myths have survived and evolved, having been adapted to the modern media, such as Thai movies, Thai television soap operas and Thai comics.

Some of the ghosts of Thai culture are shared with neighboring cultures. Krasue, for example is part of the Cambodian, Lao and Malay culture as well. A few of these, including the tall Pret, are part of the mythology of Buddhism. They are others though, such as Phi Dip Chin, which have entered the Thai ghost lore through the Chinese community residing in Thailand for the past few centuries.

Thai spirits or ghosts are known generically as Phi (ผี). A large proportion of these spirits are nocturnal. Except for the well-known Pret, most ghosts were traditionally not represented in paintings or drawings, hence they are purely based on stories of the oral tradition. The local beliefs regarding the village spirits of Thailand were studied by Phraya Anuman Rajadhon.

Ghosts are believed to be found, among other places, in certain trees, burial grounds near Buddhist temples, as well as some houses, especially abandoned houses. There are different categories of ghosts. Certain ghosts dwelling in mountains and forests are generally known as Phi Khao (ผีเขา) and Phi Pa (ผีป่า). Geographic locations such as the Phi Pan Nam Range (ทิวเขาผีปันน้ำ), "the mountain range that the spirits use to divide the waters", and Phae Mueang Phi (แพะเมืองผี) are named after the ancient ghosts believed to dwell in the places. Female ghosts or fairies related to trees such as Nang Ta-khian and Nang Tani are known generically as Nang Mai (นางไม้ "Lady of the Tree").

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