AN Original Popular Myths and Legends of Thailand.

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Naresuan’s Elephant Battle

One of the most famous battles in Thai history occurred during King Naresuan's reign when Thailand was known as the Kingdom of Ayutthaya. The king summoned Burmese crown prince Mingya Swa to face him one-on-one from atop his elephant. He agreed, and Naresuan defeated his opponent and won the battle that led to Thailand's subsequent victory. While today elephant riding is frowned upon, it's one of the most persevering through stories from this period of the nation's set of experiences - and one that they're very proud of.

 

 

 

Mae Nak

There are plenty of scary tales in Thailand, but perhaps none are as terrifying as Mae Nak's. When Nak's husband was forced into a war, she was pregnant and deeply in love. Nak and her unborn child perished during childbirth  his absence.

However, when the husband got back from the war, he found that his wife and child were waiting for him at home. Nak killed villagers before they could warn the husband, and he didn't find out about it until he saw her reach her bony arms out to pick up a lime. He ran, hiding in a plant that ghosts don't like and in the temple, where ghosts can't enter.

In the end, Mae Nak was exorcised twice; first into a jar, and then into a monk's waistband. It is still believed that the spirit-filled waistband belongs to the Thai royal family to this day.

 

 

Krasue

Krasue was a woman who loved a low-ranking soldier but was promised to a Siamese nobleman. She was one of Thailand's most feared ghosts. She was put to death by burning after she was discovered with her lover. A sorceress endeavored to project an insurance spell, yet its impacts came on past the point of no return, leaving just her digestive organs, viscera and head solid. Today, it is believed that her ghostly remains wander the night in search of blood, flesh, or feces as food, and numerous individuals claim to have seen her at night.

 

 

 

Mountain of the Sleeping Lady

Legend says that the unusual shape of Chiang Rai's Doi Nang Non mountain comes from a sleeping woman. A handsome prince was engaged to a beautiful princess, but he fled, leaving her pregnant and alone. Fearing he was lost, she waited for him and then went out looking for him. She fell to the ground after walking for several days and, realizing he had left her, cried out in despair before passing away. The mountain range that is now known as Doi Nang Non, or the mountain of the sleeping lady, grew in size as her ghost left her body.

 

Krahang

Another ghost story from Thailand describes Krahang as a sorcerer who uses black magic and now appears as a shirtless man who wanders the Thai countryside. Two rice baskets serve as his wings, giving him the ability to fly, and he rides with a long wooden pestle between his legs. Krahang, who is well-known to almost everyone in Thailand, has been accused of assaulting women in remote villages.

 

 

Nai Khanom Tom

Nai Khanom Tom was a Thai prisoner of war in Burma who was regarded as the father of Muay Thai. The Burmese wanted to compare their martial art to that of Thailand, so they organized a fight for the best fighter among the Thai prisoners. With a break, Nai Khanom Tom advanced and defeated ten opponents one after the other. The Siamese prisoner was freed by the King, who was impressed, and ever since, Nai Khanom Tom has been revered as a legend.

 

The Naga

At Thai temples, you might have noticed statues that look like snakes or dragons, but in reality they are neither; They're Naga. The locals believe that the Naga, a race of semi-divine beings that are a part of both Buddhism and Hinduism, reside in the Mekong River. More intriguingly, it is believed that they are responsible for the Naga fireball occurrence, in which fireballs rise into the air high above the allegedly inhabited Mekong River. However, worry not; Having Naga around is a good idea because they act as guardians and keep evil spirits at bay. However, if you want to swim in the Mekong, be careful.

 

 

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