MisterBonk recently started a topic regarding Spirit Houses and there were a wide ranging set of responses.

Today I am once again incensed regarding the games the childish village people have been playing with regard to spirit houses -my wife's in particular.

Last night a group of 6 neighbours asked if they could come and worship my wife's spirit house with a view to obtaining today's winning lottery number. My wife, fortunately, does not believe this nonsense but allowed them in to do their thing. No problem for me -just stupid naive people.

But this morning when I went out, not only did I see the remains of their candles, pretty flowers and joss sticks, but the bastards had ripped the bark off a nearby coconut tree, this being part of the worship process! I was, and still am livid. Told the wife to tell them never again, and also to let them know I am very, very angry. Let them in and they destroy my tree. Being fairly fluent in Thai, I think I will let them know personally what I think of them.

yeah, yeah, yeah, your tree, what did they say about the no's????

If this sort of stuff irritates you that much, I'm surprised you haven't already burst a blood vessel.

One that makes me smirk is when a local finds a turtle and turns it over to see if it has any numbers hidden in the pattern of its belly.

My mother used to spend a fair amount of time staring at tea leaves, same same, no different.

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You are quite entitled to 10 % of all winnings as your consultancy fee.

iF they win big money may I visit u, promise to do no damage, or was the tree where the luck came from.

If this sort of stuff irritates you that much, I'm surprised you haven't already burst a blood vessel.

One that makes me smirk is when a local finds a turtle and turns it over to see if it has any numbers hidden in the pattern of its belly.

My mother used to spend a fair amount of time staring at tea leaves, same same, no different.

Very different Thaddeus. Your mother didn't attempt to destroy my tree or anyone elses.

Let them believe all their stuff and nonsense, but to deliberately cause damage is totally unacceptable.

"but the bastards had ripped the bark off a nearby coconut tree"

i would have thought them BASTARDS probably looked after that tree since long before you arrived with a few quid!!!!

one thing for sure, they know how to take care of a tree!!!

sweep the old candles up and get on with your day, they only want, and hope for a better life like food and health, not plasma tvs, big fancy houses, etc like us!

cha cha!

"but the bastards had ripped the bark off a nearby coconut tree"

i would have thought them BASTARDS probably looked after that tree since long before you arrived with a few quid!!!!

one thing for sure, they know how to take care of a tree!!!

sweep the old candles up and get on with your day, they only want, and hope for a better life like food and health, not plasma tvs, big fancy houses, etc like us!

cha cha!

You fail to see my point.

I agreed to let them in, but did not expect to see damage done to my tree which Incidentally I grew from scratch.

If they wanted a better life they would not waste hundreds of baht every 2 weeks on the lottery. The 6 vandals, have today, I am informed spent 3000bt between them on today's lottery, yet they are all heavily in debt and can ill afford it.

I believe it for this very same reason, that the authorities looking after Phanom Rung have closed it off to spiritualists who used to perform night-time ceremonies, because they were not content just to pray, but caused damage too.

If this sort of stuff irritates you that much, I'm surprised you haven't already burst a blood vessel.

One that makes me smirk is when a local finds a turtle and turns it over to see if it has any numbers hidden in the pattern of its belly.

My mother used to spend a fair amount of time staring at tea leaves, same same, no different.

Very different Thaddeus. Your mother didn't attempt to destroy my tree or anyone elses.

Let them believe all their stuff and nonsense, but to deliberately cause damage is totally unacceptable.

Sorry, but it is the same, it's a ritual that you find bizarre, but they find it completely normal, whose origins are shrouded by the mists of time.

They didn't kill the tree, certain parts of the west used to cut down an entire maple so they could hang ribbons from it and dance around the thing in circles.

Sorry, but it is the same, it's a ritual that you find bizarre, but they find it completely normal, whose origins are shrouded by the mists of time.

They didn't kill the tree, certain parts of the west used to cut down an entire maple so they could hang ribbons from it and dance around the thing in circles.

Yes I do find the ritual bizarre - I find all rituals bizarre, unnecessary and sometimes dangerous- tea leaves, cards, seances and many others whoever is performing them -Black white or brown coloured people. But it's their life and if they want to perform these things so be it, But we are talking about my <deleted> tree - they had no right whatsoever - ritual or otherwise - to damage it! Give them an inch and they'll take a mile. Next time they might sacrifice my kids or maybe yours!

he he he he heeee, your digging yourselfe into a big enough hole you could plant another 10 trees, after yor heart attack that is, chill out!

for your solution look here

Next time they might sacrifice my kids or maybe yours!

Now that is just a completely irrational statement.

And besides, in their eyes probably, the tree is not your tree, it's a Thai tree.

Plus, how much bark did they remove? you can take off a fair amount of it without cause the tree any lasting harm, the older stuff peels off by itself naturally.

(of course the answer now will probably be 'all of it')

As funfun says, chill out man.

I've hear about this bark removal thing also for lottery numbers. My wife told me its done in Sisaket quite often.

How is taking a bit of bark off a tree going to damage it in any permanent way?

Won't it just grow back?

Surely they've been doing it for hundreds [thousands?] of years - there's no shortage of trees in Thailand. . .

What is the magic number I think that depending on how much damage the tree received it will probably be ok. Show us a picture so that we can advice on some western healing magic.