Spirit House -- Why Two?

[buadhai]

In my wanderings I've noticed that many homes have two spirit houses. One is generally higher than the other, rather ornate and often brightly painted. The second, lower house is usually plainer and often painted a darker or more earthy color. The lower house usually has a ladder leading from the ground to the front "porch".

I asked my girlfriend why some homes have two spirit houses and why the differences in appearance and why only one has a ladder.

She hadn't a clue and said that she never noticed any of this.

Will someone please explain?

[boxig]

Here is the bit I remember:

There are two houses called Phra Pum and Jao Ti.

Jao Ti is for the spirit of the place or the object while Phra Pum is for the spirit of the house. A native Thai will better answer in more details.

Edited June 26, 2005 by boxig

[Dragonman]

According to my wife and my limited research on the matter, the taller one is for the spirits of the house and land, whilst the smaller one is a shrine to someone in particular. My wife's case grandmother and grandfather. I think however that everything's got mixed up in passing time as they were only originally adopted by the thais.

[mpdkorat]

According to my wife and my limited research on the matter, the taller one is for the spirits of the house and land, whilst the smaller one is a shrine to someone in particular. My wife's case grandmother and grandfather. I think however that everything's got mixed up in passing time as they were only originally adopted by the thais.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Try this site gives you some ideas

http://www.montfort.ac.th/english/culture6.html

[buadhai]

Based on the terms supplied by boxig, I did some Google research and found the following quote from the US Library of Congress:

"Another category consists of the chao (guardian spirits), of which perhaps the most important is the chao thi, or guardian of the house compound (an alternative name is phra phum)."

Found lots of references similar to the fine one supplied by mpdkorat. These go into the basics of spirit houses and the animistic beliefs behind them.

But, still no clue, beyond what dragonman wrote, as to why some people have two, why they are different or why the short one has the ladder. Nothing on any of the many Internet sites that discuss spirit houses about the why's and where-fore's of having two.