Ghost Fears Keep Visitors From Thailand

george · June 26, 2005

Ghost Fears Keep Visitors From Thailand

HONG KONG: -- Worries about another deadly tsunami are keeping many tourists from Phuket, the premier resort island of southern Thailand. But hordes of Asian vacationers are staying away for another reason: Fear that the ghosts of thousands of victims may be haunting the beaches and bungalows.

A widely held superstition in Chinese societies holds that if bodies are not recovered and properly buried, the spirits restlessly wander the world. Some believe the lost souls try to drag living beings into their spiritual limbo land.

``As soon as people try to go into the sea, they start worrying about these things,'' said Joseph Tung Yao Chung, executive director of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong.

Six months after the disaster, Tung says Hong Kongers are avoiding Phuket, and travel industry executives in Taiwan, mainland China and South Korea also report the tropical island is no longer a popular destination.

Kang Jung-hoon, who arranges trips for the large Korean travel agency Hanna Tour in Seoul, said people are afraid of ghosts and rumors that bodies are floating around. Kang said that from January to June, only 1,230 customers went to Phuket - down sharply from the 3,187 who went during the same period last year.

Media reports have helped fuel the superstition in South Korea. The free tabloid Sports Korea recently ran a story about three popular Korean celebrities who were filming a television show in Phuket, saying the stars reported hearing voices at their hotel that they believed were spirits.

More than 5,300 people are known dead and 2,900 more went missing when the tsunami swept over Thailand's southwestern coast on Dec. 26, exactly six months ago Sunday. Many of the victims were foreign tourists from Europe and Asia.

Many beach hotels were quickly repaired, and Thailand's travel industry is aggressively promoting the area with assurances it is making a quick recovery. A government-backed tsunami system to warn beachgoers of any tsunami threat is being installed.

Among the places hit was Phuket's busiest beach, Patong.

Travel agent Jirakan Pattawong said she has noticed the big drop off in Asian tourists there. ``Asians used to come here as solo travelers, but now they only come in groups because they're scared to come alone,'' she said.

The Holiday Inn Resort Phuket on Patong reported a 71 percent decline in room bookings in April and May compared to the same time last year. The hotel said guests from Japan, mainland China and Hong Kong were down 93 percent, 91 percent and 83 percent, respectively.

``The tourists from Australia and the U.K. (United Kingdom) are not worried. They say it's nature, it happened and it is past. They're not scared,'' said Rapeeporn Thavorn, director of revenue at the Holiday Inn.

Business has been so bad that many Asian airlines cut their direct flights to Phuket. Taiwan's biggest carrier, China Airlines, didn't plan to resume the service until the end of the year, said Joseph Wu, the company's spokesman.

``Now more travelers go to Northeast Asia, especially Japan and South Korea,'' Wu said. ``The tsunami affected the wish of tourists to go to Phuket, but not to Bangkok where we have three to four daily flights.''

Tung of Hong Kong's Travel Industry Council said the suspended direct flights also discourage trips to Phuket. He said many tourists do not want to bother with changing planes in Bangkok before flying to the island.

Eric Wu, a Southeast Asia specialist at the Taipei Association of Travel Agents, said sharp discounts haven't helped rekindle interest in Phuket. Tours once priced at $500 have been slashed by half.

Wu estimated that Phuket would need at least three to six more months before showing any signs of recovery.

``The number of deaths in the tsunami was just too high, so there is a strong psychological element,'' he said.

--AP Hong Kong 2005-06-26

Genuine ghost:

baht&sold · June 26, 2005

Well, I'm not afraid of no ghosts and anyone who is, I'll come back and haunt you

(the only way they can exist in people's minds, is if they actually believe in such crap)

These are the same people who freak out when the traffic light turns green and their mobile goes off simultaneously

LotNoiKop · June 26, 2005

Well seems that Casper has done a poor turn on the Patong people. It's Punter Paradise with the social opps in great supply! Latestays.com ios filled hight that I note over the years. What a time to go.....

udon · June 26, 2005

The belief in ghosts is so strong with Asians I don't see much hope getting them back to the area in the forseeable future.

Sad news for the small Thai operators, hotel staff & hawkers.

The ABC ran a similar story on radio last week, saying that westerners weren't deterred by ghosts but were concerned that all missing persons have not been found yet and high prices of hotel rooms.

The old story of Thais upping prices when business is bad...

donx · June 26, 2005

My wife claims to have seen a ghost when she was young. She said it tried to strangle her. Ever since then, whenever she sleeps, she covers her neck with a sheet, blanket, towel, or just her hand. She does this even when she dozes off in the passenger seat of a car. All the logic I try to use will never persuade her that her fears are unfounded. To make matters worse, last year my three year old son woke up claiming to have seen a ghost of a young woman. As it turns out, the next door neighbor young lady had been murdered (this is at my in-laws house in Thailand). I don't know if I will ever be able to convince my wife to visit Phuket ever again. What a shame as it is the place where I met her six years ago.

Totster · June 26, 2005

I don't know if I will ever be able to convince my wife to visit Phuket ever again. What a shame as it is the place where I met her six years ago.

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Just tell her you are going to see a friend in Patong with or without her .. I bet she'll go..

totster

Otis · June 26, 2005

Totster · June 26, 2005

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An excellent first post there Otis...

totster

Otis · June 26, 2005

I have been reading posts on this site for awhile and have never posted a response, so, please bear with me here. The smilies I clicked were for defintions, not attitudes.

Anyhow, I can't tell if the subject is ghosts or business. So, I will give my opinion on both and let the editors sort it out.

Ghosts maybe yes, maybe no. After my mother died, I heard her voice a few times in her house/home. My father said he could almost hear her voice. (This man was a conservative lawyer for 40 years.) I asked if he thought he actually heard her voice, and he said yes. It confirmed my physical feeling that I had heard her voice. I was still not quite sure what this event was. I asked 3 different people who had lost a family member and each person I asked the response was,"yes." he or she thought they had heard a voice and thought they were going crazy. So, ghosts or the psychology of human condition are up for grabs as far as I'm concerned.

Now, the business. If I see a deal on flights and hotels, comparable to Pattaya, I and my special girl in Pattaya will be on a trip to Phuket. Allthough, I speak for myself and not for her. Maybe I should ask her about it.

Peace/piece to all, Otis

Martin · June 26, 2005

Could these different (Western and Asian) responses be, deep down, a reflection of Western aggressive arrogance and Asian 'go with the flow' ??

After all many people have reported experiencing happenings for which there is no explanation in terms of our understanding of how it all works (called 'Physics', when we teach it in schools).

Some of us have experienced such happenings ourselves, but are reticent about talking about them (and I wonder why??).

So, why take a chance?.

Why not avoid Phuket, when the holiday can be taken elsewhere?

Maybe many of these Asians are saying to themselves, very sensibly, "I don't believe in ghosts, but just in case I am wrong.........".

Cheeky Farang · June 26, 2005

'go with the flow'

Martin, maybe a pun, or a better use of words next time hahahaha --

c u next week.

Could these different (Western and Asian) responses be, deep down, a reflection of Western aggressive arrogance and Asian 'go with the flow' ??
After all many people have reported experiencing happenings for which there is no explanation in terms of our understanding of how it all works (called 'Physics', when we teach it in schools).

Some of us have experienced such happenings ourselves, but are reticent about talking about them (and I wonder why??).

So, why take a chance?.

Why not avoid Phuket, when the holiday can be taken elsewhere?

Maybe many of these Asians are saying to themselves, very sensibly, "I don't believe in ghosts, but just in case I am wrong.........".

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rodcourt49 · June 26, 2005

'go with the flow'

Martin, maybe a pun, or a better use of words next time hahahaha --

c u next week.

Could these different (Western and Asian) responses be, deep down, a reflection of Western aggressive arrogance and Asian 'go with the flow' ??
After all many people have reported experiencing happenings for which there is no explanation in terms of our understanding of how it all works (called 'Physics', when we teach it in schools).

Some of us have experienced such happenings ourselves, but are reticent about talking about them (and I wonder why??).

So, why take a chance?.

Why not avoid Phuket, when the holiday can be taken elsewhere?

Maybe many of these Asians are saying to themselves, very sensibly, "I don't believe in ghosts, but just in case I am wrong.........".

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ASIANS ARE JUST TOTALLY DIFFERENT in every way imaginable. Why do we spend so much time trying to understand them as they don't give us a second thought!

Totster · June 27, 2005

Why do we spend so much time trying to understand them as they don't give us a second thought!

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Well ... they might not give you a second thought...

totster

mnoorsapl · June 27, 2005

Ghosts? No problem, eat them for dinner last night.

Thaistyx · June 27, 2005

Ghosts? No problem, eat them for dinner last night.

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Ghost toasties?

Backpack_thailand · June 27, 2005

Ghosts? No problem, eat them for dinner last night.

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Ghost toasties?

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Ghoasties...?

BlackJack · June 27, 2005

in the old days in Phuket (before the big hotels - only bungalows) i had a fish and omelete dinner

later i walked along the beach and began to notice strange shapes appearing in the sand and water

a few hours later i was in the fetal position, surrounded by ghosts and strange coloured dogs

this went on until sunrise when suddenly all the illusions disappeared

I crawled back to the restaurant and drew pics of what i had seen - all the thais were laughing and started pointing to the menu

i had ordered the special blue meani omelete - magic mushrooms

so yes i can swear that there are ghosts in Phuket - long before the sunami

fear is the mind killer Luke

pass the sauce Luke

phuketrichard · June 27, 2005

hahaha.

I had the same one in Samui in the 80's!

I live here in Phuket and although I have not seen any ghosts I do find myself looking out to sea the whole time I am in the water.

It took me over 2 months before I got the guts to even go into the water and I am a water person and love the sea.

It will take much longer than 6 months to get the people back and I for one feel it will never be the way it was pre Dec 26....

The thing is in many places, ( Kamala for one) it has not even been cleaned up completely yet they say it is all back to normal.

johnnie deeee · June 27, 2005

There are no such things as ghosts. Remember when as a kid you watched the vampire, werewolf and other horror shows with your hand over your eyes looking between your fingers until the 'really scary' parts came on. Yeah, sleeping with those little night lights on in your bedroom? Well, its time to grow up and realize its all in your head. Sylvia Browne, john Edward and a host of other Con Artists make a fortune SCAMMING people about spirits and talking to people who have 'crossed over'. Over where? Dead is dead. If one can produce a ghost contact James Randi at www.randi.org where he has a MILLION DOLLAR prize for anybody that can prove what they think is supernatural. This includes dowsers and mind readers and any and all people that think they can do it. The prize has never been paid because all these people cannnot prove anything. Johnnie Deeee

breconman · June 27, 2005

There are no such things as ghosts. Remember when as a kid you watched the vampire, werewolf and other horror shows with your hand over your eyes looking between your fingers until the 'really scary' parts came on. Yeah, sleeping with those little night lights on in your bedroom? Well, its time to grow up and realize its all in your head. Sylvia Browne, john Edward and a host of other Con Artists make a fortune SCAMMING people about spirits and talking to people who have 'crossed over'. Over where? Dead is dead. If one can produce a ghost contact James Randi at www.randi.org where he has a MILLION DOLLAR prize for anybody that can prove what they think is supernatural. This includes dowsers and mind readers and any and all people that think they can do it. The prize has never been paid because all these people cannnot prove anything. Johnnie Deeee

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So you don't belive in Ghosts, well you should because I am A GHOST I have been dead for over 350 years.......NOTE only the Dead can read this post

Breconman...... from beyond the grave

breconman · June 27, 2005

Ghosts? No problem, eat them for dinner last night.

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Ghost toasties?

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Ghoasties...?

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did you know there is only one thing us Ghosts are afraid of .......The Fear of Living

sriracha john · June 27, 2005

There are no such things as ghosts. Remember when as a kid you watched the vampire, werewolf and other horror shows with your hand over your eyes looking between your fingers until the 'really scary' parts came on. Yeah, sleeping with those little night lights on in your bedroom? Well, its time to grow up and realize its all in your head. Sylvia Browne, john Edward and a host of other Con Artists make a fortune SCAMMING people about spirits and talking to people who have 'crossed over'. Over where? Dead is dead. If one can produce a ghost contact James Randi at www.randi.org where he has a MILLION DOLLAR prize for anybody that can prove what they think is supernatural. This includes dowsers and mind readers and any and all people that think they can do it. The prize has never been paid because all these people cannnot prove anything. Johnnie Deeee

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If you replace the word ghosts with religion throughout your post, the same conclusions can be drawn.

The other word that comes into play here is "faith".

Orion76 · June 27, 2005

There are no such things as ghosts. Remember when as a kid you watched the vampire, werewolf and other horror shows with your hand over your eyes looking between your fingers until the 'really scary' parts came on. Yeah, sleeping with those little night lights on in your bedroom? Well, its time to grow up and realize its all in your head. Sylvia Browne, john Edward and a host of other Con Artists make a fortune SCAMMING people about spirits and talking to people who have 'crossed over'. Over where? Dead is dead. If one can produce a ghost contact James Randi at www.randi.org where he has a MILLION DOLLAR prize for anybody that can prove what they think is supernatural. This includes dowsers and mind readers and any and all people that think they can do it. The prize has never been paid because all these people cannnot prove anything. Johnnie Deeee

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you replace the word ghosts with religion throughout your post, the same conclusions can be drawn.

The other word that comes into play here is "faith".

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Let's try: "There is no such things as religion"

Tell that to the folks in the Middle East!

Deadcert · June 27, 2005

Now if only that was true, wouldn't the world be a better place.

There are no such things as ghosts. Remember when as a kid you watched the vampire, werewolf and other horror shows with your hand over your eyes looking between your fingers until the 'really scary' parts came on. Yeah, sleeping with those little night lights on in your bedroom? Well, its time to grow up and realize its all in your head. Sylvia Browne, john Edward and a host of other Con Artists make a fortune SCAMMING people about spirits and talking to people who have 'crossed over'. Over where? Dead is dead. If one can produce a ghost contact James Randi at www.randi.org where he has a MILLION DOLLAR prize for anybody that can prove what they think is supernatural. This includes dowsers and mind readers and any and all people that think they can do it. The prize has never been paid because all these people cannnot prove anything. Johnnie Deeee

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you replace the word ghosts with religion throughout your post, the same conclusions can be drawn.

The other word that comes into play here is "faith".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Let's try: "There is no such things as religion"

Tell that to the folks in the Middle East!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Edited June 27, 2005 by Deadcert

thongdee · June 27, 2005

now this was fun reading topic , thxs :-)

Zoltan · June 27, 2005

Are ghosts scarey.. who said there cant be nice ghosts?

sriracha john · June 27, 2005

There are no such things as ghosts. Remember when as a kid you watched the vampire, werewolf and other horror shows with your hand over your eyes looking between your fingers until the 'really scary' parts came on. Yeah, sleeping with those little night lights on in your bedroom? Well, its time to grow up and realize its all in your head. Sylvia Browne, john Edward and a host of other Con Artists make a fortune SCAMMING people about spirits and talking to people who have 'crossed over'. Over where? Dead is dead. If one can produce a ghost contact James Randi at www.randi.org where he has a MILLION DOLLAR prize for anybody that can prove what they think is supernatural. This includes dowsers and mind readers and any and all people that think they can do it. The prize has never been paid because all these people cannnot prove anything. Johnnie Deeee

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you replace the word ghosts with religion throughout your post, the same conclusions can be drawn.

The other word that comes into play here is "faith".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Let's try: "There is no such things as religion"

Tell that to the folks in the Middle East!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Precisely my point... You'll likely get the same response when telling the Chinese/Thais/Asians there is no such thing as ghosts.

thaibebop · June 27, 2005

The report said that most of the dead were European. They aren't fearing just any ghosts, but white ghosts. Just watch the Thais will just blaming western ghosts for ruining the beaches and driving away tourists.

Totster · June 27, 2005

Are ghosts scarey.. who said there cant be nice ghosts?

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Casper was nice... and so was Patrick Swayze...

totster

joee · June 27, 2005

Ghosts is a common thing in Asia for example in Indonesia (Bali)

My last visit in Bali before Tsunami I was collide with some ghost.

Ghost warned me about something but I really hadn't paid attention.

The next morning I had fall off my motorbike …

As you can see on my picture (crop) I’ve attached

Ghost wearing a helmet. May be Ghost warned me about the accident?!?!

We spend a whole night for discussion about it. Many local people with deep concern and understanding was sharing same stories to us.

Crop

Picture was taken near legian beach Bali

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