Red Fanta For The Spirits.

[Richb2004v2]

We have recently moved onto an estate. I noticed bottles of red Fanta on the wall outside quite a number of the houses. They are full and have a straw in them. I think they are Buddhist offerings, and are often accompanied by other things. I just wonder why red Fanta?

I'm also perplexed at what must be going through the mind of a person to do this. It seems to be an extreme case of suspending ones belief or thought process, since obviously the drink never gets consumed and must eventually be removed and put in the bin. Also, why the straw?

[LennyW]

I have always thought it was a marketing masterstroke by somebody at Fanta, "let's put the rumour out that buddah likes red fanta!!!"

[thunder30101]

How do you know buddha doesnt drink it ? Maybe he comes after midnight. After a long day at work he deserves a drink. And try buying a drink without getting offered a straw here, would you treat buddha differently ?

[Richb2004v2]

I wonder if red is significant? It seems to be for the Chinese. Is it only the estate I'm on? It's the first time I've noticed it. I walked along one Soi and 5 of the houses had it outside.

[thunder30101]

I think red is used to ward off evil spirits, and yes it is quite common to see the red fanta along with food left out for him.

[DP25]

Also, why the straw?

You ever try to pick up a bottle of Fanta in spirit form?

[Richb2004v2]

I suppose it's no more ludicrous than the Catholics with their bread and wine.

[lomatopo]

This topic has come up often here on TV; I did a search but could not a definitive answer other than to say the red is an auspicious color in the influencing cultures (China, Buddhism). I have heard that red may be associated with Rama 5, and that even Rama 9 likes Fanta sii daeng. The offering is made not ward off evil spirits but to give sustenance for the spirits, outside the house (perhaps to make it easier for them?), hence the Spirit Houses.

I think red Fanta is ostensibly supposed to be Sala-flavored, as is the popular Hales Blue Boy red syrup, Sala Daeng (presumably not a red roof ).

[Richb2004v2]

I wonder how they differentiate between the spirit preferring one over the other, since neither of them get drunk anyway.

[Semper]

I think it's to keep the soi dogs away.

Edited May 19, 2011 by Semper

[Richb2004v2]

I think it's to keep the soi dogs away.

I actually wondered about that, and thought someone might tell me that was their purpose. But then I don't think the straws would be needed. The other strange thing is that these offerings are not even by a shrine, but just on the garden wall, sometimes with a smoking josh stick.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

We use Hale's syrup. Other things can be used though. Anything that's good enough for people to consume is good enough for the spirits of the land. In bars/restaurants you often see liquor offered as well. In general the concept is that you share what you have with the spirits, or at least offer it as a sign of good will. You can add sweets, candy or other small snacks as well.

On occasion people would offer more elaborate foods, such as a whole steamed chicken. Note that this food CAN be consumed afterwards, though you typically wouldn't consume the small stuff and drinks, though birds and other animals are welcome to partake.

The custom extends to other spirits, deities and ancestors as well. When a loved one moves on, you still share food and drink.

The most remarkable offerings will be for deceased children, where people offer milk and small toys.

I think it's a nice thing to do.

Edited May 19, 2011 by WinnieTheKhwai

[007]

I actually wondered about that, and thought someone might tell me that was their purpose. But then I don't think the straws would be needed. The other strange thing is that these offerings are not even by a shrine, but just on the garden wall, sometimes with a smoking josh stick.

Actually, my girlfriend put up a shrine complete with Buddha image, amulets AND one of those red Fanta bottles right after we moved into our apartment, supposedly for (financial) 'good luck' and fortune. Maybe that's why the jewellery shops in Thailand are all bright red, easily to be mistaken for fire hydrants...

Edited May 19, 2011 by 007

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Gold shops are bright red and gold; it's a Chinese thing. Jewellery stores that sell other kinds of jewellery including those with gems and diamonds in them typically don't go with the red theme. Those shops are a minority compared to gold shops of course. A gold shop of course also serves some of the same functions as a bank; that's why you see so many of them, with almost any town or market area also having at least one gold shop nearby, even deep up-country.

[happyrobert]

Because it tastes nasty and there is no other use for it.

[Kilgore Trout]

We use Hale's syrup. Other things can be used though. Anything that's good enough for people to consume is good enough for the spirits of the land. In bars/restaurants you often see liquor offered as well. In general the concept is that you share what you have with the spirits, or at least offer it as a sign of good will. You can add sweets, candy or other small snacks as well.

On occasion people would offer more elaborate foods, such as a whole steamed chicken. Note that this food CAN be consumed afterwards, though you typically wouldn't consume the small stuff and drinks, though birds and other animals are welcome to partake.

The custom extends to other spirits, deities and ancestors as well. When a loved one moves on, you still share food and drink.

The most remarkable offerings will be for deceased children, where people offer milk and small toys.

I think it's a nice thing to do.

My wife left some kit kats one time on the little shrine on the bedstand; my mom slept over once and in the morning thanked her for leaving a snack

[DisainaM]

remembering the years in Thailand in the early 90th.,

there was no fanta deng and fanta keau on the market,

but nam deng and nam keau was available in bigger bottles on the market,

thai used small coke bottles for the same thing.

I never saw a glass with nam deng,

so I think, a small minimized portion is suiting the ritual.

[ozzieovaseas]

Did you check to see whether there was actually fanta in the bottles? or maybe it was just water?

Like other posters had mentioned, i originally thought it was to keep the soi dogs away, as I noticed dogs hanging around and err...khee-ing... in a corner of the carpark, to which the owners have responded by sectioning off the area with bottles of liquid of some kind

no straws though,so maybe they have dual purposes

[Richard4849]

remembering the years in Thailand in the early 90th.,

there was no fanta deng and fanta keau on the market,

but nam deng and nam keau was available in bigger bottles on the market,

thai used small coke bottles for the same thing.

I never saw a glass with nam deng,

so I think, a small minimized portion is suiting the ritual.

I'm quite sure that red and green Fanta has been available in Thailand for many decades before 1990.

[NanLaew]

I thought that 'nam deang' appearing on the spirit offering was all about that Kuman Thong bullsh!t. But if the Thai-Chinese are into it as well, who knows?

Slightly off topic; what's an easier abbreviation for Thai-Chinese or Thai's of Chinese descent? The abbreviated form looks all very PC with it's hyphenation but I am sure that there's a local word or even a pidgin-ised Thai word that would be less of a mouthful. I recall a variant of Teochew being used in Singapore and Bangkok but that may be purely based on the dialect of the majority of them?

[Livinginexile]

I asked the MiL about this phenomina.

She insists that one day someone somewhere put red fanta as an offering and lo-and-behold, next day they won lotto!

Remeber....with Thai people it is all about bringing on "good luck". If this is true about the red fanta thing then it would explain everything.

[Farang0tang]

I asked the MiL about this phenomina.

She insists that one day someone somewhere put red fanta as an offering and lo-and-behold, next day they won lotto!

Remeber....with Thai people it is all about bringing on "good luck". If this is true about the red fanta thing then it would explain everything.

OK - I can understand Thais thinking that............

But what about the toys? I have even seen a packet of small plastic military figures, complete with field guns, tanks, attack helicopters etc.

Seems someone is hoping to bring about some "bad luck".

[travelmann]

Dont worry I often drink these when passing as my wife always says husbands tumy same Buddha so i do feel its my right

[lomatopo]

But what about the toys? I have even seen a packet of small plastic military figures, complete with field guns, tanks, attack helicopters etc.

Seems someone is hoping to bring about some "bad luck".

These types of offerings are for the spirits of deceased children; that is to say children who passed away at a young age and whose spirits would enjoy playing with the toys. Nothing to do with bringing bad luck.

[NanLaew]

But what about the toys? I have even seen a packet of small plastic military figures, complete with field guns, tanks, attack helicopters etc.

Seems someone is hoping to bring about some "bad luck".

These types of offerings are for the spirits of deceased children; that is to say children who passed away at a young age and whose spirits would enjoy playing with the toys. Nothing to do with bringing bad luck.

I think that rather than being an offering to deceased children, this definitely is an offering to the Kuman Thong entity. Ultimately, it is all about bringing good luck and money in particular. However, there is a more sinister side to this adulation which leans towards 'black magic' and bringing misfortune on others; google it (kuman thong or guman thong) or dig around on TV for legacy threads.

For the OP, there's probably someone in these households subscribing to that mumbo jumbo. Otherwise, there must be dead children in a very high percentage of Thai families.

Edited May 20, 2011 by NanLaew

[lomatopo]

But what about the toys? I have even seen a packet of small plastic military figures, complete with field guns, tanks, attack helicopters etc.

Seems someone is hoping to bring about some "bad luck".

These types of offerings are for the spirits of deceased children; that is to say children who passed away at a young age and whose spirits would enjoy playing with the toys. Nothing to do with bringing bad luck.

I think that rather than being an offering to deceased children, this definitely is an offering to the Kuman Thong entity. Ultimately, it is all about bringing good luck and money in particular. However, there is a more sinister side to this adulation which leans towards 'black magic' and bringing misfortune on others; google it (kuman thong or guman thong) or dig around on TV for legacy threads.

For the OP, there's probably someone in these households subscribing to that mumbo jumbo. Otherwise, there must be dead children in a very high percentage of Thai families.

I think you are taking this a bit too literally. They toys are for the spirits of any/all children, not for a specific child whom the donor might have known. This has its origins with the unborn child of Mae Nak, but again is meant more for any child spirit in the vicinity, too appease them and keep them happy. Obviously a lot of children have passed away over the past thousand years so there is probably no shortage of child-aged spirits, for those who believe. You might also see some childrens clothing left.

[DisainaM]

Max Keith, was the chief der Coca-Cola GmbH in Essen, Germany, during WWII.

Based on shortage of the coke ingredients, the coke production came to an end.

While the nazis wanted a simliar product

Dr Schetelig invented 1942 a drink, with the name Fanta.

The name Fanta comes from ‘fantasie’ which is German for ‘imagination’.

After 1962, the coke company introduced Fanta on the world market.

http://socyberty.com/history/did-the-nazis-really-invent-fanta/

When the King of Thailand said, Red Fanta is his preferred drink,

Red Fanta has been officially endorsed by the King of Thailand

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_availability_of_Fanta#.C2.A0Thailand

the success of Fanta Red was established.

(still looking about the time schedule)

[Richb2004v2]

When the King of Thailand said, Red Fanta is his preferred drink,

Red Fanta has been officially endorsed by the King of Thailand

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_availability_of_Fanta#.C2.A0Thailand

Oh, that explains everything.

I guess it's a little like children leaving mince pies out for Santa isn't it. I'd be a bit worried though if people continued leaving mince pies out for him well into adulthood though, even when they never seemed to get consumed.

[DisainaM]

and the second reason might be,

Red is the color of blood…not that the spirits are just out for blood, but blood is the source of life. When Thai people offer the Red Fanta, they believe they are giving a drink to the spirits that offers them life and vitality.

http://asktheblindpastor.wordpress.com/2011/05/12/red-fanta-offered-to-the-spirits/

แฟนต้าแอ็ปเปิ้ลเขียว (จำหน่ายครั้งแรกในปี 1991 และกลับมาจำหน่ายอีกครั้งในปี 2004)

http://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%9F%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%95%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2

Green Fanta was produced in Japan 1991 the first time.

[EirikJohannesen]

remembering the years in Thailand in the early 90th.,

there was no fanta deng and fanta keau on the market,

but nam deng and nam keau was available in bigger bottles on the market,

thai used small coke bottles for the same thing.

I never saw a glass with nam deng,

so I think, a small minimized portion is suiting the ritual.

I'm quite sure that red and green Fanta has been available in Thailand for many decades before 1990.

For sure. My ex W, love green and red fanta, she orded cases whit small botle in 1988. IN Isaan, small village in Yasothon.