Why Thai Ghost Drink Red Fanta

[prakhonchai nick]

The whole Kuman Tong thing got a lot of press from last year's incident with the Taiwanese in Bangkok.

I don't actually see anything along those lines in the OP picture nor any others in this thread, just normal spirit houses.

The waving merchant doll is yet a third practice, "Kata Nang Kwak".

And I'm not even interested in this topic, you guys should get your stories straight if you're going to post as authorities on this stuff.

No your wrong. Look closely at the op pic. There's at least 5 I can see. Kuman thong and Kumalee down the bottom right, nang kwuk is there, then there's the tree with the colored ribbons that's another also up top is pla poom jao tee. But your not interested.

Personally I think it's great Thai culture!

Children and their dolls houses!

[kdw512]

all them fantas, no wonder the Buddha is so fat!

[krisb]

all them fantas, no wonder the Buddha is so fat!

That's Chinese Buddha, not the Thai Buddha.

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[krisb]

The whole Kuman Tong thing got a lot of press from last year's incident with the Taiwanese in Bangkok.

I don't actually see anything along those lines in the OP picture nor any others in this thread, just normal spirit houses.

The waving merchant doll is yet a third practice, "Kata Nang Kwak".

And I'm not even interested in this topic, you guys should get your stories straight if you're going to post as authorities on this stuff.

No your wrong. Look closely at the op pic. There's at least 5 I can see. Kuman thong and Kumalee down the bottom right, nang kwuk is there, then there's the tree with the colored ribbons that's another also up top is pla poom jao tee. But your not interested.

Personally I think it's great Thai culture!

 

 

Children and their dolls houses!

The mentality of some countries hey. Some choose to look down on others don't they nick.

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[BKS22]

My guardian spirit will accept nothing but scotch whisky.

LMAO! While I respect the Thai culture and their beliefs....

THIS IS DA^M FUNNY!

[HOOD Robin]

It's up to the particular spirit what they prefer - some do prefer khao lao or the green stuff.

As to why most prefer the red one, dunno, why don't you ask them?

Dubai inspired ??

[Yarinda]

I asked one 85 years old granny in the village. She said that at first, people sacrifice the Rama 5 statue at home and he loves red wine. But Thai village people were not familiar with wine like nowadays. They bought red fanta as a replacement of red wine and offer to the Rama 5 statue which usually placed together with other statue and shrines. Since then, people just started offering red fanta to everything. I think this might be another reason too.

[PalMan]

Interesting. Apparently King Chula's spirit's preferences also include:

Black coffee, Scotch, Hennessy cognac, Winston cigarettes and bundles of red or pink roses.

He was a big fan of farang culture of course. . .

[vijer]

That's and easy one, because they don't want to give up their wonderful Thai whiskey!

In our area, there is a homeless man that looks particularly retched. I wanted to give him some money and we tried to find him, my wife asked a shop keeper if she had seen him. The shopkeeper said not to worry he takes all the offerings from the shrines and consumes it for his meals. I guess he likes red Fanta too!

[Docno]

all them fantas, no wonder the Buddha is so fat!

That's Chinese Buddha, not the Thai Buddha.

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That's not a Chinese "Buddha" you're referring to. It's a Chinese deity called Pu-Tai or Hotei. Westerners often confuse him for the Buddha ... Gautama Buddha was never obese in the legends we have of him.

[PalMan]

"The" historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama or Shakyamuni, is thin, but there is "a thousand Buddhas" or Bodhisattvas.

Bodhisattva (or Buddha) Dipankara came before Shakyamuni, while Bodhisattva (or Buddha) Maitreya is the predicted Buddha to succeed Gautama Buddha in the future.

In Chinese Buddhism, this "fat Buddha" figure represents Maitreya and his fatness is a symbol for happiness, wealth and prosperity.

[phuketjock]

The whole Kuman Tong thing got a lot of press from last year's incident with the Taiwanese in Bangkok.

I don't actually see anything along those lines in the OP picture nor any others in this thread, just normal spirit houses.

The waving merchant doll is yet a third practice, "Kata Nang Kwak".

And I'm not even interested in this topic, you guys should get your stories straight if you're going to post as authorities on this stuff.

No your wrong. Look closely at the op pic. There's at least 5 I can see. Kuman thong and Kumalee down the bottom right, nang kwuk is there, then there's the tree with the colored ribbons that's another also up top is pla poom jao tee. But your not interested.

Personally I think it's great Thai culture!

You are all wrong, everybody knows that the Thai guardians and their angels are Liverpool or Man U supporters,

hence RED fanta.....

[khaowong1]

My guardian spirit will accept nothing but scotch whisky.

25 year old, bonded. Single malt.

[AmeriThai]

that's a good question, i want to know too, btw, i ask to my wife that if i happend to die first, pls dont bring that fanta stuff to my grave, i would prefer some good rum, a pizza and if she could an onze of weed would be appreciated too

I imagine the weed would disappear in a very short time.

[ChiangMai101]

The whole Kuman Tong thing got a lot of press from last year's incident with the Taiwanese in Bangkok.

I don't actually see anything along those lines in the OP picture nor any others in this thread, just normal spirit houses.

The waving merchant doll is yet a third practice, "Kata Nang Kwak".

And I'm not even interested in this topic, you guys should get your stories straight if you're going to post as authorities on this stuff.

No your wrong. Look closely at the op pic. There's at least 5 I can see. Kuman thong and Kumalee down the bottom right, nang kwuk is there, then there's the tree with the colored ribbons that's another also up top is pla poom jao tee. But your not interested.

Personally I think it's great Thai culture!

Some of us are interested. I find it a fascinating part of Thai culture.

[maxme]

Maybe they too can´t stand EST...

[bigbamboo]

I would have thought ghosts preferred spirits.

[aechzen]

my ghost like only Cognac

[kannot]

Belief, custom or whatever, I cannot help but think of the sheer waste of food and money that goes into these spirit houses. It's not just Fanta, but fruit, pigs heads etc etc, all of which just rots or gets eaten by ants and vermin.

And all this whilst a large number of people die worldwide everyday through malnutrition!

Correct!

[kannot]

The whole Kuman Tong thing got a lot of press from last year's incident with the Taiwanese in Bangkok.

I don't actually see anything along those lines in the OP picture nor any others in this thread, just normal spirit houses.

The waving merchant doll is yet a third practice, "Kata Nang Kwak".

And I'm not even interested in this topic, you guys should get your stories straight if you're going to post as authorities on this stuff.

No your wrong. Look closely at the op pic. There's at least 5 I can see. Kuman thong and Kumalee down the bottom right, nang kwuk is there, then there's the tree with the colored ribbons that's another also up top is pla poom jao tee. But your not interested.

Personally I think it's great Thai culture!

I think it's idiotic , but these days it seems its not pc to say anything negative, actually NO, its not negative its realistic.

[attento]

My guardian spirit will accept nothing but scotch whisky.

Johnnie Walker RED LABEL by any chance ?

[krisb]

The whole Kuman Tong thing got a lot of press from last year's incident with the Taiwanese in Bangkok.

I don't actually see anything along those lines in the OP picture nor any others in this thread, just normal spirit houses.

The waving merchant doll is yet a third practice, "Kata Nang Kwak".

And I'm not even interested in this topic, you guys should get your stories straight if you're going to post as authorities on this stuff.

No your wrong. Look closely at the op pic. There's at least 5 I can see. Kuman thong and Kumalee down the bottom right, nang kwuk is there, then there's the tree with the colored ribbons that's another also up top is pla poom jao tee. But your not interested.

Personally I think it's great Thai culture!

I think it's idiotic  , but these days it  seems its not pc  to say anything negative,  actually NO, its not negative its realistic.

C'mon, it's an integral part of Thailand. I'm not here to judge religions or beliefs but if Thailand was a strict Muslim country, ie no alcohol and burqas, it wouldn't appeal to me. I think Buddhists are kinda cool! Plus all monks know kung <deleted> and that's pretty kick ass stuff.

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[ableguy]

The picture shows a shrine dedicated to a guardian spirit.

The colour red is traditionally a positive sign, a symbol for joy and happiness. Offering someone something to drink is also a symbol of kindness.

People offer red drinks because they mean well towards this spirit.

suspect they got a bulk buy deal

[marquis22]

Glad they give fanta of any colour as hate to see good beer go to waste if they thought the ghost preferred it .....

[Morakot]

It is offerings to the unborn child. If you are interested in the real story, goggle "kuman thong"

You may find that the term guardian spirit in the relevant literature covers different forms: such as ghosts and deities, and even includes obscure 19^th century concepts such as protective infant-ghosts.

What literature would you recommend?

Thanks.

Any anthropological literature based on ethnographic fieldwork that deals with animism in Southeast Asia. For example this article might be a good starting point:

Penelope Van Esterik 1982 "Interpreting a Cosmology: Guardian Spirits in Thai Buddhism." Anthropos 77:1-15.

PM me for a private copy.

[bkkgriz]

I've been told by more than one Thai that leaving the red Fanta is supposed to bring you money. I have never tried it, so I don't know if it is true.