Buriram villagers use red shirts to ward off ghosts

[webfact]

Buriram Villagers Use Red Shirts To Ward Off Ghost
By Khaosod English



BANGKOK: -- The Thai northeastern region is closely associated with the Redshirts movement, but three villages in the region adopt red shirts for a supernatural reason, rather than a political one.

Many residents in the three villages of Buriram province - Ban Khok Sa-ad, Ban Khok Yai, and Ban Tago - have taken to hanging red shirts in front of their houses with cardboard or text imprinted on the shirts which read "Nobody′s Home". Another variation says "Only Angels Live Here. No Humans".

They said the gesture is meant to fool bad spirit of a headless evil who has haunted the villages for weeks. Rumours in the communities claim that the headless ghost, said to be a dark tall man, will possess individuals and take away their lives.

Villagers told our correspondent that the haunting started when three people have already died from unknown causes - which they attributed to the ghost. However, the villagers said, there were also survivors who were woken up in time by their relatives as they were possessed by the ghost in their sleep.

A psychic has been brought to the villages to act as the medium to the alleged spirit, and informed the villagers that the spirit belonged to a headless ghost. The diagnosis greatly frightened the villagers, but the psychic advised the residents to hang red shirts in front of their house as a precaution.

Many residents in the three villages said they are now living in fears, they told our correspondent. Many would not venture out of their homes after early evenings to avoid the encounter with the said ghost.

Mr. Sompong Prom-Ngam, Deputy Headsman of the Khok Sa-ad Village, stated that most villagers are scared and have been restless after the occurrence of an incident. He claimed that one of the ghosts′ victims was a man in his 40s who died without pre-existing medical condition.

"Many people couldn′t sleep at night, even though they already hang the red shirts in front of their houses," Mr. Sompong said.

According to Mr. Sompong, there are also residents refuse to believe in the story about the ghosts, but they did not openly lob-loo (ridicule) the belief either, since death still stalks the communities.

Source: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNNU1qazNOVEE0Tmc9PQ==


-- Khaosod English 2014-02-21

[than]

And this people vote for PT !

I understand now why they believe goverment are going to pay thier rice soon...................

[TVGerry]

Yeah if I were a ghost or spirit, an angel or demon, I'd avoid red shirts too!

[Ace of Pop]

Perhaps its just Me, but i don't find anything funny in it.These People can Vote, nice as they may be, that's why democracy doesn't balance out here too good. No Education. Just Red Rhetoric and 1-10 Rules pinned on an Amphur Wall.

[phosphorescent]

How's the spirit gonna read the signs if it's headless?

[DILLIGAD]

My Soup Dragon loves his red shirt!

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[phosphorescent]

Perhaps its just Me, but i don't find anything funny in it.These People can Vote, nice as they may be, that's why democracy doesn't balance out here too good. No Education. Just Red Rhetoric and 1-10 Rules pinned on an Amphur Wall.

All democratic countries follow one religion or another. What's the difference between that and what these people believe?

[sirineou]

Does the headless ghost wear a yellow shirt?

[Jip99]

This is not an isolated case.

A red shirt can be found outside many houses in villages around Buriram - we have one hanging from a tree.

I understand that the original use was to ward off the "widow ghost" who allegedly sought out the young/eligible men in a house. My missus hung up a shirt after her sister did - no doubt just to be on the safe side. You will also see dolls or dummies (manikins?) on gate posts to encourage the spirit into thinking the doll is human and there is no need to go into the house.

Trust me, these are some of the saner things that happen in Buriram!

[patongphil]

Not sure how to post links but if you search widow ghost in the Isaan forum you can read all about it. Originated in Surin.

[Cuchulainn]

Red shirts attract evil, not ward it off!!

[Rimmer]

Profane flame removed

[khwaibah]

Not sure how to post links but if you search widow ghost in the Isaan forum you can read all about it. Originated in Surin.

All over the wife's village in Surin. Buriram is a Johnny come lately. Have been for almost two years.

[Jip99]

Not sure how to post links but if you search widow ghost in the Isaan forum you can read all about it. Originated in Surin.

All over the wife's village in Surin. Buriram is a Johnny come lately. Have been for almost two years.

Nice try Kwaibah - but nothing will convince me that your village is anything more than backward.

Being 'first' at putting out a red shirt, to ward off the widow ghost, does not qualify you for a MENSA award !

[khwaibah]

Not sure how to post links but if you search widow ghost in the Isaan forum you can read all about it. Originated in Surin.

All over the wife's village in Surin. Buriram is a Johnny come lately. Have been for almost two years.

Nice try Kwaibah - but nothing will convince me that your village is anything more than backward.

Being 'first' at putting out a red shirt, to ward off the widow ghost, does not qualify you for a MENSA award !

Doubt seriously You'll find any MENSA award material laying about.

Edited February 21, 2014 by khwaibah

[iancnx]

This is not an isolated case.

A red shirt can be found outside many houses in villages around Buriram - we have one hanging from a tree.

I understand that the original use was to ward off the "widow ghost" who allegedly sought out the young/eligible men in a house. My missus hung up a shirt after her sister did - no doubt just to be on the safe side. You will also see dolls or dummies (manikins?) on gate posts to encourage the spirit into thinking the doll is human and there is no need to go into the house.

Trust me, these are some of the saner things that happen in Buriram!

That's my understanding too, but this superstitious belief is adopted all over the rural north, not just in Issan.

[cooked]

well try this one:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/628180-penis-erected-against-widow-ghost/

[DILLIGAD]

Not sure how to post links but if you search widow ghost in the Isaan forum you can read all about it. Originated in Surin.

All over the wife's village in Surin. Buriram is a Johnny come lately. Have been for almost two years.

Nice try Kwaibah - but nothing will convince me that your village is anything more than backward.

Being 'first' at putting out a red shirt, to ward off the widow ghost, does not qualify you for a MENSA award !

But it may be a good way of getting shot of all the redundant Man United fans shirts?

[tom21]

There are red shirts hanging out side houses all over issan. It is only an indication of there politics.

Edited February 22, 2014 by metisdead
Oversize font reset to normal.

[Dario]

Same here in northern Surin province in our and some neighboring villages. Everybody's keeping the shirts in front of their house since a couple of months already. I don't really know the story behind this, my wife apparently knows more.

[Dario]

There are red shirts hanging out side houses all over issan. It is only an indication of there politics.

This is definitely something you "composed'. It is definitely not true.

[AA1]

As said earlier, they have been in all the villages around where we live for about 2 years except that they have mostly rotted away by now. Obviously must be the silly season when writers cannot find anything worth reporting about in Thailand so you get these old stories dragged out of the cupboard again!!

[tullynagardy]

And this people vote for PT !

Emm sorry to piss on your right wing sexpat parade but the current MP for Buriram IS NOT Pheu Thai.

Best read up a little before your next attempt at humour on here.

[cooked]

There are red shirts hanging out side houses all over issan. It is only an indication of there politics.

Isn't

Sent from my GT-S7500 using Tapatalk 2

[cooked]

There was a report on Thai TV about this and inside of a week almost every single house around here had red clothing hung out. Better safe than sorry seems to be the general attitude. My wife did it too, why should she live in the only house in the village without one?

Sent from my GT-S7500 using Tapatalk 2

[barrybankruad]

Horseshoes over doors, crucifixes hanging from walls, quotes from the Torah nailed to door lintels, the list goes on and on. For anyone to suggest that Issan people are stupid and should not be allowed to vote because they believe in spirits, beggars belief.

[isanbirder]

This is very old, very stale news.

Dummies with a placard saying something like, "Nobody whose name begins with lives in this house" may be found in many parts of the country, not only Isan. I have seen them in Phitsanulok also. You put your own initial there, and the ghost will pass by.

The red shirt thing, which started in Surin and Buriram a couple of years ago, has been subsumed into the dummy superstition, and you will often find the two combined. It's a great way to dispose of worn-out red shirts. Some cynics put a motorcycle helmet on the dummy.

[klauskunkel]

a headless ghost???...Chalerm?!!....nooooo, surely not...

[klauskunkel]

well now, those ghosts must be indicative to the area, since they believe everything they are told...

Edited February 22, 2014 by klauskunkel

[Thaiready]

Perhaps its just Me, but i don't find anything funny in it.These People can Vote, nice as they may be, that's why democracy doesn't balance out here too good. No Education. Just Red Rhetoric and 1-10 Rules pinned on an Amphur Wall.

yeah...its just you.