Has anyone been with a possessed Thai person?

[KhnomKhnom]

Many Westerners are imprisoned by rationalism, rational thinking coupled with science. Their beliefs are so strong they try to blot out other ways of thinking, but rationalism is just another belief in a long line of beliefs. Rationalism is mostly based on information from the sense organs (often can fail)... seeing is believing.

Rationalist thinking once asserted that the Earth is flat based on seeing or that matter and energy are two separate things that can never interchange. Now we "know" differently.

But absolute knowledge is impossible; even this statement is not provable.

So, when one sees procession and other wondrous events in places not imprisoned by rationalism, like Thailand, one needs a much more open mind. I live in both worlds. As a rational Westerner, I believe in science but I read info about quantum mechanics and can see that science is leading further away from current concepts. Then, as a Tibetan Buddhist, I believe highly realized master meditators can experience things beyond regular rationalism and in fact have been recording phenomena similar to quantum mechanics centuries before today's science. I know there are spirits because I have seen them, talked to them, and run them out of my usa home. In Thailand, I let my Thai wife deal with them.

I recommend to all you single minded thinkers to open up to possibilities. Do not denigrate your Thai wife's beliefs. Enjoy the rich spiritual world of the wonders of Thailand.

[Ebenezer]

Interesting to read your post and the many responses. Clearly most respondents start from the premise that spirit possession does not exist. I am surprised that I seem to be the first poster who starts from the position that the spirit world is as real as the physical world; it just exists in different dimensions from those accessible by physical interrogation. As a physicist I am aware that science does not have all the answers, even though it has pushed back the boundaries of knowledge in many areas. Recent theories of cosmogenesis include the possibility of a mult-dimensional universe (i.e. not just the 3 dimensions and time with which we are familiar) and there is no understanding yet about the interaction of different dimensions.

An example of the increased knowledge, quoted in several posts, is the understanding of the how the brain works and its role in mental illness. It is clearly important not to ascribe all strange behaviour to spirit possession when there physical explanations but I would suggest that to say that mental illness explains everything is to ignore some of the evidence.

Also, most posters with some experience of spirit possession fortunately appear to have escaped without major consequences. I would caution that this is not always the case and I would personally advise caution when dealing with these things (Acts 19:15).

In conclusion my main comment on your very honest post is that maybe you should re-examine your assumptions in the light of your recent observations and experience.

[klfopera]

There is a practice here where Thai people get-together and have 24 hour celebrations where Gods (mostly Hindu but also Chinese) are invoked and various adepts are inhabited by the Gods. They engage in dances, have conversations with believers, etc. It is a remarkable religious practice. There are lots of videos on you tube about this. It is a widespread practice, not a scam. One of my closest Thai friends is deeply involved in this practice. I have never seen any discussion of this in tour books.

I am not at all a believer. But these people are not faking.

[akentryan]

I too am pretty much a non-believer but some things defy an explanation. I fell over some newly installed curb stops while exiting a bar/restaurant in Pattaya. Landed on my hands but pitched forward and scraped my forehead. My wife's uncle was the Abbot of a Wat in Bangkok. I had met him a couple of times before he passed away and really liked him. My wife was in BKK when this happened and received a phone call from her father in Nakhon Si Thammarat who asked how I was after falling and hitting my head. No possible way he could have known about this. The father said his brother, the Abbot came to him in a dream and told him about the accident. He also told him that the Abbot was coming to live with us for a while to watch over us. Every day since we have put out a breakfast for the spirit of the Abbot. So far, so good

[reenatinnakor]

I'm a total atheist non believer, I don't believe in ghosts, God, spirits, karma, a giant boat that can save all the earths animals ...I just don't believe!! I only participate in the girl friends temple ceremonies because she forces me to and when my eyes are closed and palms together I am thinking this is total bullshit, this ain't going to make nice things happen to my life!

​First of all, if you are in a relationship where your girlfriend forces you to attend ceremonies at the temple that mean nothing to you, either you want to go, or you have been emasculated to the extent that you cannot say no. One of the great joys of living in Thailand is being able to say NO! I do not want to go to temple. You can go. If you keep on insisting I go, I will pack up your crap, and you will leave the house today. Never be afraid of ushering your woman to the door. It is a cure all for all types of ills. Do as Bond would do. Would he really let his girl push him around like that? Man up. Do the right thing. You have zero obligations to accompany her to temple. And yes, I think possession is a very real thing, and not something to be trifled with.

Well before in England - I didn't want to visit the white in laws either for Xmas dinner or any sort of dinner and in the US I didn't want to go to all that Thanksgiving bullshit or Independence day crap....what's your point?? That I should never do anything I don't want to even out of respect and to keep the peace or to find out more about other peoples cultures?

Not at all. But you do it cause you want to do it, not cause you are dragged there by a petulant girlfriend. Be willing to say no. She will admire and respect you for a show of strength and willpower.

Spidermike007

Maybe I exaggerated in my initial post because I really don't believe in it, so that's why I said she forces me to do it! But actually some of the temples are really nice and I'm a photographer. I went to Kao Kichakut up in the mountains camping and being with them for 4 days of chanting. Actually I was mostly playing with my cellphone but I was there with her and that meant alot to a Thai native. I much rather being forced to do this in Thailand than some patriotic yank bullcrap which does nothing for me but to bore me to death with pathetic cliches and falseness or everyone liking each other.....and yet I went to Thanksgiving and Independence day every year!! Something wrong with me there I'm sure.

Why do you Americans go to Thanskgiving with the in laws when you obviously don't like it?? Do you have no balls also??

[klfopera]

If someone can explain to me how to attach an mp4 i can show you a video of a ceremony at my friends home in Ranong.

[rbt]

To anyone who does not believe in spirits and ghosts, I would say go to the town of That Panom on the banks of the river Mekong in the north east of thailand and stay a few nights in the Isaan Guest House. The owner herself believes that the building is haunted and prefers to run her other guest house, leaving this one largely empty. I stayed there a few nights, all alone, and met a few foreigners who had also stayed there who confirmed what I was experiencing: strange noises and knocking on the door in the middle of the night. I heard of one american who was so intrigued by the noises that he had gone around the area asking people if someone had commited suicide or murder in that building. I don't know what he found out.

[spidermike007]

I'm a total atheist non believer, I don't believe in ghosts, God, spirits, karma, a giant boat that can save all the earths animals ...I just don't believe!! I only participate in the girl friends temple ceremonies because she forces me to and when my eyes are closed and palms together I am thinking this is total bullshit, this ain't going to make nice things happen to my life!

​First of all, if you are in a relationship where your girlfriend forces you to attend ceremonies at the temple that mean nothing to you, either you want to go, or you have been emasculated to the extent that you cannot say no. One of the great joys of living in Thailand is being able to say NO! I do not want to go to temple. You can go. If you keep on insisting I go, I will pack up your crap, and you will leave the house today. Never be afraid of ushering your woman to the door. It is a cure all for all types of ills. Do as Bond would do. Would he really let his girl push him around like that? Man up. Do the right thing. You have zero obligations to accompany her to temple. And yes, I think possession is a very real thing, and not something to be trifled with.

Well before in England - I didn't want to visit the white in laws either for Xmas dinner or any sort of dinner and in the US I didn't want to go to all that Thanksgiving bullshit or Independence day crap....what's your point?? That I should never do anything I don't want to even out of respect and to keep the peace or to find out more about other peoples cultures?

Not at all. But you do it cause you want to do it, not cause you are dragged there by a petulant girlfriend. Be willing to say no. She will admire and respect you for a show of strength and willpower.

Spidermike007

Maybe I exaggerated in my initial post because I really don't believe in it, so that's why I said she forces me to do it! But actually some of the temples are really nice and I'm a photographer. I went to Kao Kichakut up in the mountains camping and being with them for 4 days of chanting. Actually I was mostly playing with my cellphone but I was there with her and that meant alot to a Thai native. I much rather being forced to do this in Thailand than some patriotic yank bullcrap which does nothing for me but to bore me to death with pathetic cliches and falseness or everyone liking each other.....and yet I went to Thanksgiving and Independence day every year!! Something wrong with me there I'm sure.

Why do you Americans go to Thanskgiving with the in laws when you obviously don't like it?? Do you have no balls also??

Good stuff. You have the right spirit. I was teasing. I think when it is meaningful, and you know it is something that is really going to make her happy, why not? An infusion of some Thai culture into our blood will do us all some good. I say no to Thanksgiving or Christmas if I really do not like the family, from time to time. I have gotten to the point where I simply will not get involved with a woman anymore if I do not really like her family. I consider that to be very important in a relationship. Especially here in the LOS, where they tend to be close to the family. And I am very fortunate to be with a woman who's family I really like. All of them. Brother, sister, mom and dad. Very lucky. But, I do say no quite a bit, when it comes to social stuff, and a lot of stuff that would bore me to tears. She now knows I have a strong point of view. So does she. And we respect each other, and give each other a lot of space. Works out well.

[reenatinnakor]

There is a practice here where Thai people get-together and have 24 hour celebrations where Gods (mostly Hindu but also Chinese) are invoked and various adepts are inhabited by the Gods. They engage in dances, have conversations with believers, etc. It is a remarkable religious practice. There are lots of videos on you tube about this. It is a widespread practice, not a scam. One of my closest Thai friends is deeply involved in this practice. I have never seen any discussion of this in tour books.

I am not at all a believer. But these people are not faking.

Yes. That's exactly my point. I fully know they are not faking it but I don't know why they are doing it...unless there really are spirits and I have to believe something that I don't want to believe in. This happened in my car and this is the fourth time I have seen it! It's not a story I have heard or read on an internet forum so can just easily dismiss it as psychosis or drug induced...it actually happened in my car. But I still don't want to believe it, I guess that's why I'm really investigating it. I just don't want to believe it. For those that have experienced this and are not a believer, you will know what it feels like.

[reenatinnakor]

If someone can explain to me how to attach an mp4 i can show you a video of a ceremony at my friends home in Ranong.

Hooray someone has footage!!

I think you have to upload the file to your profile first and then can share it with the community in your message post??

[spidermike007]

There is a practice here where Thai people get-together and have 24 hour celebrations where Gods (mostly Hindu but also Chinese) are invoked and various adepts are inhabited by the Gods. They engage in dances, have conversations with believers, etc. It is a remarkable religious practice. There are lots of videos on you tube about this. It is a widespread practice, not a scam. One of my closest Thai friends is deeply involved in this practice. I have never seen any discussion of this in tour books.

I am not at all a believer. But these people are not faking.

Yes. That's exactly my point. I fully know they are not faking it but I don't know why they are doing it...unless there really are spirits and I have to believe something that I don't want to believe in. This happened in my car and this is the fourth time I have seen it! It's not a story I have heard or read on an internet forum so can just easily dismiss it as psychosis or drug induced...it actually happened in my car. But I still don't want to believe it, I guess that's why I'm really investigating it. I just don't want to believe it. For those that have experienced this and are not a believer, you will know what it feels like.

I believe possession is real. It is said that it can happen when someone is in a weakened state, or has a blank state of mind. Supposedly the spirits are disembodied, and want like hell to get back into a body, so they can feel physical sensation. So, they will occupy a body for that purpose. It is entirely non discriminative behavior, so once that happens, the consequences can be devastating. I am told by some, that claim to have some wisdom in these areas, that often schizophrenia, is misdiagnosed, and the reality is in fact possession. Kind of makes sense. Hard not to believe in ghosts, unless you simply do not believe in a soul, or anything supernatural. Which is valid. We all have our beliefs.

I had a friend who I believe this happened to many years ago. He began to have serious illusions of grandeur, and that ended when he jumped off a 15 foot ladder while painting his house. He broke his femur, and really messed himself up. Eventually he got help, got some meds, and I sort of lost track of him. But, it was ugly. Could have been some other kind of condition, but I always suspected this. They refer to it as a tramp soul. Not something you even want to be in the same car with. Keep your distance.

[In Search of Space]

I have been posessed by spirits, usually ends up with a sore head in the morning

[ThaiHerbs]

I have always had an interest in the supernatural. Learned over the years...

1/ lots of scams to prey on naive persons

2/ the imagination and power of suggestion is extremely powerful, sometimes misleading

3/ there is more to life than: money, eat, sht, sex, die, Much More

4/ "intention" is very important (self serving motives vs wanting to learn more to improve life)

5/ anyone dealing with the supernatural/spirit world is vulnerable to negative entities and/or false beliefs, unless they know how to protect themselves.

6/ Protection can be obtained by: saying a prayer that has special meaning to the person - visualizing being surrounded by a pure white light - in Thailand I have watched sessions where the Monks/Priests do a sing-song chant (15-20 minutes approx) with persons wanting to meditate/communicate,

in advance of going into a meditation (opening karma) - in all cases the person states/thinks "only positive entities are welcome, others be gone"

Prior to coming to Thailand +5 years ago (from Canada) I had sufficient 1st hand experiences in my life to confirm to me we are more than just flesh. I looked into many religions over the years, joined none, they "excluded" other beliefs, not inclusive of all people - which in my mind made them seriously defective. Within a few months of living here I got the impression that the barrier between the physical and spiritual world(s) is less rigid here, I now firmly believed that this is the case.

I have witnessed first hand on 2 occasions (+3 & 4 years back) where people in a (out of town) Wat under the supervision of Monks/Priests would go into a trance after a session of sing/song chanting (prayers). There were between 15 & 30 people attending these 2 sessions. People went to this Wat when they felt ready to make substantial changes/improvements in their life ("Open Karma") by discovering what was holding them back (blocking progress) so that they could deal with that issue and "move on & up" with their lives.

The first session I attended (with my Thai family) had about 30 people wanting to "open their karma" (as an observer as I do not speak Thai, lots of people/family were observers, even walking around taking pictures which no-one minded, I have some pics). After the back and forth chanting ended everything went dead still, no-one moved a muscle for the longest time - they were definitely in a trance. One by one an individual would begin to stir, it seemed that the first sign of action was an artery in their neck would begin pulsing - easy to see. When a Monk or Priest(ess) (there were some women in white gowns as Priests or Priestess) observed a person beginning to stir they would immediately attend to that person and watch them extremely closely and never leave their side. Then the action started!

From what I could tell a spirit would enter their body and pretty much take over. The emotions expressed by active participants (about 1/3 were active, the rest just stayed totally still for 2-3 hrs) were very very extreme. From joy and laughter and the spirit even cracking jokes which caused gales of laughter from the audience/observers, to extreme anguish and uncontrolled crying, to almost a mean vindictive and very angry uncontrolable outburst that would not stop. One person was in a continual state of rage for the longest time. The latter cases quickly brought the main Monk (it was obvious by his dress and manner) who would communicate with the angry spirit. Initially the Monk would speak softly and try and reason, a couple times the Monk made very stern demands to the spirit and if that did not work he would tap the person on the shoulder with a cane he carried as he kept talking the angry spirit down to a reasonable level so they could communicate.

The emotions were so strong and genuine that I could not keep from tearing up. It was a very profound experience, the most profound experience of my life which I am thankful for.

The 2nd session I attended (15-20 people) was equally profound but personal. I do not post under an alias and my Thai family deserves privacy.

People fight change and view anything and anyone "different" as suspect. We in the "west" were brought up in the belief that if you cannot touch it & see it - it does not exist.

I can see this is a very hot topic as there have been over 15 posts since I started writing this. I will close and read up on these posts.

Doug

[thommo46]

There is a practice here where Thai people get-together and have 24 hour celebrations where Gods (mostly Hindu but also Chinese) are invoked and various adepts are inhabited by the Gods. They engage in dances, have conversations with believers, etc. It is a remarkable religious practice. There are lots of videos on you tube about this. It is a widespread practice, not a scam. One of my closest Thai friends is deeply involved in this practice. I have never seen any discussion of this in tour books.

I am not at all a believer. But these people are not faking.

Yes. That's exactly my point. I fully know they are not faking it but I don't know why they are doing it...unless there really are spirits and I have to believe something that I don't want to believe in. This happened in my car and this is the fourth time I have seen it! It's not a story I have heard or read on an internet forum so can just easily dismiss it as psychosis or drug induced...it actually happened in my car. But I still don't want to believe it, I guess that's why I'm really investigating it. I just don't want to believe it. For those that have experienced this and are not a believer, you will know what it feels like.

I believe possession is real. It is said that it can happen when someone is in a weakened state, or has a blank state of mind. Supposedly the spirits are disembodied, and want like hell to get back into a body, so they can feel physical sensation. So, they will occupy a body for that purpose. It is entirely non discriminative behavior, so once that happens, the consequences can be devastating. I am told by some, that claim to have some wisdom in these areas, that often schizophrenia, is misdiagnosed, and the reality is in fact possession. Kind of makes sense. Hard not to believe in ghosts, unless you simply do not believe in a soul, or anything supernatural. Which is valid. We all have our beliefs.

I had a friend who I believe this happened to many years ago. He began to have serious illusions of grandeur, and that ended when he jumped off a 15 foot ladder while painting his house. He broke his femur, and really messed himself up. Eventually he got help, got some meds, and I sort of lost track of him. But, it was ugly. Could have been some other kind of condition, but I always suspected this. They refer to it as a tramp soul. Not something you even want to be in the same car with. Keep your distance.

My stepson had been playing cricket in the backyard most of the day in 40 degree heat. No hat on. That night he had a temperature and I thought he had a case of sunstroke , it was after this day that things went awry with his normal actions.

Edited July 14, 2014 by thommo46

[gchurch259]

This wouldn't have happened in the provinces of Buriram or Surin would it? Or, with people who are from there?

Other forum members might be able to elaborate on the Thai word for black magic. Mun Dumn.

People in Buriram and Surin are keen practitioners of the art of Munh Dum, which I'm not sure but think equates with Black Magic..

They believe in it, and that is the most important thing people like you and me, who are unbelievers, need to know.

No. We are central near Chachoengsao, between Pattaya and SVB Airport. I guess this weekend was some sort of Buddha festival and everyone goes to temple. Definitely she wasn't pretending, because after when we arrived at the temple and she was normal again after about 20 more minutes, she started to throw up like in The Exorcist lol. And she was very pale. My gf says the spirits take away a lot of energy from the host.

When we got to the temple and the monk finished his chanting another guy was seemingly possessed....his body convulsed, then voice deeper and started smoking lots! It's about the 4th time I have seen it now so that's why I posted here. I don't know what scam can be really going on?? It seemed to be of no benefit to them to be in such a state unless for the publicity, yes I am farang but I don't look like it since I am half chinese, so it's not as if they are trying to scam me or ask for money! I have done ouija board when I was a kid and sometimes that worked so I guess it's possible all these Thai spirit possessions could be real.

There must some believers on this forum that can shed light on what's going on?

The gf knows I'm a non believer but always gets me to go to temples anyway, I always say to her, I will believe and devote my life to Buddhism once I am very rich moneywise.....haha. I know that's not how Buddha works but if I'm going to believe then I need to be paid first!

I am not in favor of complete male dominance of women, also female dominance. Maybe you should change girl friends. Sounds like you have connected with some drug types. If you do not believe in anything why are you going to a Temple just to make your GF happy ?

[monkeycountry]

I'm a total atheist non believer, I don't believe in ghosts, God, spirits, karma, a giant boat that can save all the earths animals ...I just don't believe!! I only participate in the girl friends temple ceremonies because she forces me to and when my eyes are closed and palms together I am thinking this is total bullshit, this ain't going to make nice things happen to my life!

​First of all, if you are in a relationship where your girlfriend forces you to attend ceremonies at the temple that mean nothing to you, either you want to go, or you have been emasculated to the extent that you cannot say no. One of the great joys of living in Thailand is being able to say NO! I do not want to go to temple. You can go. If you keep on insisting I go, I will pack up your crap, and you will leave the house today. Never be afraid of ushering your woman to the door. It is a cure all for all types of ills. Do as Bond would do. Would he really let his girl push him around like that? Man up. Do the right thing. You have zero obligations to accompany her to temple. And yes, I think possession is a very real thing, and not something to be trifled with.

Well before in England - I didn't want to visit the white in laws either for Xmas dinner or any sort of dinner and in the US I didn't want to go to all that Thanksgiving bullshit or Independence day crap....what's your point?? That I should never do anything I don't want to even out of respect and to keep the peace or to find out more about other peoples cultures?

Not at all. But you do it cause you want to do it, not cause you are dragged there by a petulant girlfriend. Be willing to say no. She will admire and respect you for a show of strength and willpower.

Spidermike007

Maybe I exaggerated in my initial post because I really don't believe in it, so that's why I said she forces me to do it! But actually some of the temples are really nice and I'm a photographer. I went to Kao Kichakut up in the mountains camping and being with them for 4 days of chanting. Actually I was mostly playing with my cellphone but I was there with her and that meant alot to a Thai native. I much rather being forced to do this in Thailand than some patriotic yank bullcrap which does nothing for me but to bore me to death with pathetic cliches and falseness or everyone liking each other.....and yet I went to Thanksgiving and Independence day every year!! Something wrong with me there I'm sure.

Why do you Americans go to Thanskgiving with the in laws when you obviously don't like it?? Do you have no balls also??

Many people simply drive to the temple with their GF and hang around eating an icecream or take pictures while she does the praying. Seems a good solution for everyone, and in the rare event she is still not happy, tell her you are christian (or whatever) and cannot pray to other gods, just like she would likely not pray in a church. Her respect for buddhism, will make her respect your fake respect for your religion.

It is funny though when you see white guys obviously praying only to please their gfs/wifes. I have wondered what they are thinking while doing it, but thanks to the OP, now I know, thank you OP

[spidermike007]

Well before in England - I didn't want to visit the white in laws either for Xmas dinner or any sort of dinner and in the US I didn't want to go to all that Thanksgiving bullshit or Independence day crap....what's your point?? That I should never do anything I don't want to even out of respect and to keep the peace or to find out more about other peoples cultures?

Not at all. But you do it cause you want to do it, not cause you are dragged there by a petulant girlfriend. Be willing to say no. She will admire and respect you for a show of strength and willpower.

Spidermike007

Maybe I exaggerated in my initial post because I really don't believe in it, so that's why I said she forces me to do it! But actually some of the temples are really nice and I'm a photographer. I went to Kao Kichakut up in the mountains camping and being with them for 4 days of chanting. Actually I was mostly playing with my cellphone but I was there with her and that meant alot to a Thai native. I much rather being forced to do this in Thailand than some patriotic yank bullcrap which does nothing for me but to bore me to death with pathetic cliches and falseness or everyone liking each other.....and yet I went to Thanksgiving and Independence day every year!! Something wrong with me there I'm sure.

Why do you Americans go to Thanskgiving with the in laws when you obviously don't like it?? Do you have no balls also??

Many people simply drive to the temple with their GF and hang around eating an icecream or take pictures while she does the praying. Seems a good solution for everyone, and in the rare event she is still not happy, tell her you are christian (or whatever) and cannot pray to other gods, just like she would likely not pray in a church. Her respect for buddhism, will make her respect your fake respect for your religion.

It is funny though when you see white guys obviously praying only to please their gfs/wifes. I have wondered what they are thinking while doing it, but thanks to the OP, now I know, thank you OP

For some of us, spirit is spirit. It is not about the old man with the beard in the clouds, or the Buddha, or the Christ. It is about a higher spirit, or a Divine intelligence, or a benevolent force, or call it what you like. So, makes zero difference if you pray in a church, at a temple, in a mosque, at the beach, or in your home. It is simply an act of faith. It is NOT about religion. It is about faith. Call it what you will. Ridicule me if you must. But some people find faith to be comforting, and real, and I think that is just as genuine as those that believe in nothing at all. Both positions are equally real, justifiable, and correct, depending on the individual, in my view. So, to say a farang does not belong, or should not be in a Thai temple, is not something I understand. One of the things I respect the most about Buddhism is the tolerance for other faiths, and other belief systems.

[thaipara]

When I worked in Malaysia I was friends with a Chinese family, one of whose sons was regularly "possessed" by one of the Taoist "gods". In his case, it was an intentional possession, i.e., he could decide when and where to be possessed, which he did on a regular basis. Inhabitants in his shanty-town neighborhood would come to see the god for advice.

A nice little earner for him, I thought. Play the possessed person for a bit, get plus points for face and status, what's not to like about it? Not to mention the gifts his petitioners would offer.

I was invited to witness one of the "visitations". The god in question, his name escapes me at the moment, is the one who is really fond of alcohol. There was a bit of ritual involved as he became possessed, and his voice, posture, and demeanor changed. One of the neighbors, come to consult, offered the "god" a sealed litre bottle of Johnny (the color escapes me (at the time I didn't know JW comes in colors). The "god" drank the bottle dry within ten minutes, and this, combined with lesser offerings of stout and beer, soon had him acting really, really drunk. (I checked the empty bottle afterwards; it wasn't tea that he had been drinking.)

When the consultations ended, there was another bit of ritual to bring him out of the trance, after which he was completely sober! Sat around, talked, watched TV, ate dinner just like the episode had never happened. No evidence that he had so much as sipped a even a beer.

So, in short, I didn't witness the scam I had been expecting to see, and I saw something that I cannot explain, to this day.

[tifino]

...once you have told GF that you have a religious barrier stopping you from going into the Temple,

don't come crying a few years down the track,

- when the wife uses what you had said years earlier,

- as a weapon against you, whenn you are getting grey and now want to go in with her.

A Thai girl can change her mind on anything, anytime, and always have a face-saving excuse.

A farang doesn't get that priviledge.

Hey! we've got 2 over 60's farang hubbies at the Temple, who are not allowed in, because of what was said 'Decades' earlier.

Theyhave tried to convince wives that they have grown up and want in, but it ain't gonna happen...

Their wives, bring food outside to them, and being fed outside with the dogs'n'cats reminds them of their folly...

[nidieunimaitre]

Maybe she is just a plain old Drama Queen...

Or it is cultural - just like the 19th century European women fainting when they received bad news. That was "real" too, with true gentlemen carrying ammoniak, or smelling salts, just in case....

Also it is clear that the OP insults atheism.

[Nowisee]

One who controls the mind controls the body.

[ChiangraiTony]

As we should all know the mind is powerful. Our belief system is all to powerful as well. Many things can happen when your belief is strong enough. If you can accept this to be so then you should not be surprised by these type behaviors. What you may believe not to be true may be true to someone else. To me this is a basic understanding of all people.

[ChiangraiTony]

One who controls the mind controls the body.

Only to a point...

[nidieunimaitre]

What's this got to do with Buddhism?

Umm....it happens at temples, it happens in front of monks, it happens after they finishing chanting or during. It's about something to do with spirits or being spiritual....I'm not really an expert but am pretty sure Buddhism is something to do with spirits.

Have you ever been to a temple??

1/ you are not an atheist

2/ yes I have been to business places, that some refer to as temples

[reenatinnakor]

What's this got to do with Buddhism?

Umm....it happens at temples, it happens in front of monks, it happens after they finishing chanting or during. It's about something to do with spirits or being spiritual....I'm not really an expert but am pretty sure Buddhism is something to do with spirits.

Have you ever been to a temple??

1/ you are not an atheist

2/ yes I have been to business places, that some refer to as temples

What am I then? I don't believe in God or Jesus or thanksgiving or birthdays or Xmas or Independence Day or Easter or praying to ghosts and I will get money ....so if it's not atheist...whatever name there is for that, I am that.

Every temple I have been to especially in the countryside I am the only non Thai there...I have hardly seen any white farangs, so I can understand most of the comments on here are dismissive of the temple ceremonies.

[reenatinnakor]

This wouldn't have happened in the provinces of Buriram or Surin would it? Or, with people who are from there?

Other forum members might be able to elaborate on the Thai word for black magic. Mun Dumn.

People in Buriram and Surin are keen practitioners of the art of Munh Dum, which I'm not sure but think equates with Black Magic..

They believe in it, and that is the most important thing people like you and me, who are unbelievers, need to know.

No. We are central near Chachoengsao, between Pattaya and SVB Airport. I guess this weekend was some sort of Buddha festival and everyone goes to temple. Definitely she wasn't pretending, because after when we arrived at the temple and she was normal again after about 20 more minutes, she started to throw up like in The Exorcist lol. And she was very pale. My gf says the spirits take away a lot of energy from the host.

When we got to the temple and the monk finished his chanting another guy was seemingly possessed....his body convulsed, then voice deeper and started smoking lots! It's about the 4th time I have seen it now so that's why I posted here. I don't know what scam can be really going on?? It seemed to be of no benefit to them to be in such a state unless for the publicity, yes I am farang but I don't look like it since I am half chinese, so it's not as if they are trying to scam me or ask for money! I have done ouija board when I was a kid and sometimes that worked so I guess it's possible all these Thai spirit possessions could be real.

There must some believers on this forum that can shed light on what's going on?

The gf knows I'm a non believer but always gets me to go to temples anyway, I always say to her, I will believe and devote my life to Buddhism once I am very rich moneywise.....haha. I know that's not how Buddha works but if I'm going to believe then I need to be paid first!

I am not in favor of complete male dominance of women, also female dominance. Maybe you should change girl friends. Sounds like you have connected with some drug types. If you do not believe in anything why are you going to a Temple just to make your GF happy ?

Same reason I go to thanksgiving or Xmas dinner with previous white girl friends to make them happy. It's only a few times a year and I get cooked dinner. You have never done something just to make someone happy?

Americans believe in someone that can walk on water and will only vote for a president that believes the same. Thai people believe in spirits. Seems hard for people to understand.

[monkeycountry]

Maybe I exaggerated in my initial post because I really don't believe in it, so that's why I said she forces me to do it! But actually some of the temples are really nice and I'm a photographer. I went to Kao Kichakut up in the mountains camping and being with them for 4 days of chanting. Actually I was mostly playing with my cellphone but I was there with her and that meant alot to a Thai native. I much rather being forced to do this in Thailand than some patriotic yank bullcrap which does nothing for me but to bore me to death with pathetic cliches and falseness or everyone liking each other.....and yet I went to Thanksgiving and Independence day every year!! Something wrong with me there I'm sure.

Why do you Americans go to Thanskgiving with the in laws when you obviously don't like it?? Do you have no balls also??

Many people simply drive to the temple with their GF and hang around eating an icecream or take pictures while she does the praying. Seems a good solution for everyone, and in the rare event she is still not happy, tell her you are christian (or whatever) and cannot pray to other gods, just like she would likely not pray in a church. Her respect for buddhism, will make her respect your fake respect for your religion.

It is funny though when you see white guys obviously praying only to please their gfs/wifes. I have wondered what they are thinking while doing it, but thanks to the OP, now I know, thank you OP

For some of us, spirit is spirit. It is not about the old man with the beard in the clouds, or the Buddha, or the Christ. It is about a higher spirit, or a Divine intelligence, or a benevolent force, or call it what you like. So, makes zero difference if you pray in a church, at a temple, in a mosque, at the beach, or in your home. It is simply an act of faith. It is NOT about religion. It is about faith. Call it what you will. Ridicule me if you must. But some people find faith to be comforting, and real, and I think that is just as genuine as those that believe in nothing at all. Both positions are equally real, justifiable, and correct, depending on the individual, in my view. So, to say a farang does not belong, or should not be in a Thai temple, is not something I understand. One of the things I respect the most about Buddhism is the tolerance for other faiths, and other belief systems.

I am not sure if your reply was to me, but I have not said a farang does not belong in a temple. There is nothing wrong with farangs going to temples no matter if they pray or not. I am simply saying that it is obvious that some (not all) farangs are not there to pray, but to please their gf (nothing wrong with that either). It is quite clearly their first time, and they have no idea what to do there, or how to behave, which makes them look very much out of place in a funny way, not a bad way. I was simply wondering what one is thinking about when praying, if one is not actually praying, which the OP answered.

[tifino]

... mind you I get lots of:

"Why you say you buddhist? - you not Thai"

as if the only buddhist are thai, some people live in a small goldfish bowl...

... but what hurts is the wifey jumps on their side, as thais do...

...very possessive of their secrets, them girls... and we have to pretend to be dumb because 'dey da boss'

"you don' know Thai culture" - to which I always answer her the same: "I learning..."

[khunPer]

It’s said in Surin area that Buriram area has a lot of superstition of possessions; probably in Buriram they say same about Surin.

Perhaps it’s a question of what you believe in – or perhaps it is real…?

I did meet a girl, my first Thai girlfriend, however she came from Korat area, who stated she were two persons inside – a soft little girl and a hard bitch – one of them herself, but I never found out which one of them she really was. Sometimes little scaring, as I was not certain which of “my two girlfriends” I was together with right now…! I learned over time, that some days my dinner was cooked by hearth, some days it was the hard girl cooking. I also noticed difference in her dressing, so I eventually could see which girlfriend I had that day; well it could change during the day, so I had one girlfriend in the morning, and another at evening; not too bad to catch two birds at the same time, or...? Maybe she was just split personality…?

However, she was clairvoyant in an amazing degree; which she proved several times by spontaneous saying something she would have no clue about, and which later showed to be very true. One example was when visiting my country. The two of us stayed alone in an old farm, well being a farm before and rebuild as company and home. She said, that when I was not there, she was never alone. There was an old man with an old dog – a German Alsatian, just like the dog I had, but much older – walking around.

I had bought the farm from another farmer who only had it about a year. He had bought it from an old couple that were the last of family generations there, as he wished their land and subdivided, so he could sell off the farm buildings and a smaller plot of land, which I bought. So I never meet or heard anything more about the “original owners” apart from the saying, that the old lady were a bit weird and superstitious – yes she had placed old black pots all over the garden and in the small wood.

Some years later I was told about the past history of my farm from one of the locals. He said, that a previous owner, the old couple, moved to a villa in the next village after selling the farm. The wife soon died, but the old man walked every day with his German Alsatian dog and used to say: »The dog and I are same age now, so we will probably soon die together.« The old man and his dog were already dead when the little Thai girl stayed at the farm – but seems like their spirits were still around…?

I knew another girl from Buriram – a friend I had met in the nightlife at a disco, not one staying together with, just a friend – who believed a spirit possessed her. One evening she suddenly came over to me, looked very serious and said, that she had to go to a temple in Bangkok (?) right now, else she would die; she said, that had happened once before and she almost died. She was crying and extremely concerned…

Oh my God…! No, I’m not religious; I’m atheist, but very open minded even I got both feet solid planted on the ground. »You want me to go with you?« I instantly asked, without thinking too much about what I was now promising.

»Oh, you will?« She embraced me and cried. Off to the place where she lived; together with only Buddha knows how many birds from the nightlife, a two-story house with mattresses lined up all over the floors; my first visit to a place like that. She packed some cloth in a small backpack and snatched a sacred Buddha amulet in a chain hanging on the wall. Off we were. First plane up Bangkok was six o’clock, we stayed at Koh Samui, so we could drive to my bungalow before departing, have a shower and I could also pack a bag for a day or two. She did not understand my intention, expecting us to travel by bus, which was the mean of transport she knew, sitting crying in the car holding her sacred Buddha amulet tight between her hands while rocking back and forth like in a trance; so she also sat speechless on a chair while I had a shower and packed my back. Then off to airport and buy tickets, and there for an brief moment she returned to “normal Thai life” asking: »How much?« and wished to see the receipt – big eyes and open mouth; I made face…

Her first time flying, so that did not calm her down, and when we arrived in Bangkok (Don Mueng at that time) and I rushed out for a taxi, she asked: »Where are we now?«

»In Bangkok,« I answered.

She looked at her wristwatch. »Cannot, it’s only 7.30…!« It took the cab driver to convince her that this indeed was Bangkok…

So which temple to go to? No, a long ride, we had to go to her brother first, he had a car and could drive us there. Come on, Bangkok is not that big, I thought, but she called her brother and we drove to his place. He and a friend waited, both loaded with sacred Buddha chains around their necks. And yes, it was a long drive, as she had said; the temple was not at all in Bangkok, but almost at the Cambodian border way up Northeast. All the way she sat crying, rocking back and forth, and holding her sacred Buddha tight. It had to be that temple and that specific monk – we were up there in the afternoon only.

Now I witnessed, what I best can describe as exorcism. After some talk with the monk in Thai, which I did not understand and just sat down on the floor at back, not interfering whatever ceremony were going to take place, the monk rang a bell and a novice (or servant) came. A polished wooden block was placed in front of the monk. Then a big hammer and a long shining spike or huge nail (probably steel) where brought forward together with a glass and a bottle with some clear liquid (that I presume were alcohol), which were poured into the glass. The monk made a gesture to me for moving closer; I should sit next to the girl (?). Then the monk showed her to roll up her shirt sleeve on the right arm and place the upper arm at the wooden block. He showed her to take her skin between her fingers and drag it out (a monk cannot touch women), then he dipped the spear in alcohol and placed it on the skin; the novice handed the big hammer to him. Bang – the monk banged the spear through the skin…

Finish, the spirit that had possessed her was out, she was very calm now and with her usual irresistible smile that could make any male weak; so it was time for heading back down to Bangkok – and of course first thing was a stop for having something to eat…

I had suggested, now we were in Bangkok, that I next day would take her to Grand Palace – she had never seen the Kings palace, even she had been living in the city for some years with a Thai husband while working in a factory – but unfortunately that idea got spoiled, as the taxi driver next morning would not take us there. »To many police,« he said. None of the other taxis would go there, so I gave up arguing and decided to get to the airport instead and head for Samui. Only when back on the island I realized why the taxi drivers were reluctant, there had been a coup d’etat and military all over the inner city.

Later I learned from some from some of her “sister me” friends, that I was the possessing spirit – she were madly in love, but knew she could not have me, as I already had a Thai girlfriend and a child – however that mutual feelings, that had I been available, I would have given it a try. I – or rather the possession – spoiled her plan of finding a farang for future husband (and probably her business until she succeeded), as she was only thinking of me. Shortly after the “exorcism” she did manage to get a farang on the hook and disappeared; I was told she got married to a man from Germany, moved there and became pregnant; she so much wanted a baby, as her first child, a son, stayed with the ex Thai husband’s family and she was not allowed any contact. Sad story about a lovely young lady, hope she became happy and has a good life now…

Amazing Thailand…

Edit: typo

Edited July 14, 2014 by khunPer

[kinmaew]

Sound BS to me Thais make things up including life and all its aspects as they go