Kanchanaburi officials refuse to cut holy tree where 'elder ghost' lives

[webfact]

Officials refuse to cut holy tree where 'elder ghost' lives
By Coconuts Bangkok



KANCHANABURI: -- Kanchanaburi officials say they cannot take down a century-old Bodhi tree which blocks a road linking two villages because it is home to a ghost – and lucky.

Locals believe the Bodhi tree is possessed with spiritual powers, and officials are negotiating with adjacent landowners to extend the road on each side of the tree instead of knocking it down, according to Mayor Abhisama Bhodharamkul.

"The villagers believe that Bodhi is the type of tree that Lord Buddha sat under when he attained Enlightenment. It's something villagers respect, so we respect that too, because we are also Buddhists," Abhisama Bhodharamkul told Khaosod English.

The tree has cursed, driven mad or destroyed the equipment of those who would harm it, she added.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co//2014/12/18/officials-refuse-cut-holy-tree-where-elder-ghost-lives


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2014-12-18

[terryp]

The tree has cursed, driven mad or destroyed the equipment of those who would harm it, she added.

of course it has ....has anyone asked the ghost ?

[borisloosebrain]

Good. Any tree that's lasted for 100 years is worthy of a bit of consideration.

[maapaa]

Referring to the quality of Thai style construction ... a few thousand Baht are enough to build two lanes around (anyway, they are there already).

Let the tree be there. Not for the ghosts but in order not to harm nature anymore.

[sanuk711]

I can understand them not wanting to cut down the tree..... but why build the road right up to it , then paint a yellow line on the road which puts the tree right in the middle. ..............

[kotsak]

Apparently the ghost in the machine mixed up the URL for the article "Inheritance tax bill sails through the first reading"

[Tatsujin]

I hope the lighting is good there at night ... accident waiting to happen ...

[bob4you]

Me thinks the tree in middle of the road will create a few more ghosts.

[iReason]

"...the officials will negotiate to buy the surrounding land from private owners and decorate to holy tree with lights to stop people from driving right into it"

[lee b]

The tree trunk looks like the shape of a person hung up ! Can anyone else see it or am i going mad?

[canuckamuck]

What a clear example of the don't ask questions culture. They paved right around a tree so big there is no room for cars.

Anyhow, make it a roundabout and be done with it.

[Rob8891]

Strange that no one has bothered to ask why the road was built directly in line with the tree....after all, it didn't suddenly spring up there, did it?

[crazygreg44]

"The tree has cursed, driven mad or destroyed the equipment of those who would harm it, she added."

Wow, so the tree has already done things to machines and men, before anything has ever happened to it yet !!!!

Powerful a curse, in bad grammar, though !

[SOTIRIOS]

...is this really an issue....

...simply pave around the tree.........there is plenty of room either side of the tree...remove some bushes.....

...God forbid people might have to slow down both ways to drive around the tree.....

[Assurancetourix]

Strange that no one has bothered to ask why the road was built directly in line with the tree....after all, it didn't suddenly spring up there, did it?

We have similar strange things in Issan;

a ghost house in the middle of two roads not far from my village

[Felipesed]

Not just Thailand. When the Shannon bypass, in Co. Clare, Ireland, was being built, there was a "fairy bush" (a blackthorn bush actually) in the proposed route.

Nobody would disturb the small tree, so the road had to be built with a curve to avoid it.

"Fairy bushes" are very common in Ireland.

[Caesarillion]

Such a magnificent and beautiful tree. Would make a great post card of Thailand. Not the wood, the picture. Long live the tree and the elder spirit, and the King. LOL. I love
Thailand.

[Briggsy]

Some forward planning issues need to be addressed here. There could also be a lack of integration and co-operation between project stakeholders.

[mike324]

I can understand them not wanting to cut down the tree..... but why build the road right up to it , then paint a yellow line on the road which puts the tree right in the middle. ..............

thai logic, truly can't understand spending all the money and effort for a road that leads into a tree, so ironic.

[klauskunkel]

And if they did cut down the tree, they would probably replace it with a phone in the middle of the road.

[canuckamuck]

They just need to add a sidewalk and then everyone will know where to drive.

[Johnnie99]

Thank goodness they didn't take pictures of the people involved!

Their souls would have been stolen by the camera!

[cookee68]

What a croc of shit

[cookee68]

I can understand them not wanting to cut down the tree..... but why build the road right up to it , then paint a yellow line on the road which puts the tree right in the middle. ..............

thai logic, truly can't understand spending all the money and effort for a road that leads into a tree, so ironic.

How else is the ghost going to drive home after a few beers, if there is no road to his home

[swissie]

A few hundred years ago, a raunchy guy,named "Karl der Grosse" unified Europe (ranging from southern France up to the Polish Border under the name of Catholicism, eventually.)

To subdue the German-Tribes, he went to their "Holy-Tree" (a direct link to their god "Wotan"). He fell the tree by saying to the "Wotan-Fan-Club": "If your god has any power, he will strike me down now".

"Wotan" didn't react, so the Germans converted to the god of "Karl" and forgot about any ghosts in trees.

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Now, as it appears, we have similar "Tree felling Issues" in Thailand. It does not surprise me, since even Bank-Managers, high ranking Government- Officials have their little "ghost-house" in front of their mansions.

Those poor Farangs that have tried to construct a "time-machine" for many decades with the purpose of traveling back in time can abandon their fruitless efforts. All they have to do is come to Thailand and live here.

And this in the year of the Lord of 2014.

Cheers.

[mike324]

I can understand them not wanting to cut down the tree..... but why build the road right up to it , then paint a yellow line on the road which puts the tree right in the middle. ..............

thai logic, truly can't understand spending all the money and effort for a road that leads into a tree, so ironic.

How else is the ghost going to drive home after a few beers, if there is no road to his home

good one!