Facebook group against Thai superstition stirs debate

[webfact]

Facebook group against Thai superstition stirs debate

Bangkok, Thailand | AFP |

BANGKOK: -- A Facebook group has sparked online uproar in Thailand after ridiculing the placing of statues at dangerous road spots to ward off evil spirits, in a country where belief in the occult and supernatural is deeply held.

The photo, which went viral this week, showed a man's foot standing on a row of zebra figurines at a busy road junction in Bangkok known locally as "Kong Roi Sop" -- the curve that claims 100 lives.

Zebra statues are a common sight at locations where road fatalities occur under the belief that their stripes -- which remind people of pedestrian crossings -- will fend off the ghosts that many believe cause crashes.

But the Thai founder of a Facebook group called "Fuckghosts", which has more than 200,000 likes and posted the picture, said he wanted to challenge those beliefs.

"There are far too many superstitions or instances of people being besotted in Thailand and it annoys me," the man, who declined to give his name fearing reprisals, told AFP.

"I wanted to show there are people out there who do not believe in superstition," he added.

The photo, which he said was taken earlier this month, has been picked up and shared thousands of times on social media.

"Show the middle finger... (to) ghosts", one Thai user named Thanakiet Thongchai wrote under the post in a message of support.

"I do not understand why the heck we have these zebra statues?", asked another Facebook user.

But other Thais were less than impressed by the image in a country where superstitious beliefs are deep rooted -- and stepping on something sacred is considered hugely disrespectful.

"I hope that ghosts come to haunt you and stop you sleeping," one user wrote under the name "Sweetie November".

"If you don't believe in superstitions why do you have to challenge it?", asked another using the name Wiriya Sodapattipon.

Superstition and belief in ghosts is commonplace in Thailand, a nation still deeply influenced by pre-Buddhist animist beliefs.

Drivers often wear amulets to protect themselves on the country's notoriously dangerous roads while leader of the ruling junta, Prayut Chan-O-Cha, last year accused his opponents of trying to wield black magic against him.

The founder of the Facebook group said superstition caused real harm, with people preferring to put their faith in a statue than take their own safety precautions.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2015-01-09

related topic:

Bangkok Administration undeterred by 'curse' of Ratchapisek Road

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/790192-bangkok-administration-undeterred-by-curse-of-ratchapisek-road/

[jamesbrock]

Zebra statues are a common sight at locations where road fatalities occur under the belief that their stripes -- which remind people of pedestrian crossings -- will fend off the ghosts that many believe cause crashes.

Which remind people of pedestrian crossings that they rarely, if ever stop at?!

[garyj1967]

I can't understand why they put zebras at accident black spots. I understand that there their to remind the ghosts of zebra crossings but no one in Thailand ever stops at pedestrian crossings anyway so, why would a ghost? If you believe in the supernatural at least try to select something that the ghosts in you belief system might actually take notice of.

[halloween]

.........while heading into killer curves that the never slow down for.

[JOC]

Not easy for a third world country to enter the 21th century!!

Specially with a "leader" believing in black magic!!

Welcome to Disney-land.............................

[DM07]

I am outraged, too!!!!

[I Like Thai]

It's the brain dead mentality of western people, whose conditioning makes it incapable for them to look outside the box.

These shrines work similarly to accident black spot signs that we have in the west.

If a Thai is driving at a fast speed on a stretch of road and sees one of these shrines, then they are more likely to slow down and thus reduce accidents in this area.

Get it now?

[AleG]

"If you don't believe in superstitions why do you have to challenge it?", asked another using the name Wiriya Sodapattipon.

Because substituting hocus-pocus for actual driving skills and road safety precautions kills people.

[JOC]

With Bhudda on the dash and 7 amulets around the neck, what can possibly go wrong??

[DP25]

Not easy for a third world country to enter the 21th century!!

Specially with a "leader" believing in black magic!!

Welcome to Disney-land.............................

Back home in the US most people believe in a sky wizard and his zombie son that will send you to paradise forever if you follow all the rules in his 2000 year old dungeons and dragons guidebook. Every president I've lived through has regularly call on this sky wizard to grant them powers and gifts and mystically guide our nation through danger.

[smutcakes]

It's the brain dead mentality of western people, whose conditioning makes it incapable for them to look outside the box.

These shrines work similarly to accident black spot signs that we have in the west.

If a Thai is driving at a fast speed on a stretch of road and sees one of these shrines, then they are more likely to slow down and thus reduce accidents in this area.

Get it now?

Or they are more likely to get distracted and smash into something.

I can understand a black spot which is easy to see and does not distract, but a load of Zebras is more than likely going to cause the curios to have a good look and take their eyes of the road, or dare i say it get the dreaded camera out, which i dont suppose is good for their concentrating on the road.

Anyway, its an aside as they are there for superstition, not as accident black spot markers.

[rasmus5150]

It's the brain dead mentality of western people, whose conditioning makes it incapable for them to look outside the box.

These shrines work similarly to accident black spot signs that we have in the west.

If a Thai is driving at a fast speed on a stretch of road and sees one of these shrines, then they are more likely to slow down and thus reduce accidents in this area.

Get it now?

I absolutely don't get it. When Thai drivers pass these so called shrines they actually honk their horn and bow their head in a "Wai". Which means in those seconds they don't pay any attention to the traffic around them and becomes even more dangerous than what they already are.

[ffaarraanngg]

It's the brain dead mentality of western people, whose conditioning makes it incapable for them to look outside the box.

These shrines work similarly to accident black spot signs that we have in the west.

If a Thai is driving at a fast speed on a stretch of road and sees one of these shrines, then they are more likely to slow down and thus reduce accidents in this area.

Get it now?

I hope you're being sarcastic.

[MrJohnson]

It's the brain dead mentality of western people, whose conditioning makes it incapable for them to look outside the box.

These shrines work similarly to accident black spot signs that we have in the west.

If a Thai is driving at a fast speed on a stretch of road and sees one of these shrines, then they are more likely to slow down and thus reduce accidents in this area.

Get it now?

Absolute nonsense! They are there for all sorts of reasons but to act as a catalyst for safer driving is not one of them.

[PatOngo]

If anyone tells me the tooth fairy does'nt exist, I'm telling the Easter bunny......OK!

[jamesbrock]

It's the brain dead mentality of western people, whose conditioning makes it incapable for them to look outside the box.

These shrines work similarly to accident black spot signs that we have in the west.

If a Thai is driving at a fast speed on a stretch of road and sees one of these shrines, then they are more likely to slow down and thus reduce accidents in this area.

Get it now?

Another apologist...

They put the zebras at the black spots to ward off the ghosts that cause the crashes, not to remind them to slow down - because it's not the speed that causes the crashes, it's the ghosts.

Personal accountability be damned, let's just blame supernatural entities for our gross incompetence.

Get it?

[iReason]

Zebras?

Won't help..

They're just Dancin' with Mr. D.

Edited January 9, 2015 by iReason

[Sviss Geez]

Not easy for a third world country to enter the 21th century!!

Specially with a "leader" believing in black magic!!

Welcome to Disney-land.............................

Back home in the US most people believe in a sky wizard and his zombie son that will send you to paradise forever if you follow all the rules in his 2000 year old dungeons and dragons guidebook. Every president I've lived through has regularly call on this sky wizard to grant them powers and gifts and mystically guide our nation through danger.

Brilliant! Post of the day.

[halloween]

Not easy for a third world country to enter the 21th century!!

Specially with a "leader" believing in black magic!!

Welcome to Disney-land.............................

Back home in the US most people believe in a sky wizard and his zombie son that will send you to paradise forever if you follow all the rules in his 2000 year old dungeons and dragons guidebook. Every president I've lived through has regularly call on this sky wizard to grant them powers and gifts and mystically guide our nation through danger.

Yep, a fairly large percentage could conceive of Palin being a heart-beat away from the Presidency, but would choke on the thought of electing an atheist.

[halloween]

I always thought the question "When you hear hoof-beats, who thinks of zebras?" was rhetorical, but now I have an answer. Thais.

BTW I am reliably(?) informed that whistling at night attracts ghosts. Who would have thunk it?

[KhunOr]

I logged in just to 'Like' this. Brilliant indeed.

Not easy for a third world country to enter the 21th century!!

Specially with a "leader" believing in black magic!!

Welcome to Disney-land.............................

Back home in the US most people believe in a sky wizard and his zombie son that will send you to paradise forever if you follow all the rules in his 2000 year old dungeons and dragons guidebook. Every president I've lived through has regularly call on this sky wizard to grant them powers and gifts and mystically guide our nation through danger.

[longtom]

Dont fixate on the zebras. Of course nearly 100% of Thais believe in ghosts, as most asians and africans do.

On the other hand, ''77 % of Americans believe in angels. ... For most Americans they are a year-round presence'.

(www.cbsnews.com/news/poll-nearly-8-in-10-americans-believe-in-angels)

Not so much difference in my eyes.

[Ceruhe]

Last I checked, Zebras were prey to Lions and Hyenas and the likes....

....which means, if Zebra = Zebra and Lion/Hyena = Ghost...then this warding will make so much more sense all of a sudden.

Not that it would matter, the rest of the world has their lunatics too, [insert your random favorite religion joke]. Sheep will remain sheep.

[NCC1701A]

this is weird... but explains a lot..

i know now the evil spirits happen on sidewalks too.

every time i walk pass soi cowboy i tell myself there is no way i am going in there.

but then i get this force like pushing me off course and down the soi.

it feels like something pulling my arms.

[trainman34014]

Personally; i get really upset when people tell me there are no Pixie's at the bottom of my garden !!

[jaltsc]

Not easy for a third world country to enter the 21th century!!

Specially with a "leader" believing in black magic!!

Welcome to Disney-land.............................

Back home in the US most people believe in a sky wizard and his zombie son that will send you to paradise forever if you follow all the rules in his 2000 year old dungeons and dragons guidebook. Every president I've lived through has regularly call on this sky wizard to grant them powers and gifts and mystically guide our nation through danger.

However, combining the belief in the sky wizard and his zombie son with common sense driving and adherence to driving/ crosswalk regulations appears to prevent numerous road and pedestrian fatalities. Thus proving common sense, where it really counts, does work.

[cornishcarlos]

It's the brain dead mentality of western people, whose conditioning makes it incapable for them to look outside the box.

These shrines work similarly to accident black spot signs that we have in the west.

If a Thai is driving at a fast speed on a stretch of road and sees one of these shrines, then they are more likely to slow down and thus reduce accidents in this area.

Get it now?

If they are driving at their normal mach 2, how can they see a little zebra by the side of the road ? They can't even see Honda Waves !

Nope, don't get it

Edited January 9, 2015 by cornishcarlos

[willyumiii]

I am all for stomping out superstition!

Let's start with the most harmful superstition.

The superstition responsible for more death, suffering and exploitation than any other in history.

Let's start by stomping out Christianity.

The rest are all small potatoes.

After thought..include Jewish and muslim beliefs in that.

All three believe in the same invisible friend and fight and kill each other over him!

[kkerry]

A hundred people dead and the solution is to place fake zebras to ward off ghosts.. instead of re-engineering a dangerous stretch of road to make it safer...

[JOC]

I am all for stomping out superstition!

Let's start with the most harmful superstition.

The superstition responsible for more death, suffering and exploitation than any other in history.

Let's start by stomping out Christianity.

The rest are all small potatoes.

After thought..include Jewish and muslim beliefs in that.

All three believe in the same invisible friend and fight and kill each other over him!

Spot on!!

The believers in the invisible friend are in no way any smarter than the people, they ridicule for their "primitive" beliefs!!