As I go around Thailand I have memorized some  words and try to "talk" to people.

 

I know the word saan pra pum, for the spirit houses. Bluntly put, the land spirits can live there when a house has been erected on their ground.

 

There are also stools in the street on which Thai people put food, drink, burn incense and maybe more. Sometimes the food is just put on the pavement.

 

Today I asked one person if these stools were a kind of san pra pum.

- No, the San pra pum we keep inside. This is for the ghosts. She replied.

 

My Thai is poor and her English was not so good, so we didn't get further.

 

I also see altars, often on floor level, in red color, sometimes Chinese style, maybe Confucian, often in hotels and supermarkets.

 

I would just like to know some useful words (and maybe a little about the significance) relating to the "stools with food in the street" and the home altars. 

 

Is "food offering" a useful concept to translate?

 

Do Thai people keep another altar, different from the saan pra pum, in their house. What is that called?

 

Knowing a few words related to the subject might help me "chat" with locals about these things.

 

Thank you.

 

 

 

 

just a note that things are not always so cut and dry here... one person's understanding might not be the same as another's. Many people will feel compelled to answer even if they don't know and depending upon how your question is phrased, they might answer in the affirmative, even knowing that is incorrect. 

 

Good luck and keep sorting. 

Yes there is normally a prayer alter/room where offerings are made in the persons home.  Outside there is often the spirit house to be home to the ghosts.  Different uses.  And as normal there is unlikely to be any firm right or wrong and different people will have differing views/beliefs.