We just built a new home in Arizona and my wife is insisting on it. I told her it's a new house and we can't have ghosts but she says "the ghosts don't care if it's new or not - pood mak!" So we're getting a spirit house.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

3 hours ago, bill59 said:

We just built a new home in Arizona and my wife is insisting on it. I told her it's a new house and we can't have ghosts but she says "the ghosts don't care if it's new or not - pood mak!" So we're getting a spirit house.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

The spirits being discussed here have a distant relationship to ghosts (spirits of dead people) although Thais might use the same words to describe them, and may even be a bit confused about the difference themselves .  

 

Animism - the origin of the need for spirit houses, which is NOT Buddhist  -  believes that all of nature - a piece of land, a big rock, a tree, a waterfall - is occupied by individual spirits of the place, that must be respected, and placated if they get angry or feel scorned. This is why big trees in Thailand often have garlands and offerings around them: as a sign of respect and honour to the spirit animating the tree.

 

When you build a house on a piece of ground you are building it on a place already owned and occupied by the spirit(s) of that place.  If they get angry at your usurping their dwelling place they can cause you harm and aim to destroy you.

 

So to placate them you build them their own house, shiny and attractive, and not in the shadow of your own house. Then hopefully they will move into that house rather than occupy yours, which is also on their land.  Offerings ensure they continue to tolerate your presence, and won't move into your house and begin to cause you bad luck, injuries or even death.

On 5/16/2017 at 6:33 PM, Andrew Dwyer said:

I'm on the lookout for a house right now and if there isn't one I think a spirit house will be on the shopping list , maybe give me a bit of respect as " the only farang in the soi " and will keep 'er indoors happy on the spiritual side !!
Plus, I think they look pretty cool, a win , win situation !

Yep  there are some very attractive ones.