Thailand: House of guardian spirits

After having a wonderful time in India, our next stop was Thailand. We flew to Thailand to spend a few months. Sam visited Thailand about 6 years ago but this was the first time Kathi traveled to South East Asia. Our first impression about people in Thailand was that they were very nice, friendly, and kind. People seemed very calm in their demeanour and they were very friendly with Nora. We will continue to gather our impressions and share them later on our blog.
One thing that caught our attention in Thailand was the spirit houses. We hardly found a house, or an office building that didn't have a spirit house in front of them. These are called san phra phum (House of the guardian spirit) or pteah phum. These are shrines to the protective spirits. The spirit house is normally in the form of a miniature house or temple, and is mounted on a pillar or a dais. The house is intended to provide a shelter for spirits that could cause problems for the people if not appeased. The shrines often include images of people and animals. Offerings are left at the house to please the spirits.

These are placed in an auspicious spot, most often in a corner of the property. Even though Buddhism is the religion followed by majority of the population, the location of the House of the guardian spirit is chosen after consultation with a Brahmin (Hindu) priest.

Some of these houses have four pillars. These are meant for the spirits of the land, for a ghost that lives on that ground and which can bring misfortune, or good luck to the people who live in the nearby building. Some other houses have only one pillar. And these houses are meant for the ancestors of the family living close to it. This type of house typically has miniature status of an old women and an old man.

A long time ago, blood from a sacrificial animal was offered to the spirits until it was made illegal by King Rama 1. Nowadays they use strawberry Fanta which is red in color.

We happened to stay with a family in Bangkok during the Chinese new year celebration and we got to see the offerings they made to these spirit houses before they enjoyed that food in the evening.

Next time you are in Thailand, keep an eye for these spirit houses. They are artistic and beautiful.

Offerings made to the spirit house

Ancestors utensils embedded in the wall around the spirit house

Miniature statues representing ancestors

Offering of strawberry Fanta in front of the house