Things That Go Bump in Night
From roller-coasters to horror movies, most of us enjoy the thrill of a good scare from time to time. Halloween epitomizes this, a night when the souls of the departed are at their closest to those of us here in the material world.
Originally a Celtic/pagan festival it has evolved into the popular ‘trick or treat’ occasion, particularly in the U.S. and the theme of countless horror films. The Thais have adopted this day as it appeals to their innate sense of fun and you will see many Thais in horror fancy dress gear at the various parties around town.
Thais refer to ghosts as pi (pronounced pee) and they are both fascinated and terrified of them at the same time. Movies about ghosts are enormously popular and many of the Thai horror films are genuinely creepy. Many Thais hate to sleep alone, especially in a large house, due to fear of ghosts. The brother of my ex-missus is a prime example. he once crawled over 100 metres in the early hours (his leg was in a cast) from the temple where his Mother’s body lay for the funeral rites because he saw her ghost. Why he would be scared of his dead Mother is beyond me, but there you go.
Another time he was driving a motorbike with my ex as the passenger and the bike conked out beneath an ‘archway’ of trees, a famous haunted spot in Koh samui, where road accidents have claimed several victims. Unable to re-start the motorbike, he gallantly ran off, terrified, into the night leaving his sister to deal with the tormented ghosts of Koh Samui.
Many Thais also believe that if a person dies in bad circumstances and the body is not recovered and given the proper rites, their spirit/ghost will remain in that place forever. When
Ii went to England with my (then) wife and her younger brother, they were alarmed to hear that we would be spending the first night in a 500 year old house in Lewes, Ssussex, complete with a 4 poster bed. When told them that in the Uu.K. there are actual Hhaunted house tours where you can stay in haunted stately homes and Iinns, it confirmed to them that farang (foreigners) are basically mad, actually paying good money in the HOhoPE of seeing a real ghost. met a vampire in Pattaya several years ago. Sshe was so convinced of this that she had dental work to give her actual (and very impressive) fangs. was very attractive, despite electric blue spiky hair and dressed very provocatively, micro mini skirts with no underwear for example. sank her fangs into my friends arm on one occasion and drew blood. scared the hell out of guys that took her home, with one chap so disturbed that he shinned down the outside of his building to escape. Sso, if you meet a beautiful Thai vampire at a party this Hhalloween, make sure you check that her fangs are removable, otherwise she may turn out to be a real pain in the neck! Be careful out there… and Hhappy Hhalloween
