THAI-O-WEEN

Every day in Thailand is kinda like Halloween, given how much Thais are into the supernatural. Some folks keep ghost children for good luck. We have no shortage of supernatural news on the front pages. There seems to be a new horror movie in cinemas every week. These are but few examples to show how we, as a nation, like to stay close to invisible spirits (and be spooked) all year round. In time for this year’s Halloween, we help you stay scared throughout the night with some ghost stories, a quiz and other sources that provide frights. Happy Halloween, to you who’s reading this (and the spirit that’s reading this over your shoulder too)!

Scarier than fiction

Along with wearing ridiculous costumes and possibly partaking in a Nov 1 walk of shame, telling scary stories is one of many activities involved with Halloween. Here’s our pick of true stories that are so scary we had to write them in broad daylight.

Creepy Cellmate

There is a holding cell at the Crime Suppression Division with a haunting history. Those who are unfortunate enough to be locked up in there suffer the extra penalty of getting scared s#*tless.

In Aug 2009, a police officer heard a cry for help from Somboon, who was being held in the cell alone for acting as a loan shark. Around 3am, Somboon said he was awakened by a middle-aged man in a red T-shirt. He asked Somboon to “join” him and told him to shower. Somboon, who said he felt like he was under a spell, obeyed the mysterious man. Somboon saw the man tear up his red shirt into strips and demonstrate how to hang himself. The man then told Somboon to choose which bar he would like to be hanged from. That was when Somboon started to scream. Fortunately, he was allowed to be detained outside the cell for the night.

It turns out the cell is believed to be haunted by a man who died by hanging himself from a window bar after being accused of raping his niece. There have been a few attempted suicides there, with the prisoners saying a voice told them to, but they were rescued. It was reported last week that the haunted cell will soon be history as the building is slated for demolition.

Justice for Ghosts?

In Jan 2011, Jeerasak Mhad-te walked into a police station, crying. No, he wasn’t distraught because someone had wronged him and he wanted the police’s help. It was the other way around. Imagine how surprised the cops were when he told them he wanted to turn himself in for a murder. Either because of a guilty conscience, or the possibility that he was haunted by the spirit of the deceased, he confessed to killing a man earlier found in a canal in Satun province. Jeerasak said he killed him because, after a night of drinking, he refused to pay and Jeerasak had to pawn his motorcycle to clear the bill (man, how much did they drink?). Jeerasak said he had been haunted by visions of the murdered man and had been sleepless since so he wished to come clean.

Mother’s Calling

In September, Chaithat had a dream in which his mother complained she had run out of food. Chaithat, who works in Lop Buri, visits his mother who lives alone in Chainat once a month. With every visit, he brings her food. The last time they met was on Mother’s Day. After the strange dream, he didn’t immediately go see his mother because his child fell ill. Two days later, he went to see her. Her house was locked so he went to the garden. There he discovered the rotting corpse of his own mother. He retrieved the house key from her and unlocked the house. There was no sign of robbery or fighting. The local authorities said she had been dead for over a week and she may have fainted and died. His mother appeared in his dream because she wanted to be found, perhaps?

GHOST WHISPERER 

Test your knowledge on Thai ghosts and supernatural beliefs with this quiz. Can you survive it?

1. What should you do when your dog howls at 2am?

A) Take it out to the garden. It wants to pee.
B) Cuddle it. It needs some attention.
C) Put the blanket over your head and pray hard.

Answer: C) It’s believed that dogs howl when they see a ghost. If you go to yours when it does, you might have a scary encounter.

2. Why should you not bang empty plates?

A) Because it’s freaking annoying, duh.
B) Because you’re inviting ghosts.
C)  Because your mum doesn’t want you to break them.

Answer: B) By clanking or banging a plate, you’re asking a hungry spirit to join your meal. We guess it’s OK if you have plenty of food but do you really want to wash the dishes for an extra guest too?

3. What is the easiest way to see a ghost?

A) Bend down and look between your legs.
B) Rub soil from a cemetery over your eyelids.
C) Use a ouija board.

Answer: A) Although the three choices should all lead to the appearance of a ghost, looking between your legs — especially at night — is obviously the easiest. Option B and C sound like too much work.

4. Why do some Thais say a newborn baby is ugly?

A) Because they’re jerks who are asking to be punched in the face.
B) Because, well, some babies aren’t cute.
C) Because they don’t want ghosts to take the baby away.

Answer: C) Some call a newborn baby na kliad na chang (which means ugly and repulsive in a literal sense) to fool ghosts so they won’t take it away. So, when Thais say your baby is hideous, they actually mean well.

5. Which one of the following superpowers does Mae Nak not possess, according to various films based on her legend?

A) Granting three wishes.
B) Retrieving things with her elastic arm a la Mr. Fantastic.
C) Defying gravity by walking on ceiling crossbeams.

Answer: A) With all due respect, Mae Nak is very powerful but she ain’t no genie.

6. What should you do if you drive past a spirit shrine on a curved road?

A) Reply to a LINE message.
B) Honk thrice.
C) Let go of the steering wheel to wai the shrine.

Answer: B) Some Thais believe honking thrice is a way to pay respect to the spirit that resides within the shrine.

7. What do people like to offer to kuman thong?

A) Evian.
B) Red Fanta.
C) Salad.

Answer: B) It makes sense that people offer kuman thong the sweet beverage. A lot of energy is needed to bring people luck, after all.

8. Why do some drivers put garlands on the rearview mirrors of their cars?

A) To add a flowery smell.
B) To have something beautiful to look at while being stuck in traffic.
C) To pay respect to a spirit guarding the vehicle.

Answer: C) There is a type of spirit called Mae Ya Nang who guards boats and ships to ensure safe passage. This belief has extended to cars.

9. What are the colourful fabrics wrapped around big trees for?

A) Blankets for the homeless.
B) Tokens of respect.
C) Decoration.

Answer: B) The fabric is meant to be an offering to the sacred entity residing within the tree.

10. How can a man summon the spirit nang tani?

A) Urinate or rub their “banana” on a banana tree.
B) Cut down a banana tree.
C) Wear a banana costume and flirt with a banana tree.

Answer: A) Nang tani appears as a beautiful woman who can be quite friendly. A man who becomes intimate with her mustn’t cheat on her later because she’ll hunt him down. Hell hath no fury like a ghost woman scorned.

FRIGHTS TO GO

You don’t have to spend the night in a cemetery to find a scare when fear is at your fingertips. Check out these online sources of horror.

- Those with a short attention span but who want a maximum scare should check out Ruang Sayong Song Buntud (www.fb.com/sayongsongbuntud) for two-sentence horror stories in Thai.

- For horror and haha, check out a YouTube show called iScream on channel iHere (www.youtube.com/user/iheredottv).  A group of guys explore haunted places while mistreating each other for fun. The places they have visited are truly scary, from a defunct hotel where people hear a woman’s scream to an abandoned brothel where women were kept against their will and ultimately died.

- Catch all the past episodes of ghost radio show The Shock at its official channel on YouTube (www.goo.gl/Fr3iLp). Listen to scary stories from people who call in.