Thai Ghosts (Phi)
Ghosts (Phi) are alive and well in Thailand. Theaters are guaranteed a full house for the release of a new ghost movie or, indeed, a repeat of an old one. On television, ghost stories are extremely popular and come in many varieties, from the comical to the scary. But ghosts are no laughing matter in Thailand. If pressed, the majority of the Thai population will admit to believing in ghosts and many claim to have seen them. This phenomenon is not limited to rural village elders, but is even taken seriously by college students and people from all walks of life and is particularly strong in Northern Thailand. It brings bad luck and fate is tempting to talk about ghosts, but almost everyone has a story to tell. Many Thai people use amulets to protect themselves against evil spirits and everywhere you go in Thailand you will see Spirit Houses (San Phra Phum).
There are many different types of ghosts in Thailand, all of which are to be feared and each pose a different threat. To combat this proliferation of evil spirits, Thailand has its own special type of “Ghost Buster”, the Mho Phi, or ghost doctor. Different techniques are employed depending on the type of spirit to be banished and some of these Mho Phi have gained celebrity status.
phi graseu
Phi Graseu is always depicted as a woman with only her head and entrails hanging out. She is possibly the most feared ghost and is always on the hunt for corpses or human excrement, but will gladly consume living bodies. She is said to haunt the area around cemeteries and has the effect of lowering property values in the areas surrounding them.
phi tai hong
The Phi Tai Hong is a ghost with a grudge. These are the spirits of people who have died in particularly bad circumstances, for example. murder or traffic accidents or even a baby that has died shortly after birth. Their eternal deaths make them want to take it out on the living.
Phi Tai Tong Glom
This is a seriously evil ghost. The Phi Tai Tong Glom is a female who died giving birth and her baby also died. This doubles the evil strength of this spirit and is definitely one to avoid. This ghost is actually a variant of Phi Tai Hong and is sometimes referred to as Phi Tai Hong Tong Glom.
Phi Pret (Black)
Phi Pret is a ghost with a huge appetite for just about anything, be it food, money, power, or sex. The cause of this endless desire is that Phi Pret has a tiny mouth no bigger than the eye of a needle. Never satisfied Phi Pret is moody and aggressive.
Phi-Pop
Phi Pop inhabits the living and eats their intestines. Usually depicted as a desirable woman, Phi Pop lives on the flesh and blood of humans. This ghost is one of the most difficult to eliminate. Mho Phi will perform a twirling dance to get Phi Pop’s attention, and as the dance reaches a crescendo, Phi Pop is carried away by the whirling wind.
phi ton may
These are spirits that live in trees. The living female tree spirits are known as Phi Nang Mai. Traveling through northern Thailand, you will see many trees draped in cloth to show that it is the home of a spirit. In the past, Buddhist monks used this fear of tree ghosts by blessing trees and wrapping them in saffron cloth to try to prevent deforestation. These trees cannot be felled without first providing an alternate residence for the spirit occupant.
phi tanee
Phi Tanee is a variant of Phi Ton Mai and lives in banana trees. It is said that when the banana flower is about to open, these spirits become visible to humans.