Spirit Houses

Post by **PeteC** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 7:55 pm

Those who live here or visit frequently know what these are. All my past residences here had one, and a good Thai friend even sent me one for my previous house in Hawaii where it still sits.

For some unknown reason at my new house here in Rayong I'm receiving great resistance from my wife to put one up.

Constant questions.... "why?, do you want to do it the right way and get an expert in (a Mystic) to determine exactly where to put it and reveal what figurines we should put in it to represent the spirits of the past good people who occupied this land in the past....." OR...." do you just want it for decoration to make the place look nice and more 'Thai'....? She constantly stresses "GOOD PEOPLE who occupied..." Perhaps she's afraid of housing bad spirits here?

My reply so far has been both options combined.

I think it may trouble her that all this area was once a Vietnamese refugee settlement when Saigon fell in 1975. People died here and some buried here, reference a past post of mine about bones being found here while they were excavating for a new development.

Anyone else have any similar experience/resistance for or against? Pete

Post by **PeteC** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 9:02 pm

Here's more on this for those who may be confused:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_house

Note the second paragraph. I've been told over an over again that the house is not for evil spirits, but for good spirts who want to be taken care of, or they may cause some nasty things.

Is there a difference?

Anyway, anyone with the ambition and time to discuss the subject in detail with your Thai wife, please let us know the results. Pete

Post by **lomuamart** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 9:05 pm

I've been told that a Buddha image has to face north or east. Never south or west. I've been pulled up on that by an ex-girlfriend and wife in rented properties.
I'm pretty happy to let them get on with everything. I don't believe anyway.
Spirit houses are not necessarily anything to do with a family or people. They're just there to help everyone along - the buses, pedestrians, snakes etc etc. The houses make every other thing feel good.
That's the way I see it anyway. Animism as a religion.

Post by **PeteC** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 9:07 pm

More......

http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/spirit_house.html

Post by **lomuamart** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 9:14 pm

I had the ambition but the wife is embroiled in Thai soaps, so it's dangerous ground -literally.

Spitfire · Post by **Spitfire** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 10:06 pm

It doesn't suprise me that your Mrs is concerned about the spirits of the refugees etc, all this ghost business gets them all uncomfortable, plus it's drilled home everyday by the TV, especially the soaps. It reminds me of when, some readers may know of or remember, in Korat a huge hotel collapsed about 15 years ago or so and the was a couple of hundred people died in the incident, achitectual screw-up and they put too many floors on it through greed etc. This is still a vacant plot in the middle of town and no-one wants to buy it, despite it being cheap, for exactly the "ghost" factor, too many unhappy spirits.

For me, I just let the wife and others just get on with it, whatever's fine. I know this might seem like a controversial comment but I can't work out sometimes what it is in these estates when you see a large western house with these fancy spirit houses in the garden......whether it's them being serious about their religion or just a case of vainglory to look pious and be admired by others, sure not all but a fair few, I reckon. Not sure if Aninism is quite as strong as some claim, maybe they are just 'dedicated followers of fashion'.

Post by **STEVE G** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 11:12 pm

My partner has explained to me that the spirit house has to be of a similar standard as the house otherwise the spirits will move into your house instead of staying in theirs in the corner of the garden.
That's why a big expensive house has to have a big fancy spirit house as well.
I can't think why Pete's wife doesn't want one, unless it's connected to people being buried there as suggested.

Post by **BaaBaa.** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 11:26 pm

STEVE G wrote: a big expensive house has to have a big fancy spirit house as well.

Here's HH Farangs spirit house.

Spitfire · Post by **Spitfire** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 11:35 pm

This one's off for an interview with HHF's Mrs............

Post by **Khundon1975** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 11:47 pm

We had one in the garden of our beach house on Naebkehardt Rd which
we and our neighbors used on a regular basis.

When we had our own place built, the wife did not want one in the garden, so after taking advice from those who know

we had the builder buy several old fishing nets from the fishermen and these were laid out over all the concrete footings and ring beam.
Then the monks and the Fengshui chaps did their thing and the house was built on top of the nets.

According to the wife and her family, this stops any spirits coming up into the house.

Don't ask me if it's true or not, I just went along for the ride.

I did have a problem with the Father in laws Fengshui chap (he does all the big office blocks and hotels) who came down from Changmai to bless the first pole.
The original plans went out the window and the footings and ring beam dimensions were all changed.
He decided to re arrange windows, and room sizes and made all the doors non standard sizes, so each door and frame had to be made to his individual spec.

Every time he put another mark on the plans, it put another 50k on the bill.

What we chaps do for a quiet life.

Post by **margaretcarnes** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 7:09 am

I thought spirit houses were meant to provide homes for the good spirits as well - and there are small ground level ones apparently for animals.
Overall they are something - like the shrines - which you just have to go along with when there are staff or a Thai partner around. Including the arduous siting of things which take priority over anything else usually! Fair enough - it's their country.
Quite why your wife is resistant to one all of a sudden Pete does seem likely to be linked with the history of the site. Has she said how he feels about the Vietnamese connection at all? Probably not - they tend to clam up about the strangest things.
The use of them by some people as a kind of 'fashion accessory' though is annoying. I don't mean you - you're a local! But the Beckhams were in HH about 6 years ago and 'just had to have' them. 5 or 6 spirit houses were duly bought and shipped back to England. Cute gifts for friends kind of thing. THAT I find distasteful and totally ignorant of Thai culture.

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 10:50 am

Ouch! - you guys are hitting one of my nerves.

I am agnostic / anti religion / non believer - call it what you want.

Mrs.T is like so many Thai folk, is deeply religious and smitten with her own Fengshui guardian.

I think he's a lazy good for nothing toss pot who makes money by installing forebodings of bad luck - still - that's my view.

We have no less than 6 'places of worship' at the lodge all getting their morning feeding of soft drinks, bits of fruit, and 30 -45 minutes of devotion.

I admit - I am a cynic. But don't missunderstand me, I truly admire the religious devotion - it does it for her - and most Thais I guess.

All of the lodge has been laid out and designed by yours truly - but each new structure has to be Fengshui'd and the position and size of any new spirit house is always a subject of much debate.

Fortunately with modern computer software you can almost view the finished article before actual construction takes place.

But it doesn't let you draw a spirit house in the garden! - wonder why

Post by **Vital Spark** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 6:47 pm

I agree with you totally Terry about the Fengshui stuff. Hey, if you think you're going to feel calm with a nice little water feature, then sure as apples you will be.

As far as spirit tables are concerned I'm not really sure. We had two at the other place: a really large fancy one for the house; and a cute little wooden one in the garden. I was told that the plain little one was for the land spirits (all good, of course) and the ancestors. When one of our Thai friends stayed us she used to say 'Hi' and wai to the big fancy one to let it know she was staying. She said that if she didn't then the spiritis would be upset and haunt her at night.

We have neither big nor small here and I'm not particularly fussed. Less stuff to negotiate around with the mower...

VS

Post by **Big Boy** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 10:51 pm

Going back to the OP, I asked Mrs BB the likely reason why your wife would not want a Spirit House in your current location. She explained that many of victims buried in the area would have had their lives ended early, so the house would be inhabited by bad spirits.

Post by **PeteC** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 4:46 am

Big Boy wrote:Going back to the OP, I asked Mrs BB the likely reason why your wife would not want a Spirit House in your current location. She explained that many of victims buried in the area would have had their lives ended early, so the house would be inhabited by bad spirits.

I have a feeling it's all about that also BB. The people in the camps here were well taken care of so I'm not sure their presence and situation here would have resulted in an early demise. Those who did pass though where not in their natural homeland. However, given she is reluctant to want to debate the issue I'm not going to push it.

Now, if I can convince her that the spirit who has taken up residence in her golf bag is causing her bad scores, she may change her mind and get a Spirit House.

Pete