Ghosts (Phi) are alive and well in Thailand. Theaters are guaranteed a full room for the premiere of a new ghost movie or even a rerun of an old one. On television, ghost stories are extremely popular and come in many varieties, from comedic to gruesome. 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 the elderly in rural villages, but is taken seriously by even university students and people of all walks of life and is particularly strong in northern Thailand. It’s bad luck and a tempting fate to talk about ghosts, but almost everyone has a story to tell. Many Thais wear amulets to ward off evil spirits and wherever you go in Thailand you will see Spirit Houses (San Phra Phum).
There are many different types of ghosts in Thailand, all of them to fear and each one poses 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 guts hanging down. This is possibly the most feared ghost and is always on the hunt for corpses or human excrement, but will gladly consume living bodies. It is said to lurk in the area around cemeteries and have the effect of reducing property values in the surrounding areas.
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 premature deaths make them want to take it out on the living.
Phi Tai Tong Glom
This is a very evil ghost. The Phi Tai Tong Glom is a woman who died giving birth and her baby also died. This doubles the evil force of this spirit and is definitely something 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 (Preta)
Phi Pret is a ghost with a huge appetite for almost everything, 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 short-tempered and aggressive.
Phi Pop
Phi Pop inhabits the living and eats their intestines. Generally depicted as a desirable woman, Phi Pop lives on human flesh and blood. This ghost is one of the most difficult to eliminate. Mho Phi will perform a spinning dance to catch Phi Pop’s attention, and when the dance reaches a crescendo, Phi Pop is carried away by the swirling wind.
Phi Ton Mai
These are spirits that live in trees. The living spirits of female trees are known as Phi Nang Mai. Traveling through northern Thailand, you will see many trees wrapped 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 them and wrapping them in saffron cloth to try to prevent deforestation. These trees cannot be cut down without first providing an alternative residence for the occupying spirit.
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