Thailand Spirit Houses: honoring the past and protecting the present and future

In this blog series I want to go back to the basics of why I love to travel, and I know many of you do too: because you’re curious. Curious to learn more about a new culture, curious to learn more about different ways of living life, curious to try new foods, learn about new customs and broaden your worldview.  In this blog series we’ll be sharing and learning about different corners of the world, highlighting some of our favorite storytellers who can bring these stories to life on a future trip, and helping you, albeit virtually, indulge your love and curiosity to travel. 

Today we’re learning about spirit houses in Thailand.

As you travel throughout Thailand you’ll start to notice a consistent icon: what first appears to be a small house on a pedestal is actually a spirit house, or San Phra Phum in Thai. You’ll find spirit houses outside 5* hotels, small cafes, family homes and everything in between. Spirit houses are a space for the living to honor the spirits that own the land that their homes, buildings and business are built upon. By honoring these spirits, the living hope to keep bad spirits away and bring good fortune to the people that live and work on the land. Some spirit houses are quite ornate, others are more simple and streamlined for small spaces. But it’s not the size or sophistication that counts; it’s all about the tradition and how it’s honored by the living. 

I reached out to Poj and Chintana, the husband and wife team of expert guides that own Window of Thailand, based in Chiang Mai to share more about this tradition. This duo has been leading tours in Thailand for over 20 years, including tours for our small group tours and private clients. Especially for Western guests, they make it easy to begin to understand the various religions and cultural traditions that can be found in Thailand.

• Q: what is the background on this tradition?
  A: many think that these structures are rooted in the Buddhist religious tradition, but the tradition of taking care of the good spirits, and keeping the bad ones away, is actually connected to animistic beliefs and superstitions. Thai people believe that spirits own the land, so when the land is disrupted for constriction, it’s important that the spirits are given a place to live (in the spirit house) and be honored. People prefer to have the spirits live outside the homes and buildings built on the land to make sure the spirit doesn’t bring bad luck or unhappiness to the people living or working in the buildings. The spirit houses are constructed on the north side of the property so the shadow of the house or building does not fall on the spirit house. 
  
  

• Q: why do people pray, and pay tribute, at these spirit houses? And how do they honor the spirits? 
  A: people honor the spirits to keep the spirits happy. It’s believed that if the spirits are unhappy they might bother, or bring bad luck to the people living or working in the building. So to keep the spirits happy people bring small offerings to the spirit houses every day. Typical offerings include small bowls of food or rice, sweets, and drinks such as tea, water or soda. Other items include flowers, candles, and incense. Inside the spirit houses you can find small dolls depicting people, and also animals such as horses and elephants. People believe that the spirits can use the animals as a vehicle to travel.
  
  

• Q: can tourists visiting Thailand pay respect at the spirit houses they find at their hotels?
  A: yes, absolutely! When you arrive at your hotel, ask where their spirit house is located, and for their permission and advice on how to best pay respects to the spirits. You can also visit spirit houses throughout your travels in Thailand, just remember to ask permission to approach if it’s a private property, and keep in mind that this is a local custom that needs to be respected, so survey your environment before you take photos and prioritize those wanting to worship and pay tribute to the spirit house. One of the larger spirit houses can be found in Bangkok, the Erawan Shrine.

Thailand is such a special place, and one of my favorite countries to visit (you can click here to view photos from past travels, and here and here to see photos from past group trips we’ve hosted in Thailand!) So be sure to include Thailand on your list of future travel destinations. And before you go, and certainly while you’re there, take a moment to research and appreciate the cultural customs that exist, as it will help you get more out of your travel experience, and give you greater insight into the practices that guide how Thai people live their lives. 

Here’s to staying curious, and continuing to use travel as a vehicle to learn and expand our world view!

Mary + the Living Big Travel team 

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PS: here is a photo of the spirit house at my favorite hotel in Chiang Mai, the Puripunn Baby Grand Boutique Hotel. This hotel is close enough to the action of the city center to make everything easily accessible, but not so close that you get caught in the noise and exhaust from traffic and crowds in the city center! The hotel, and their amazing staff, create such a calm and relaxing space. I especially love how the hotel grounds are lit up at night; it’s a magical atmosphere!