I find myself using ghost stories a lot in my conversation classes. Many SE Asians have strong beliefs in ghosts and spirits. They surround us in our everyday lives, and that's not a bad thing. I like the spirit houses in front of residences and businesses - they're there to satiate the spirits with incense, candles, Buddhist figurines, and, more often than not, orange flavored Fanta. The belief is that this will please the spirits, pay respect to them, but also hope that they will have everything they need without going into the house.
My absolute favorite fun fact about Thai ghost beliefs is that they can only travel in straight lines. That explains why traditional Thai houses have winding paths leading up to their doorways. It's also why many homes have all of their door frames raised about 3-4 inches off the floor: ghosts are not able to step over this hurdle, and therefore they can't bother the family inside.
There are a lot of ghost stories specific to ABAC. Here are the stories I can rattle off about the 3 buildings I've lived in this year: There are children ghosts who run up and down the halls of King David. Also, I had a man speak to me one night in my room in King David, but I'll admit the possibility that I'm insane and was just hearing things that night.
There are ghosts in C building who close doors, cabinets and drawers for you. (Happened to me.) One ghost of a former teacher haunts the elevator in C building. He doesn't ride the elevator, he just presses the button to get on at various floors, and then stands there all ghost-like when the doors open to let him on. He never gets on, but sometimes after the door closes at 12 (for example), then the elevator moves on down to 11 and he's standing there as well, then on to 10... and so on. There are several floors in C building that aren't even in use anymore because both staff and students started refusing to go there. (I'm not sure why those floors were worse, though.)
One evening, I rode the elevator down from the 14th floor in C building along with a bunch of students. The elevator stopped at EVERY SINGLE floor, even though no one on the inside pressed any buttons besides Floor 1 and though no one was waiting to get on from any of the floors. The elevator even stopped at the floors that haven't been in use for years. The students were all chattering nervously in Thai as we all watched the floor numbers go down, each time hoping the elevator wouldn't stop again on the next floor. I finally asked, "Is that the ghost?" And they all started nodding their heads. "Chai, ajarn!" one girl said.
There are also ghosts in the Q building, my current residence. But I don't like the stories about this place. If any of the ABAC ghosts frighten me, it's the ones who live with me now. Luckily we haven't crossed paths so far.
Here's a link to one of the most famous Thai ghost stories if you're dying to hear more:
http://www.thailandlife.com/thai-culture/nang-nak-a-thai-ghost-story.html
My absolute favorite fun fact about Thai ghost beliefs is that they can only travel in straight lines. That explains why traditional Thai houses have winding paths leading up to their doorways. It's also why many homes have all of their door frames raised about 3-4 inches off the floor: ghosts are not able to step over this hurdle, and therefore they can't bother the family inside.
There are a lot of ghost stories specific to ABAC. Here are the stories I can rattle off about the 3 buildings I've lived in this year: There are children ghosts who run up and down the halls of King David. Also, I had a man speak to me one night in my room in King David, but I'll admit the possibility that I'm insane and was just hearing things that night.
There are ghosts in C building who close doors, cabinets and drawers for you. (Happened to me.) One ghost of a former teacher haunts the elevator in C building. He doesn't ride the elevator, he just presses the button to get on at various floors, and then stands there all ghost-like when the doors open to let him on. He never gets on, but sometimes after the door closes at 12 (for example), then the elevator moves on down to 11 and he's standing there as well, then on to 10... and so on. There are several floors in C building that aren't even in use anymore because both staff and students started refusing to go there. (I'm not sure why those floors were worse, though.)
One evening, I rode the elevator down from the 14th floor in C building along with a bunch of students. The elevator stopped at EVERY SINGLE floor, even though no one on the inside pressed any buttons besides Floor 1 and though no one was waiting to get on from any of the floors. The elevator even stopped at the floors that haven't been in use for years. The students were all chattering nervously in Thai as we all watched the floor numbers go down, each time hoping the elevator wouldn't stop again on the next floor. I finally asked, "Is that the ghost?" And they all started nodding their heads. "Chai, ajarn!" one girl said.
There are also ghosts in the Q building, my current residence. But I don't like the stories about this place. If any of the ABAC ghosts frighten me, it's the ones who live with me now. Luckily we haven't crossed paths so far.
Here's a link to one of the most famous Thai ghost stories if you're dying to hear more:
http://www.thailandlife.com/thai-culture/nang-nak-a-thai-ghost-story.html
