Such beliefs are a mixture of Animism, Hinduism
and Buddhism, well integrated into the Thai culture. This
faith plays a great role in the daily lives of the Thai
people.
Both Thai and Chinese houses host these
guardian spirits. When a new home is built, a suitable place
in the garden or the house is selected for a spirit house
or a shrine. Usually, it faces either north or south, preferably
north. It must not be placed at a spot where the owner's
house overshadows it; otherwise the spirits will not reside
there.
The Thai and Chinese guardian spirits share
a number of similarities. The Chinese shrine also has a
wooden carved picture of the spirit, usually with one hand
holding a book. It is believed that the deaths of people
under the spirit's protection are recorded in the book.
The shrine or spirit house usually contains
an outer terrace where daily offerings to the guardian spirit
are placed. Food offerings, together with fresh flowers,
incense sticks and candles are placed on the small gallery
of the little house on important days such as Buddhist holy
days and New Year's Day. It is a rule that food should not
be offered later than 11.00 am.
Firm believers feel that such beliefs help
uplift the spiritual strength of people. If anyone has a
feeling of misfortune and wants to overcome this difficulty
or has a great need for something, which is seemingly impossible
to obtain, they will ask the spirit to help fulfill their
wishes.
Apart from the spirit house, there are also
landmark shrines that have become famous places of worship
in several places in Bangkok and the provinces.
Visitors unfamiliar to Bangkok, passing
the Ratchaprasong intersection, may raise an eyebrow as
they see crowds of people paying homage at a golden shrine.
That is the Erawan or Phra Phrom Shrine, one of the most
sacred shrines in Bangkok.
Many people come to pray at the Erawan Shrine,
beseeching the spirits there to fulfill their wishes or
help bring them luck and prosperity. This shrine is believed
to be so sacred and powerful that visitors from as far away
as China, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia come to
pay their respects and make a wish at the shrine.
Sometimes, people will promise a reward
to the holy spirit in return for help in fulfilling their
wishes. A reward can be an offering of food or a number
of servants, elephants or horses. Hence, miniature servants
or animals, which are made of wood, clay or paper, can be
seen around the shrine, to symbolize living servants and
animals.
Apart from Erawan Shrine, you will see many
other sacred shrines all over Bangkok and other parts of
Thailand.
Popular places of worship, other than Phra
Phrom shrine, include the Equestrian Statue of King Rama
V, the Chinese Chao Phor Seu shrine, and the City Pillar
(Lak Muang) shrine. Everyday, these shrines are frequented
and honored by firm believers. They can get very crowded,
especially on holy days.
So if you wonder why, next time you see
a Thai delivering a deep and graceful 'wai' when there don't
seem to be any people around, they are probably making a
wish or just paying respects to a sacred shrine somewhere
close by.
