In America if a proud parent shows us pictures of the new born, regardless of the truth, we always say the little one is adorable. It would be unthinkable to state otherwise. Not so in Thailand.
You see, in Thailand one must take great care to avoid attracting the evil spirits that would take the new baby away. Consequently everyone always says the baby is ugly. Apparently the bad spirits only favor cute babies.
It’s stuff like this I absolutely love about discovering new cultures…
Somehow I got into a discussion with a boy from the south about baby teeth. I told him how we usually pull the teeth using a string, often tied to a door knob, and the whole thing about the Tooth Ferry. He said that pulling with a string was also done in Thailand, but they did not have a Tooth Ferry. Instead, they take lower teeth and throw them on the roof of their house for the rat, and uppers are thrown under the house for Mr. Rodent. The rat, in turn, would bring the boy a new tooth.
Knowing some practices differ from one region of Thailand to the next, I decided to ask boys from Northern Chiang Mai, Eastern Isan, and Central Bangkok how they do it. They all confirmed the southern boy’s story, with one exception. In the other three regions all teeth get thrown on the roof. A different southern boy explained there is good reason for throwing lowers up and uppers down. It’s the only way to make sure your new teeth grow in the right direction. To ignore this would result in an ugly smile, and we certainly can’t have that…now can we?
I’ve just added a new page about Rama V, King of Thailand for 42 years (1868 - 1910). Even if you are just visiting Thailand for a short time, it is very important you have at least a basic understanding his importance in Thai culture and Thai superstition.
And how about a little eye candy while we’re at it…
On the 24th of this month Thailand will celebrate the festival of Loy Kratong. It is a Buddhist celebration honoring the Lord Budda. Among other things, it includes the ceremony of floating down river a floral arrangement with one lit candle and three burning sticks of incense.
This ceremony is intended to symbolize the letting go of all negative in one’s life and starting fresh. It is also believed to bring good luck, and like our birth day celebrations, participants make a wish.
It is not my purpose to cover all the details of Loy Kratong. In this post there are links to other web sites with much more detail and/or photos. You can also Google “Loy Kratong” or “Loy Kratong gay” for a wealth of information on the subject.
If just visiting Thailand, during the festival, I highly recommend experiencing it. For those of you planning to live in Thailand, I have something extremely important to share with you.
Thais take this celebration very seriously. Thus, if you have been seeing a Thai boy, at a level beyond that of a one night stand, and he invites you to participate in this ceremony with him, it means he REALLY likes you. It is a sincere gesture you should take note of. What you do with this information is up to you. Just realize the boy is making a statement, and if you have not told him otherwise he probably assumes you are completely unaware of just how heartfelt it is. That is what makes it so very special.
That said, keep in mind Thais also believe when romantic couples, married or otherwise, perform the ceremony together, it will enhance the longevity of their relationship.
This was told to me by a Thai Boy from the Southern Region of Thailand, so I’m not sure how widely practiced it is. At least with some Thais, the clipping of your finger and/or toe nails between the hours of 6pm and 6am brings bad luck for the house the clipping took place in. I don’t know if it means general bad luck, or something specific like health, prosperity, or bad spirits.
Now I realize most people would never think of clipping their nails in the presence of a guest, or as a guest in someone’s home. But if you find yourself in a long-term relationship with a Thai boy, this is probably something you should be aware of.
The Water Monitor Lizard is quite prominent in Thailand and liked about as much as we in America favor rats. Best I can tell rats actually have a fairly high status in Thailand, certainly way above that of the Water Monitor. In rural areas this dragon like creature actually makes its way into people’s homes, and at sizes up to around 5 feet can be a bit difficult to remove.
Source: Museum of Natural History - By Deror Avi
I don’t know the exact reason why the Monitor Lizard is considered bad luck in Thailand. I suspect it goes beyond being a general pain in the ass to coexist with. What ever the reason, this reptile ranks high on the list of things Thai people do not want to encounter. Just crossing paths with one can ruin a person’s day.
The Thai word for Water Monitor is “hia” (heeeeaa). The creature is so dislike, its name is actually used to insult others. Hia is not the most insulting thing you can say, but from what I gather its right up there near the top of the list. Many Thais believe that just saying this word can bring bad luck, so it’s considered in very poor taste to utter in public or social gatherings. On the other hand, don’t be surprised if you hear two best friends jokingly calling each other a hia.
To avoid actually saying the word hia, many Thais will call it silver and gold. One source I found suggests this is to avoid the jinx. A Thai boy told me there is actually a slightly different version of the Water Monitor, distinguished by the shape of its nose, that Thais call silver and gold. My guess is it’s really the same lizard, and Thais are just exercising a little physiological denial. The boy told me he had never seen the rare version of this species, and added some Thais will eat the Water Monitor, but always say they are eating a silver and gold model.
I possess only the most basic level of understanding in this, but am comfortable saying Thais, in general, are very superstitious. The degree of superstition certainly varies from one Thai to the next, and seems more rooted in those that are less metropolitan.
It also appears, at least in part, to have some connection with the Buddhist religion, particularly when it comes to beliefs and practices associated with good and bad luck. As an example, that string tied around a boy’s wrist or upper arm is for good luck. While I don’t fully understand it, this is often associated with the Buddhist religion, but may also have been given by a parent. Buddhist pendants, worn on a necklace, or clipped to clothing, are also for good luck.
I’ve also picked up on some subtle indications that the degree, and specifics of Thai superstitions vary from one region of Thailand to the next.
I’m not going to try and cover, in this post, all the examples I encountered while living in Thailand. Instead I’ll talk about each separately, as I think of them.
I should mention that most, if not all, Thais believe in spirits. I have no doubt there is more than enough material to write at least one book about spirits and their influence on Thai culture. Managing one’s coexistence with spirits is, for many, a daily practice in Thailand.
It is important to know about the various superstitions within Thai culture, as it will have a direct impact on your relationship with Thais. Your knowledge and respectful recognition of their beliefs will, in many cases, score big points.
