A Thai cultural theme show, like Siam Niramit, is a great place to go for a crash course in Thai myths.
In the past, but to a lesser extent today, mor duu (fortune-tellers) occupied the same cultural space that psychiatrists, careers advisers and doctors do in the West. Some Thais also go to mor phi (witch doctors) for help with invisible spirits, to avoid difficulties, to remove bad luck or even to place a curse on an enemy.
CAN I HAVE YOUR NUMBER?
Many Thais believe the number nine is an incredibly auspicious and lucky number and go to great lengths to get number plates and phone numbers bearing as many nines as possible. King Bhumibol is also Rama IX in the Chakri dynasty, which earns him an extra special place in people’s hearts.
At the other end of the scale is the number 25, or, more specifically being 25. Thais consider this a particularly precarious stage of life, where one is more likely to get involved in accidents or be a victim of misfortune. In order to counter bad karma, many 25 year olds make merit and visit temples in the hope of banishing bad luck.
Considering Thais’ preoccupation with the meaning behind numbers, it is not surprising that the only legal form of gambling in Thailand is the lottery. Interestingly, the ‘underground lottery’ (based on the last two or three digits of the government lottery) is much more popular. Except for a few government sanctioned arenas, gambling at every other event is illegal.
THE SPIRIT OF BUDDHISM
Before the introduction of Buddhism, Thais believed in animism, along with other forms of what is commonly referred to as folk religions. They worshipped spirits, practiced magic and used talismans. Over time, the main tenet of animism—that natural entities, including plants, animals and even inanimate objects like shrines and statues, contain spiritual souls—became intermingled with Buddhist and Hindu philosophy and tales. Contemporary Thai Buddhist spirituality, therefore, is quite an eclectic mixture of superstitions and beliefs. Ghosts and mythical characters remain popular in Thailand, especially the ones that take on animal forms or have a grounding with their natural surroundings.
The ghost of Pee Nang Takian, for example, haunts Takian trees (Hopea odorata), and it is believed that if such trees are ever felled she will haunt the area and bring great misfortune to the person(s) responsible.
Although over time Thais’ reliance on the land and its animals, and by extension their relationship with nature, waned, the beliefs evolved to become superstitions, and it is still therefore common to see various animal-inspired talismans adorning the walls of Thai businesses, for example, a spider, which helps trap passing custom in the traders’ proverbial webs.
Even the Thai national emblem is a half man/half eagle character called Garuda hailing from the Himaphan Forest that features in Hindu mythology. It has been used as a symbol of Thai royalty since King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) in 1911. As ancient kings and their subjects believed in divine king-ship, Garuda, in his role as vehicle for the god Vishnu, became synonymous with royalty and its image thus came to be used as a royal seal. The powerful Garuda is omnipresent and can be seen everywhere, perched high above government gates and on banknotes, passports or any official document.
Another hugely influential mythical creature in Thai culture is that of the legend of Kinnaree, a half female/half bird character that lives among other mythical creatures in the mysterious Himaphan Forest. Kinnaree is believed to belong to a group of perfectly beautiful sisters who have wings and tails and can fly between the human and mystical worlds. Throughout Thai history, in its literature, poetry and art, Kinnaree has always reflected the ideal of Thai beauty and quality and is often used as the symbol for femininity.
The most popular of myths featuring Kinnaree is called Manora and is about a Kinnaree who was kidnapped from the Himaphan Forest to marry a prince. This story is also retold in various famous Thai traditional dances.
What could be a more fitting symbol and character for Thailand’s Tourism Awards (Kinnaree Awards) than the Kinnaree? Beautiful, mythical and gentle, she is the essence of Thai grace.
A typical half human/half bird Kinnaree commonly seen at Thai temples.
Men, masks and merriment at the Phi Ta Khon festival.
STARTED WITH A MYTH
The majority of Thai festivals can be traced back to a particular myth, for example, that of Paya Nark (Great Naga). This giant snake appears in many Thai and Buddhist tales, and images of it can be seen in temple architecture, boat designs and Buddhist sculptures. Some Thais still believe in the Great Naga, with cracks and damage to roads often blamed on the giant serpent tunneling underneath. Every year, thousands even await its appearance in the Mekong River around the end of October. Its visit is usually accompanied by a bang fai paya nark (naga fireball), a collection of sparkling circles that come from the river or from fireworks, depending on perspective, and float in the air.
An often dangerous, even deadly, festival is Boon Bang Fai (Rocket Festival), held in Isan every March. During the three-day festival, people make merit and pay respect to the spirits that they believe provide rain. They do this by launching huge bottle rockets filled with gunpowder into the sky.
At the annual Phi Ta Khon ghost festival held in the mountains of Loei province in Isan, male residents dress up in colorful garb and masks (khon) and wield wooden phalluses (palad khik) in homage to a party that was once held to welcome the return of Buddha, a party that was so raucous it woke the dead.
Characters with links to the mystical world or who are well versed in magic are often the protagonists in Thai literature, both past and present, with Phra Apai Manee, a 30,000-line epic written by Sunthorn Phu, perhaps the best known. A popular, handsome and charming prince, Phra Apai Manee was skilled in both magic and battle. The story follows the young prince’s adventures after being sent from the palace to learn about the world, armed with just his magic flute and winning smile. Adapted from folklore, the story is taught in schools and has been sold in book form for generations and made into countless movie adaptions.
Most Thais are also familiar with the characters from the epic poem Khun Chang Khun Phaen, a story about a charming, talented soldier who is also proficient in magic. This story is also told in schools, and it is believed that wearing a Khun Chang Khun Phaen amulet brings good luck in both love and battle.
Locals turn out in droves for the Boon Bang Fai (Rocket Festival).
REFLECTIONS OF SOCIETY
Thai myths present unwavering examples of ideals of masculinity and femininity, where women appear as symbols of delicate beauty while men are presented as strong, charming and talented in some way, usually with magic. The symbolism in Thai mythology reflects Thailand’s ever-present social, gender and class hierarchical structures, and also the very patriarchal, polygamous and often hypocritical Thai society of yesteryear.
Phra Apai Manee and the male characters from Khun Chang Khun Phaen are talented men who, as was the case with Thai men of status in the past, have several wives along their journey.
Meanwhile, Wanthong, the female protagonist in Khun Chang Khun Paen, is executed at the end of the story, partly for being unable to choose between her two suitors. The legend of Wangthong continues to this day, with the commonly used Thai idiom “Nang Wanthong song jai”, which translates as “Wan-thong who has two lovers at the same time”, being a shorthand slur for a woman with loose moral values.
THAI ARTIST AND MYTHS
Chakrabhand Posayakrit, a Thai National Artist in Visual Arts (Painting), is a