The 5 Most Terrifying Ghosts in Thai Folklore

Thailand might be known for temples and smiles, but our legends? Pure nightmare. Thai folklore and legends are almost exclusively scary stories with vengeful ghosts. The locals, including me, grew up hearing about them almost daily.

The result? Ghosts and I are not on great terms. When I see abandoned buildings, I don’t care how adventurous anyone else is; I’m not going in there. 😂

But just for the fun of it, let me walk you through some of the most iconic Thai horror legends, ones that I still assume are coming after me if I hear strange noises outside after midnight.

This guide to scary Thai folklore will introduce you to the creepiest ghost stories still told in Thai families and friend circles today. Some of them might add beautifully to your collection of Halloween stories this year!

Note: I originally published this post in April of 2024. I’ve recently updated it to include more recent and relevant information for you.

Disclaimer: Because I’m writing about mythical things I’ve never seen, most of the photos in this article do not belong to me. Some are AI-generated, and some are backlinked to their original sources.

Why Thai Ghost Stories Are So Legendary

You would not believe how many scary stories we have in Thai culture. But why is it so? Good question.

Before I tell you about the five most horrifying vengeful spirits in our culture, I’ll touch a bit on the ghost religion, an ancient belief system that is so old, it predates Buddhism in Thailand.

Are your lights on? (Or are they off on purpose?) Let’s do this!

Where the Fear Comes From: The Ghost Religion

Long before Siam, the Khmer Empire, and the ancient Dvaravati kingdom, the Tai people in the classical period were scattered around the area that became Thailand, Laos, Northern Myanmar, and Southern China.

Their predominant religion was the religion of spirits, or “Satsana Phi” (ศาสนาผี), which directly translates to “Ghost Religion.” Under this teaching, spirits existed in every place, mostly to protect.

These protectors are known as deities today. When you visit Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia, and you see miniature houses perched on a pillar in front of homes and buildings, those little houses are for deities.

But apart from the deities, evil spirits and demons also existed. Those demons needed to be dealt with, which called for the practice of shamanism in society.

Buddhism came to Thailand around 217 BC and didn’t really stick until the Sukhothai Kingdom (1238-1434) and later. It’s not so surprising that a belief system that had been with a group of people for so long would persist into modern days.

The 5 Most Terrifying Thai Ghost Stories

Now that you know why ghosts have so much influence on Thai culture, let’s look at some of the most prominent ghosts from our folklore that could make anyone’s hair stand on end.

1. Mae Nak: The Loyal Spirit of Phra Kanong

This is inarguably the most famous Thai ghost story, retold in the media many times over. It depicts a vengeful spirit of a young woman holding a baby, loving and loyal only to her husband.

Here’s the best thing about Mae Nak: She was a real person. If you could take the metro to Phra Kanong Station in Bangkok today, that is where she lived.

Mae Nak’s Tragedy

In the 18th century, towards the end of the reign of King Rama III in Bangkok, lived a woman named Nak and her husband, Mak. They were commoners fending for themselves and living a peaceful life.

Suddenly, Mak was enlisted in the army to fight the Burmese up north. At that time, Nak was very pregnant.

On the night of delivery, Nak unfortunately died along with her unborn baby, leaving her spirit to wait for her husband’s return to Bangkok. The neighborhood emptied out, as more people saw her waiting for him on their pier, holding her baby.

When Mak first returned, however, he was bewitched into thinking she was alive. For months he would live in that house as if nothing was wrong, only wondering why all their neighbors had left.

Soon, the monks at the neighborhood temple stepped in for fear of Mak’s well-being. They performed an exorcism and buried her spirit with her body in the woods, leaving Mak shell-shocked and heartbroken.

Today, Nak is respectfully referred to as “Mae Nak,” which translates to “Mother Nak.”

• Cultural Impact: Mae Nak’s legend has had such a profound impact on Thai culture, inspiring movies, TV shows, and even a shrine in Phra Khanong District of Bangkok, where her spirit was laid to rest.
• Place of Interest: The shrine of Mae Nak in Bangkok serves as a testament to her story’s impact, attracting both locals and tourists who’d come to pay their respects, seek blessings, or simply out of curiosity about her story.

2. Phi Krasue: The Floating Head with Guts

Originating from rural legends, Phi Krasue usually takes the form of an old woman, looking just as normal as the next person during the daytime. But with hints of red flags like the inability to make eye contact, or the tendency to stay in darker places, for example.

At night, however, she’ll leave her body behind and go out hunting with only her head floating with internal organs dangling below. You’ll see a ball of light floating wherever she goes.

She runs away from people, but will fatally attack if provoked. The tale has been adjusted to better scare children over the years, so you’ll sometimes hear that she eats people’s guts. This is not accurate!

• Cultural Significance: Phi Krasue is one of the most prominent ghosts Thai children grow up hearing about. To prevent their young children from going out after dark and putting themselves in danger, parents would tell them about Phi Krasue and how she eats children’s meat. (I know 💀)
• Media Portrayal: Thai cinema really has embraced Phi Krasue, depicting its eerie existence in numerous films over the past several decades.

3. Phi Pret: The Hungry Giant of Sin

Phi Pret, or Preta in Sanskrit, is the ultimate representation of sin in Thai culture. It’s as tall as a palm tree, with an unnaturally long neck, massive hands as big as palm leaves, and a mouth as small as a needle.

Because they can’t eat through such a tiny mouth, they’re always hungry and will appear at gatherings to beg for blessings and merit points. They will be free of this bond only when they’ve gathered enough merits, which usually takes centuries.

As the teaching goes at schools, if someone curses at or hits their parents, they will be reincarnated as a Phi Pret in their next life.

• Cultural Significance: “Beware! If you hit your mom, your hand will grow as big as a palm leaf!” or “Speak nicely or your mouth will shrink!” are some of the go-to sentences Thai adults from the older generation used to discipline their children.

4. Phi Tai Hong: Spirits of Sudden and Tragic Death

Phi Tai Hong is a vengeful spirit that died a sudden and unnatural death, either in an accident, by murder, or by suicide. These ghosts are forever tied to their last state of consciousness, usually fear, regret, or resentment.

Bound by overwhelming emotions, they lack peace and are unable to reincarnate.

The only way for them to leave this world is if someone else dies in their stead. This is why the legend says these ghosts will roam around the area where they died and will try to lure people into fatal accidents.

There are no specific physical traits to these ghosts, as they would look however they did when they died. Some will have rope marks around their neck, some might keep bleeding from their head, and so on.

5. Phi Pob: The Flesh-Eating Possessor

I saved the worst for last. You’re welcome.

Although I can’t quite decide which is more disgusting between Phi Krasue and Phi Pob, this lady here is surely much more dangerous than a floating head.

Phi Pob is believed to have used dark magic in life and, at one point, failed to contain its power. So, the magic they’d been using to harm others turned on them. They only eat raw flesh, blood, and organs, and are never satisfied.

Unlike other ghosts on the list, it has no form of its own but will possess people and eat the host’s internal organs. By the time it leaves, the host will be long dead.

• Media Portrayals: Phi Pob has been another constant in the Thai horror scene. The best one I’ve come across so far is The Medium (2021), a co-production between Thailand and South Korea. If you have watched South Korean and Thai horror films separately, imagine how terrifying this one would be.

Phi Ta Khon: Thailand’s Festival of Ghosts

Let’s come down from our horrifying thrill ride with the Phi Ta Khon festival!

A top tourist attraction in the Loei Province in Northeastern Thailand, the Phi Ta Khon festival offers shows, costumes, and parades. This entertainment is put on to entertain and worship the spirits of the Thai-Lao ancestors who built the cities.

The locals believe that those who can build also have the power to destroy, and they will if angered or left unsatisfied. The festival usually happens between the end of June to July..

Join a Ghost Tour in Bangkok (If You Dare…)

There are not a lot of ghost tours still operating in Thailand, but I found this one that looks promising. It’s a private walking tour around Bangkok with urban legends and tales.

They don’t run on a schedule, so you’ll have to send in a request.

Final Thoughts

To understand Thai culture, you must understand what we fear, respect, and joke about. The ghost stories of Thai legends and folklore reflect the complex relationship between the Thai people and the supernatural.

Mae Nak, the variety of haunting ghosts, and the Phi Ta Khon festival illustrate a culture that respects, fears, and celebrates the unseen in equal measure.

Hopefully, this post has helped you understand the level of reverence you see in Thai people worshipping in temples.

FAQ: Thai Ghosts and Folklore

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