For Thai Survivors, The Dead Live on in Ghost Sightings

The Wall Street Journal Page One ^ | 1/18/05 | GORDON FAIRCLOUGH

[BurbankKarl]

PHUKET, - When the tsunami waves hit here last month, the hotel where Jinda Sinta worked erupted in chaos. Ms. Jinda frantically called an ambulance to help one unconscious child, but rescuers were unable to revive him.

The next week, Ms. Jinda says, the dead boy returned to the damaged hotel lobby. Wearing the same dark-blue shorts he had on when he died, the ghost of the black-haired 10-year-old "was running around, playing," says the 40-year-old front-desk clerk. Then he disappeared.

As Thai people grapple with the physical aftereffects of December's natural disaster, they are also dealing with another serious problem: Ghosts.

For many Thais, steeped in Buddhist teachings of rebirth and even older animistic beliefs in spirits, ghosts are very real. When people die suddenly and violently, as they did in the December waves, spirits cling to their bodies and to familiar places, unsure of how to cross from the world of the living to the world of the dead, many here believe.

Ghost stories abound. Prasert Tamnakla, a 37-year-old dive-shop owner on the devastated island of Phi Phi, says that for days after the waves hit, he could hear the spirits of the dead wailing in the night. "Mostly, it was women's voices. They were calling for help," says Mr. Prasert.

Pitak Noonoon and other night watchmen at a building facing Patong beach, where dozens of people drowned in an underground shopping center, heard a lot of banging and scraping early one morning. When they went in to investigate, they discovered that large sheets of plywood had been tossed around. "One big piece moved 10 meters," Mr. Pitak, 24, says. "Now that's not natural."

[BurbankKarl]

Others say spirits have visited them in their dreams. Somjai Rungchaiwitoon says her father came to her when she was asleep one night. "He seemed so real, I ran and hugged him," she says. "He told me he was trapped in a drain pipe and asked why nobody had come looking for him. He said other people were also trapped."

Soldiers tell tales of seeing the ghosts of foreign tourists playing on the beaches and swimming in the ocean. A monk says he saw hundreds of spirits standing by the highway along the west coast.

[jeremiah]

I believe that!!!

[BurbankKarl]

Art Bell Ping

(Pvt Mail to be added to the Ping List)

[Lijahsbubbe]

says that for days after the waves hit, he could hear the spirits of the dead wailing in the night.

Terrible thought, but perhaps people were still alive, afloat in the water.

[WorkingClassFilth]

For what it's worth, here's another thread on the same topic: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1323534/posts

[cleo1939]

My post is directed to the article and since I am new here
please forgive me for the way I went about it. I will do better soon.

I live in Min Buri Thailand which is just east of Bangkok.

The main religion here is Buddhism. This being the case I
approve of the monks actions. If it makes that many people
feel better, why not.

After such a shock it can't help but take some of the
terror out of the situation and that is a good thing.

[Lijahsbubbe]

I can't imagine the horror of it all. Do you have any family that has been affected?

[Blowtorch]

Thought you might be interested.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

What interests me is what the monk said. The others can be chalked up to rationale (?) explanations but the monk, is not prone to lying (hopefully).

[BurbankKarl]

Welcome to Free Republic!

It is interesting I haven't heard of mass ghost stories from 9/11 and the World Trade Center towers. But then again, I haven't looked either!

[JimSEA]

Welcome to Free Republic. There are several posters living in Thailand.

Jim in Chiang Mai

[WorkingClassFilth]

"It is interesting I haven't heard of mass ghost stories from 9/11 and the World Trade Center towers."

My guess is that we are not predisposed, religiously or culturally, to this kind of belief. However, with a growing immigrant population from the third world, apostasy in the traditional churches and new-age hocus-pocus, I suppose that there are some stories you might uncover if you look for them.

[cleo1939]

No, I live here by myself and my dog.

I have many Thai friends who have lost family and friends.

My lawyer is a representative in the stricken area and knows
many who are gone.

Another friend sold a resort about 2 years ago which was
leveled and many of the employees were lost. He has been
paying salary to the survivors and the families who were
lost and will continue to do so till all of these folks are
situated. Many will never be and he will support them till
they die.

Understand that he has no obligation. He has been out of the
business for over two years but to him, the employees are
family.

On New Years eve he was already out of pocket over 2,000,000 baht/$49,000 US dollars and he left early to go
down to the south again.

This is just the tip of the Ice Berg, people have and continue
to give all over Thailand to this day.

[cleo1939]

To all of you at the Free Republic who have been so kind
to welcome me. Kop kun krap (thank you)

[killjoy]

There are several posters living in Thailand.

I am still in the US trying to finish up things here, but will be moving to BKK in February.

[spiritalk]

To those who do not understand, there is fear..New Age, Spiritualism, Spirituality, etc. are all topics of sincere interest and investigation by many people. It is rather an insult to call them 'hocus pocus' or any other put down.

God is Spirit! Therefore creation is spirit! That spirit is eternal and can be 'stuck' due to sudden, unexpected and traumatic passing from the body. Prayer, communication and loving intent can help more than human endeavour ever imagined.

God bless, J

[WorkingClassFilth]

We can agree to disagree, but in my book I see an awful lot of new-age beliefs that are nothing more than old-age paganism, pantheism and a good dollop of hocus-pocus thrown in just for good measure. Of course, we all are free to interpret the world as we see fit, but just saying something is true and offering no support other than anecdote is a far cry from what I'd call understanding.

[texasflower]

Welcome cleo. I don't see anything wrong with the way you posted.

It was fine. Are you confused about something that I could help you with?

[Lijahsbubbe]

Understand that he has no obligation. He has been out of the business for over two years but to him, the employees are family.

That's very heartening to hear.

I saw a story on the news about a man who adopted an orphaned teen-aged boy. Hope in the midst of sorrow.

[cleo1939]

There are many such stories here all of the time inspired
believe it or not by the King of Thailand and/or his
daughter.

These folk love their King almost blindly however they all
have their favorite story of what the King did that makes
them feel that way.

On the other hand, the government isn't held in the same
esteem.