Thai Tradition: Tiny Spirit Houses Honor the Departed

I felt a little like Alice in Wonderland on a recent trip to Thailand. No cakes marked “Eat me” were consumed, yet the number of tiny houses perched precariously in yards started to seem out of the ordinary. Every home that I passed had a second, smaller house standing guard.

After consulting the locals, I discovered that these small replica houses standing on pillars are believed to shelter the spirits that inhabit the land. It is thought that the spirits can influence people's fortune in good or bad ways, depending on how pleased they are. The basic idea is that respecting past generations can help you live a contented life in the present.

If loved ones have passed away, many people keep their memory alive with photographs and keepsakes. The Thai people also erect spirit houses to pay homage to those who are no longer physically here.


The principle of a spirit house is simple: Keep the spirits happy, and the inhabitants of the main house will have good luck. To appease the spirits, homeowners place fresh flowers, incense and food in the spirit houses. These are accompanied by more modern offerings, such as Starbucks lattes, 7-Eleven microwave meals, colorful soft drinks and packs of cigars.


Tiny figurines can also be found occupying the spirit homes, representing the main house's past inhabitants and ancestors of the family, or to provide entertainment for the current resident spirits.


These small spirit houses vary in style just as much as the adjacent main homes. Some are small and elegant, carved from teak and sparsely decorated.


Others are painted with intricate gilded details, reminiscent of traditional Thai architecture.


When the house is not teak, the color is usually determined by the day of the week the owner was born. If you had a spirit house, what color would it be?

• Monday: yellow
• Tuesday: pink
• Wednesday: green
• Thursday: gold
• Friday: blue
• Saturday: purple
• Sunday: red


The scale of a miniature house is in direct relation to the size of the building or the lot in which it is placed. Some of the larger apartment complexes and shopping malls have extra-big spirit houses and oversize pedestals, so a number of people can leave offerings.


At some locations there are multiple spirit houses on a lot. Tiny toy cars and trucks adorn the bottom spirit house here outside a car dealership.


The spirit houses boast colorful ribbons and woven strands of flowers during the day.


At night the houses take on a new look with string lights, candles and miniature lanterns.


Placing the spirit house in an auspicious location is extremely important. Most homeowners choose a prominent place in a sunny corner of the lot — one that is not hidden in the shadows of other buildings and not too close to the main house.

With new homes, many residents consult the services of a Brahmin priest or Buddhist monk to help determine the location. This may even lead to the original architect's design of the main home's being altered.


If you are thinking about remodeling, don't forget the spirit house!

For almost a week, I passed by a construction site and watched as a building was demolished. The spirit house, however, was never touched. A construction worker explained that you should not destroy the spirit house. If possible, it should be incorporated into the new design. If it has to be taken away, it should go to a special designated graveyard that is blessed by a priest or monk. It is thought that if this does not happen, the landowners will have very bad luck.

Treat the spirit house and the spirits with respect and you, in turn, will live a peaceful life.


As Thai people pass by the spirit houses in Bangkok, they take a moment to wai (bow the head with hands clasped in prayer position in front of the face) and say a short prayer to acknowledge those who have moved on. Seeing this always made me smile. What a beautiful tradition to honor past generations.

Tell us: Do you have a shrine or other structure to honor the lives of departed people you love?

More: 10 Ways to Honor and Remember a Departed Loved One at Home

URL: Thai Tradition: Tiny Spirit Houses Honor the Departed http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-21708.html