What do you do when workers on your hundreds of millions of dollar construction project report that they have seen ghosts and spirits at the sight? Well, in the US, you look for spirits all right, but you expect to find the kind distilled and bottled. In Thailand, however, they take these claims a little more seriously.
During the construction of the Bangkok International Airport, there were a number of sightings of ghosts. To combat this ill omen, the construction company brought in 99 monks (nine is a very lucky number in Thailand, so 99 is double lucky) for a ceremonly. Witnesses report that during the ceremony, a ghost possessed one of the participants, and claimed he was the grandfather ghosts, and demanded appeasement in the form of a spirit house. They acquised, and problem solved.
Personally, I believe it is a lot of superstition, but many, many Thais ferverently believe in ghosts and spirits. Spirit Worship, or Animism is a big part of the Buddhism practiced here.
Nearly every house and business has a spirit house in front of it.
Its easy to discount their beliefs as that of a less developed or educated people. How can they believe in fortune tellers and ghosts, I ask myself? I keep my thoughts largely to myself in public, but I'm sure my wife is less than enamoured with hearing my beliefs.
Still, people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. How many Americans won't walk under ladders, open an umbrella in a house (other than for fear of breaking a lamp), or believe breaking a mirror is bad luck? Is that any less superstitious? Some cynics might even look at the concept of a virgin birth with raised eyebrows.
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