Spirit of Superstition: Thailand Has More Than Its Share of Bizarre Beliefs
The following are a collection of Thai superstitions which may, make you think twice about going out, if for example you step out of the house with the wrong foot, or you hear a gecko calling during the day time, or indeed if you don’t have a virgin at hand to change the weather for you.
Sleep tight; if your dreams include a snake or contains a dead body it’s not all bad news but you really don’t want to dream that a tooth falls out or that you are kissing someone as it could lead to bad luck.
If a home lizard (Gecko) makes a noise behind your back as you leave the house, bad things may befall you while you’re out. But if the gecko is at your front or side, you may proceed confidently.
A barn owl is a symbol of evil curses. If one lands on your roof, horrible things will happen.
If a toad enters your home, it will bring good luck.
If a bird poops on your head, you’ll be doomed for the rest of the day.
Don’t wear black to visit sick patients or to a joyful ceremony as black is a strict mourning colour in Thai culture.
If a monitor lizard enters your house, talk to it nicely, and it will bring you fortune.
If you hear strange human voices calling you at night, don’t answer because it could be a ghost. Answering means you allow them to enter your house.
A mole on the lower lip makes you a big mouth.
Morning dreams are believable as it’s the time angels visit mortals.
A person with big ears has an easy, lucky life while those with thick ears might be lonely, doomed folk.
A person who use different tones in a single conversation is insincere.
Baldies are sneaky and flirty. The belief comes from the characteristics of a fictional character “Khun Chang.”
Babies with birthmarks had past lives.
A woman on her period should not step into the temple.
Don’t cut your hair on Wednesday, or you will have bad luck.
A left eye twitch is a sign of bad luck. A right eye twitch means good luck.
If a wild animal enters your home, pray with candles, joss sticks and flowers. Then kindly ask it to leave your house and take any traces of bad luck with it.
A cremation should never be done on Friday because it is a day for cheerful events.
If a comb breaks while brushing hair, toss it right away, or bad things will follow.
If you randomly smell joss sticks in the middle of the night, the spirits of your close relatives are present.
If a bee makes a beehive in your house, don’t destroy it. Bees are diligent animals that bring good luck.
Predict your success in business by planting any type of Aloe. If it grows to be brown and dried-out, your business will soon fail.
Step out of your house with the left food, and you will have a good day.
If you hit another’s hand as you both reach out for food at the table, expect a guest soon.
Don’t “clank” your dish. It is an invitation for hungry spirits out there to join your meal.
Don’t sweep the floor at night, or you will sweep out the money you have earned during the day.
Don’t decorate your home with a statue or image of a giant. It will provoke arguments among the residents.
Don’t push your bed against the wall of the bathroom because wealth will slip away. And don’t sleep facing the bedroom door because you will have bad dreams.
Feeding stray animals or giving them shelter on rainy days earns great merit.
Don’t let your kitchen get dirty, or you will lose money.
Don’t give a handkerchief as a gift to your friends and lover, or you will soon separate.
Don’t let a mirror go dusty. It will dust the future of the owner with bad luck.
Don’t have sex on your birthday and Buddhist holidays. These are days for purity.
If you ever find a coin on the ground, pick it up and call it a lucky baht, or you will offend your money and drive it out of your pocket.
Don’t place a mirror near your bed. If you can see yourself while in bed, you tend to obsess over sex.
Putting a ring on the middle or ring finger of your right hand will compliment your wealth. Meanwhile, wearing a ring on the ring finger or pinky of your left hand will help you appear more charming.
A single girl should never sing in the kitchen, or she will end up with an old boyfriend or none at all.
Donating money for a coffin for a dead person without relative’s can help you get through tough times.
If a pet bird makes a noise at night, you will get into an argument.
Always stock eggs and oranges in your kitchen. They will bring happiness to your household.
A pregnant woman cannot attend a funeral, or the spirit of the dead will disturb the baby.
Don’t sleep with your head pointing to the west, or you will have bad dreams.
If your necklace falls off, bad things will happen.
Don’t call a baby “cute,” or a jealous spirit will kidnap it. Always call the new-born “ugly.”
Don’t cut your nails at night, the spirits of your ancestors will worry that you will cut yourself.
When using stairs, take only one step at a time, or you will not succeed in your career.
If your left arm muscle twitches, you will lose money. Right arm twitching brings money.
To prevent rain from ruining an outdoor event, make a virgin girl stick lemongrass into the ground.
Don’t touch someone’s head, not even a child. The head is a sacred part of one’s body.
Dreaming that a snake wraps itself around your body means you will soon meet your soulmate.
Seeing a dead body in your dream means you will win something from a lucky draw.
Dreaming that a tooth falls out means your relative will die. An upper jaw tooth refers to a relative of your father’s side, while a lower jaw tooth is your mother’s.
Kissing someone in a dream means bad luck.
Don’t pre-celebrate your birthday. You will only die sooner.
Three doors should not align with each other, or it will create a portal for spirits from the other world to enter.
If a toad enters your home, it will bring good luck.
Geckos usually make a loud noise at night, but if the sound is heard during the day, it is considered a warning of bad events. Also, if a gecko happens to fall on or near someone in a home or veranda, it has a meaning which is auspicious or inauspicious depending on the side on which it falls.
Rainbows are held in high regard but don’t point at one as you will lose your finger
Since certain colours may be auspicious for certain people, much thought is given to the colour of a car before acquiring it. Also in the case of Taxi’s certain colours that are deemed unlucky will be avoided. Taxicabs in Bangkok come in various colours and formerly a number of taxis were violet, but these have been repainted in recent years for violet is considered an unlucky colour.
Further reading:
13 really strange superstitions from around the world
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