Thai Ghost Stories: Myth and Terror [Season 3, Episode 29]

This week’s subject is the fascinating mythology of Thai ghosts, which, as anyone who has spent any time here knows, are a pretty big deal in Thai culture.

In the west, ghosts and the supernatural are met with skepticism by most, so it’s easy to be dismissive. But Ed puts things in perspective by saying that Thailand’s ghost stories work better if you think of them like the mythology of Greek gods - huge, varied, and very creative.

As someone who teaches a critical thinking class, Ed opines about urban vs rural belief stats, before both he and Greg get into some of the more interesting Thai ghosts (Ed’s favorite - creepy banana ghost. Greg’s favorite: floating head attached to intestines). No matter how you take it, Thai ghost mythology deserves heaps of appreciation for its sheer creativity and ties to Thai culture ancient and modern. If you want a crash course in understanding what makes Thailand different from other countries, start researching Thai ghosts! To get your started, here’s the trailer for a really creepy-looking Thai video game about ghosts, as well as this very funny commercial that shows how ubiquitous they are.

Enjoy - but keep the lights on. :)

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