I want you to know a famous Thai ghost story before talking about ghosts later.It is very old story have been told for a long time (a Thai must has heard this story more than 3 times in their life)

you can see the full story (film) on youtube here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3ykhWVvW84&feature=related

english subtitle

here is the brief story of the famous thai ghot MEA NAAK written by Siraporn Nathalang

(I will give you some more details and facts about Mea Naak later...maybe tomorrow)

http://www.thailandlife.com/thai-culture/nang-nak-a-thai-ghost-story.html

There is no Thai who does not know Mae Naak. While mentioning her can make young children run and scream hysterically in the "Nang Naak game", mothers invoke Mae Naak's name to quiet their crying infants; otherwise, the ghost might break their necks and eat their heads with chilly sauce. The gothic tale of Mae Naak Phra Khanong has been filmed more than twenty times; moreover, every one of them is a box-office hit. Thai youths grow up watching her ghostly tale on television.

Whether Nang Naak was a real person or just a fabrication is still as mysterious as the myth itself. There is no historical evidence of her existence. However, most Thais tend to believe her story is genuine, or at least some parts are. Popular legend tells that she was born in the Phra Khanong area of Bangkok about a hundred and thirty years ago during the later period of King Rama IV (1851 - 1868) and died of childbirth complications some eighteen years later in the early part of King Rama V's regime (1868 - 1910). Others assume that she lived during the reign of King Rama III (1841 - 1851). Some believers even date her presence back to more than two hundred years ago in mid-eighteen century Ayutthaya.

Likewise, the detailed background of Nang Naak also varies from one tale to another, from being an ordinary farm girl to the daughter of the village chief. Nonetheless, her doomed fate and horrible deed stay the same. It begins as a love story. A teenage girl named Naak falls deeply in love with a handsome young man, Nai Maak. Some sources state that the couple are childhood lovers who grow up together, while another version take on the more tragic flavor of "Romeo and Juliet" in which their romance is opposed by Nang Naak's wealthy and powerful father, for Maak is of poorer and lower origin. No matter how harsh or smooth the situation is, they eventually manage to be together. Shortly after they get married, Nai Maak is conscripted for military service, involuntarily leaving his pregnant bride behind with tear and fear. The dutiful wife waits for her lover's return, but that day never comes in her lifetime. Haplessly, Nang Naak dies during labor along with her unborn child. Although they are buried instantly according to local tradition, her strong spirit refuses to perish. When Nai Maak comes back from the war, the ghost of Nang Naak disguises herself and her "infant son" as humans. Their uncanny reunion is sweet but brief. Despite her arduous effort to blind Nai Maak to reality, Nang Naak cannot prevent him from learning the truth of her death. The revelation itself provides one of the most memorable scenes in the story when Maak sees his wife grotesquely stretching her arm through the floorboard of their elevated house to pick up a fallen lime, or a knife in another version, on the ground.

The supernatural romance then transforms into a macabre horror. The terrified husband runs away, and the scary ghost follows. There are many gory accounts of how Nang Naak chases, harasses, and even kills whoever comes between Maak and her. In order to get rid of the gruesome spirit, the villagers resort to all the possible religious means including exorcist and voodoo shaman, which soon prove to be futile. Another rendition states that Maak remarries after the death of Nang Naak. The jealous ghost is enraged, and she terrorizes the new couple along with the miserable community. In all versions, Maak finally takes refugee in the Mahabute temple. Defying the monks, Nang Naak persists and pursues. At last, a gifted young novice from far away comes to the village and rests her tormented soul. Certain versions claim it is the venerated Somdej Phra Puttajan from Thonburi who seizes the fierce spirit, whereas some editions combine the two together as the heroes. In all cases, the Buddhist representative imprisons Nang Naak in a ceramic pot and drops it in the river. In some of the renditions, the skull of Nang Naak is made into a belt buckle by the monk, which passes into the possession of the Prince of Chumporn and then disappears. Maak nevertheless, becomes a monk in some versions, and in others, he begins a new family and lives happily ever after. Yet this otherworldly saga of love and revenge does not end there. Numerous stories about Mae Naak's reappearances are widely and frequently spread, from Bangkok to Pattani, casting her in many roles from being a guiding angel to an enraged ghost.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION: "Thai Folklore: Insights into Thai Culture" by Siraporn Nathalang.

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Before you put your comment on

there are many Thais believe this story is real.(and also it make other ghost stories come)

you can see where did she lived at Phakanong, her memorial house is in wat Mahabutr near Phakanong BTS station.

Many girls go there to ask Mea Naak to help them get their boyfriend or husband back from other girls.Also if they don't want their boyfriends to go for military service.they will go and ask her to help .they believe Mea Naak will help them as it was happened to her made she lost her life and family.

Please comment with respect

(you can ask me questions about this story or other story you have heard still)

you can see the full story (film) on youtube here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3ykhWVvW84&feature=related

english subtitle

Your Fay,who think that stay in computer server room over night will not see ghost ... as ghost can not go with technologies .....

I remember the frist time I saw Mea Naak series on TV chanal 3 the actress is Trirak Rakkarndee ..........so scarry .....I asked my maid to go to toilet with me (I was so young and that series were so real)

I wish i have one like this ghosty long hair in front of my house! Or she can stay in with me.... must be too cold sticking up to the tree

you can see the full story (film) on youtube here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3ykhWVvW84&feature=related

english subtitle

I understand that many Thais believe totally in the existence of ghosts, as do many farang. I have travelled to many places around the world, and as I have a strong interest in history, my travels have often taken me to places that are reputed to be haunted, but I have never ever seen or even felt anything supernatural. Most things can be explained in very normal terms, and to be honest I am quite sceptical because of the amount of scientific research that has so far come up with not a shred of proof to support the belief in the supernatural. Relatives (including my mother) believe in ghosts, and have "seen" them...or believe they have...but as an engineer with a fairly firm footing in the real and the here-and-now, I just have to have some sort of actual REPEATABLE proof. It would be tremendously interesting if it could be confirmed somehow that these things exist, but thus far a repeatable proof has never been found. The very fact that many ghost stories have so many variations and are various versions would seem to point that they cant actually be based on reality - otherwise they should all be substantially the same - but when even the dates surrounding the life of the person concerned (as in this one) cannot be confirmed or narrowed down within less than a couple of hundred years, it makes the base for the story rather shaky. I accept cmpletely that many people completely believe they have experienced supernatural phenomena, and that it may have scared the daylights out of them, but despite many hours and hundreds of kilometres driven all over parts of haunted England...I have not come across anything that convinces me...it is always possible...just hasn't happened yet. A very interesting story though... My mother was walking into Raynham Hall one night during the war (she was in the WAF in the UK) when the famous Grey Lady came down the stairs and walked right THROUGH her and out of the door behind her...! Explanations...none...and that "ghost" is the subject of a very famous photograph taken at a time when it was certainly not easy to fake ghost pictures...so maybe...just maybe....

more details and facts about Mae Naak will be put on here soon

Hi Fay - beg your pardon - its the Brown Lady...not the Grey Lady...

http://paranormal.about.com/od/ghostphotos/ig/Gallery-of-Classic-Ghosts/The-Brown-Lady-of-Raynham-Hall.htm

Its very interesting...my mum also had a haunting experience at a place where she and a lot of other WAF were stationed during the war - a small room that had no large windows or fireplace, and yet at midnight on the very night that they were all having a party in the large main hall, and using the small room as a bar - a huge wind blew everyone OUT of the room...They locked the door and never used the room again. The people who owned the house thought the reason was that the house had been moved from its original location about 400 years before, and had disturbed the graves of the previous owners...and they were not happy...

...but I have never seen any ghosts...been in spooky places...but that was just me and my imagination working overtime...

Thanks Fay, that was fascinating. Want to go check out her memorial now.

grezzzy_greer: I want to hear more about farrang 's ghost stories

When i was in Thailand. I am so afraid to stay or visit old house because of Ghost. But yesterday i just visit one of my bf's close friend who stay in 200 years house . Its unique. I would love to stay in house like that.

Many years ago.... my Thai friends would joke about my name.... and say (in scary voices) "pee maak kaaaaa... pee maak kaaaaa", and then giggle a lot.

It wasn't until years later that I found out what the hell they were joking about.

Actually, this is why I chose 'PeeMarc' as my name here in TF.... so many people call me that in real anyway.

Good journal FC

Thanks

PeeMarc: the fact is when I was thinking about famous thai ghost story that farrang who have thai girlfriends maybe know then " I saw your user name on forum "

As a young lad growing up in small village in the mountains of Montana two ghosts drove me crazy. Each night as I would come home late from basketball practice I would get to our back yard by a post and two ghosts would come out as scare the pants off me. I would dash through the back yard, run up the back steps in burst into the kitchen. My mother preparing dinner would ask "What's wrong" to which I would reply "Nothing". Then late one night in bed I woke up dreaming to the two ghosts and I thought this time I have had it. I took my baseball bat, walked downstairs and out the back in my bare feet with six inches of snow on the ground. I walked over to the post and hit it a couple of times and said "OK you want me here I am" and nothing happened. After a few minutes my feet got cold so I went back upstairs to bed. They never bothered me again.

very good topic fay I haven't experienced any but I feel this too is very probable - Have you ever seen the movies GhostBusters, ghost? or the movie the six sense which is 10 ys old hard to believe it's that old I was reading an article that the little boy(haley joel osment) is a sophomore in college now...I also read that cabbies in areas from tsunami has had reports of seeing ghosts of ragged passengers from the disater sitting in the back of their cabs. I believe just like UFO's sometimes people see stuff and really believe what they see. I'm not disproving what they saw but the mind is a very convincing and persuasive thing. I gave you 5 stars which is only befitting and deserving for someone sharing an interesting thai topic on a thai forum. take care )

honestjohn: thank you for sharing , I got your email ... very long nice one make me very happy in my hard time like this .. .I will reply you tomorrow

GoodKarma: thank you so much .....I have seen GhostBusers ....I even had their T shirt.... six sense i saw it when i was young (when i was sophomore myself; you mention that little boy make me feel so old now HAHA.I have heard tsunami ghost also ... but never seen one

I will put something more tomorrow ....

Mary King's Close

A close is a very narrow lane that joins two larger roads. It houses taverns, shops and residences. These lively closes are also practical shortcuts. Mary King?s Close was a 17th century street in the old city of Edinburgh, in Scotland. Much of the Close is still intact and in its original state. Shops and houses can be inspected - and some ghostly figures have been experienced over the years in this ?Street of Sorrows.? Edinburgh is famous for its ancient and crumbling streets, with small closes everywhere. They probably have old secrets from the past, but the biggest dark secret is the one of Mary King?s Close. I would not adventure myself in there, way too claustrophobic!

The story began in the 17th Century when the Close was just one of the many crowded cities in Scotland with many streets, houses and businesses all around. The conditions of living in Mary King?s Close were grimy, dirty, with people wandering all over. But that was not the worse of Mary King?s Close for people living there. At this time, Britain was having a terrible plague that was consuming the population and of course Scotland was not left out- hey you want to have friends in here- and privileged people decided to do something about it in a very cruel and inhumane way.

Mary King?s Close was mainly underground, and the city council decided to block the close instead of evacuating the tiny alley, from one end to the other they bricked it up ? Not cool at all ? As a result many people were left trapped inside those walls with the diseases running around ? sure like little bugs- Their cries could be heard from the outside, no wonder it?s haunted, with all these poor souls trapped, not fun. Mary King?s Close was left like that for a year; that is a long time! Until the council decided to open it again; the bodies of those trapped inside being cut apart by local butchers so the remains could be carried through the streets and buried in mass graves around the city. It is estimated that between 400 to 600 people died in the Close, men, women and children. That?s for sure they did not have the penicillin at this time! The Close was permanently closed in the 19th century. Now it is haunted by many ghosts, one famous is the one of a 10 year old little girl who died in the plague. Her name was Annie. Tourists with no prior knowledge of the ghosts or even the reputation of the close have reported seeing her. Dolls were left for Annie as these visitors really felt her presence. But she is not the only one. A pretty mean ghost, a landlord who in the past probably made the lives of his residents very miserable with high rent and poor conditions of living strongly haunts this place chilling the visitors of the Mary King?s Close.

(http://www.ghost-pictures.org/most_haunted_places/Mary-King%27s-Close-ghosts-beneath-the-streets-of-old-Edinburgh-Scotland-pictures.htm)

Mary King's Close in present times

A hundred years after the plague, the Council decided to develop a new building, The Royal Exchange -- now the City Chambers. The houses at the top of Mary Kings Close were knocked down but part of the lower sections were used as foundations for the new building.

The Close has become a very popular tourist attraction and tours routinely sell out. Some visitors reported that photographs taken in the underground chambers of Mary King's turned out washed out or at all and, due to the nature of the site, the existence of ghosts is a more interesting explanation than other more rational ones.

having visited Mary King's Close, I can say that it had a very spooky atmosphere. I did not see anything nor feel anything brush against me. Whether it is the knowledge of the hundreds who were sealed up and left to their fate, or whether there is a more metaphysical explanation, I cannot say.

But certainly you are glad to emerge back into the daylight after a visit to this 'time capsule'.

Iain_D: Do you believe those ghost story?

for me only Mea Naak story could scare me when i was young .... as I and other children have told this time to time ... also ppl name , place and time are so real .... plus some other stories about Mea Naak were told by elders

I have seen something and I told my friends about this they said that called ghost ....... but as a researcher ... I want some more thing to prove it

I don't think I believe in ghosts per se, but I do think there is something going on that us currently beyond the explanation of today's science. I remember someone mentioned quantum echoes; don't know what it means, but it sounds interesting.

Nice Journal Fay

Can you share more Thai legends with us please!

Great start Fay a very interesting story.

And great share by everyone - thanks to all!

MORE MORE

good job Fay