Building Me a Ghost House

Tuesday 8th December 2009, 2.30pm, Lonely Beach - Koh Chang

In Thailand the majority of homes have Spirit Houses attached to them. Just outside the front door, or somewhere in the grounds of the property there are miniature wooden houses that resemble doll's houses. I have seen some decorated with shells, flowers and lights but I think that the grandeur of the property is reflected in the style of the Spirit House - our modest little beach bungalow has one in front of the veranda that looks like a bird house.

The point of these Spirit Houses is to rid ghosts and ghouls from the home residence by giving the spectres somewhere else to live outside the main house. As in, 'we're happy you're here, you're part of us, this is the house we have provided for you, please go live there and leave us be.' I like this quirky little piece of Thai culture, sure it's superstitious and a bit nonsense but it seems synonymous to me with the welcoming, accepting, peaceful nature of the Thai people. I'm also fond of this phenomenon because it is a practical solution to a problem - don't want ghosts in your house? Easy - build them their own place to stay.

I could do with a few more practical solutions myself. There have been many times when my own metaphorical little Spirit House, my practical solution, would have come in handy - attached not to my house, but to me. Maybe I'll develop one in time (I think it will look like a white wooden jewellery box I had as a child, it was lined with pink velvet and a motor spun a tiny ballerina and played a tune every time you opened the lid). Somewhere to put things about me that I don't like, things that scare or upset me, or people and times that are hard to remember but harder to forget - shove the hauntings in the Spirit House.

This sounds like repression doesn't it. I'm sure Freud would have much to say about my desire for a 'bad things box'. The Spirit House is still part of the main house though, it belongs to the home owner, you always know it's there - it just sits handily far enough away for it not to intrude. I'll try and find a Thai person who speaks enough English that I may ask them what they think of metaphorical person-attached Spirit Houses. Although I think I already know, much worse than superstitious nonsense... self-indulgent bullshit! I don't care, bullshit or not, Thai-influenced practical solutions are not to be sniffed at. 'I'm happy you're here, you're part of me, here is the white wooden jewellery box I have provided for you, please go live there and leave me be.'