Nang Nak Ghost Shrine

By Richard Barrow

Every Thai person knows the ghost story of “Mae Naak Phra Khanong”. The story has been made into movies and television dramas countless times. A recent movie version called “Nang Nak” was popular with foreign audiences. The basic story is about two lovers who used to live in the Phra Khanong area of Bangkok over one hundred years ago. Shortly after they were married, her husband, Nai Maak, is conscripted into the army. While he is away fighting a war, Nang Nak gives birth to their baby. Sadly, both the mother and child die during the birth. Unaware of this tragic event, Nai Maak returns from the war with plans to settle down and raise his new family. The spirit of Nang Nak couldn’t accept her own death so it disguises itself as a human. When Nai Maak returns he finds his wife and baby child waiting for him. Little does he know that he is now living with a ghost. Although there is no historical record to show that Nang Nak was a real person, the local people strongly believe in the power of her spirit. Towards the end of the movie, Nang Nak is cornered at Wat Mahabut. This is a real temple and this is where you will find an extremely popular shrine for Nang Nak. People believe that if you go to her shrine and make an offering then the spirit of Nang Nak will look after you. I haven’t been back to this temple for several years, but I wasn’t really surprised the other day to see that the shrine was just as popular as ever. I could see that she had changed her clothes and that she now wore a wig. In the picture below you can see she is also wearing make-up. A little bit creepy to say the least.

People who go to this shrine to pray for good luck often give the spirit beautiful clothes and also cosmetics. Toys and gifts for the child are also given. She is holding the baby in her lap. In the above picture, a devotee is putting some gold leaf on the image. This shrine is also popular with young men who have to report for the conscription draft. They have to pick a coloured ball which tells them either they are conscripted into the army or are free to go home. Obviously Nang Nak is very sympathetic, so young men flock to this shrine before the draft is called in order to pray for good luck. Other people seeking good luck are the ones that play the Thai lottery. People believe that Nang Nak gives out the winning numbers for the lottery. In the picture below, people are rubbing the bark of a tree in the compound to see if they can see any clues about what the winning numbers will be.

Refer : http://www.thai-blogs.com/index.php/2007/07/14/nang_nak_ghost_shrine?blog=5

PS ummm who say that thai people read books most less in the world the average of book reading for thai people is one line per year.(this means the all kind of books that it not printed for enforcement people to read them) yesterday i'm look at the women she is so old but still determindly and what book about suggestion on lotterry and that one read book about acting star lollllllll i think that she read good book about giving good ideas for develope out lives to be happy to be prosperous

Very nice story indeed.

The music is fantastic although sounds very sad.

yea, nice story. Thx for posting

See Sometimes with the right "person"

LOVE" can be eternal. !!!

Yeah...indeed, nice one ..

You scared me lol I was reading this journal at 5 a.m. lol

Your text reminds me of when I was listening to Thai "master of science" students presenting their research topics in English. The headache. The headache.

One can only marvel at the patience of farangs who decide to endure this for the rest of their lives.

O, before I forget, I did meet one person who could read, in Thailand.

And I mean something beyond the title of a magazine.

He wanted to discuss his reading of Adam Smith.

See, I'm not generalizing, even.

I believe Nang Nak or Yah Nak was a real person but no comment about the whole story like she was remained a human after death. I was at this temple once and the environtment there scared me..

PPL also believe that people who has love problem also go there..

Not sure if you wrote the last paragraph yourself, but that's kind of making fun out of Thai's reading behaviour tho' even though I couldn't deny that it's true.. LOL

Adam Smith, I almost forgot this name... it beens tooo long since I heard someone mentioned this name.

Many ppl read but not many ppl read text book or some sort of serious stuff.. I love reading but most of the time I read women magazines and ****..

dont wanna sleep now!!!!!!

I think I saw this in a movie . . .

One of the best Thai Movies, thank you for sharing