10 unique Thai superstitions for the curious
Like loads of other places, Thailand has its own bundle of superstitions. Plenty of them are about bad luck, while some are referred to in good humour. Each superstition has an interesting backstory, mainly tied to Buddhism, ghostly happenings, and old traditions.
From ditching hide and seek when the sun goes down to cracking colour codes, we’ve gathered 10 common Thai superstitions that might have you raising an eyebrow below.
1. Bird poops and lizard noises are a sign of bad luck
Heading out for the day, and a bird poops on you? It might be best to go back home because it’s a sign that the rest of your day will be full of bad luck.
Hearing a house lizard or geckos making noises from wherever it may be lurking when you’re about to leave your house? Thai people will advise you to cancel your plans and stay home for the day since it’s a sign that something terrible is bound to happen to you.
2. Don’t look between your legs
No, it’s not what you’re thinking. It’s scary rather than sexual.
Many people believe that if you bend down and look between your legs, you’ll see a ghost. It has been used as a plotline in the famous ghost movie Pee Mak. It’s easily one of the scariest Thai superstitions for many people.
3. Don’t play hide and seek after sunset
Adults in Thailand, as well as in the rest of Southeast Asia, usually tell children not to play hide and seek after sunset. It is said evil spirits will join the game and use their supernatural abilities to cover the players from human sight so that they can never be found or caught by the seeker, no matter how hard they scream or call for help. Then, the evil spirits will take the lost players to the afterlife.
Almost every child in Thailand knows about this myth, and there are many ghost stories based on it. However, the real reason behind this superstition is to prevent little kids from playing in the dark without supervision. Parents are concerned about their children getting lost, hurt, or kidnapped.
4. Don’t sing in the kitchen if you don’t want an old husband
All the single ladies: don’t sing while cooking or eating if you don’t want to end up with an old husband. Mothers and grandmothers in Thailand will pass on this belief to their daughters, and it’s possibly one of the most feared superstitions for teenage girls who don’t want to marry an old man.
In reality, this superstition started because, in the past, Thai women had the habit of singing while working in the kitchen. This resulted in them hurting themselves or burning the dishes they were cooking. Therefore, elders use this superstition to scare ladies. This ensures that they focus on what they’re doing in the kitchen so they won’t burn rice or accidentally cut themselves with the kitchen knife. As for eating, this superstition is used because it’s not good etiquette to be noisy and loud while dining.
5. Every colour has specific meanings
In Thailand, there’s an auspicious colour for every day of the week. Colours are said to have hidden meanings, as well as influence their feelings and perceptions. Thus, they affect the daily lives of the local people as they believe that wearing the particular colour assigned on the day they are born would bring good luck to them. Curious to find out what your colour is? Here are the colours assigned to each day of the week:
Monday – Yellow
Tuesday – Pink
Wednesday – Green
Thursday – Orange
Friday – Light Blue
Saturday – Purple
Sunday – Red
Of course, it’s no longer popular among young Thais, but more traditional Thais are still known to wear their “birth colour” for good luck.
Aside from bringing good luck, many people also believe that specific colours worn on certain occasions will cause bad luck. Black, for example, is often associated with mourning and funerals. Therefore, wear all black when attending joyful celebrations like birthday parties and weddings. You should also avoid the colour when visiting patients.
6. Don’t say a baby is cute
In other countries, we call babies cute — whether because they are actually cute or because it’s the polite thing to say. But this is not the case in Thailand because babies are not cute here. Well, of course, they are cute and adorable, but you should just keep it to yourself and call them ugly instead. Why? Because many people believe that calling a baby cute would attract the attention of jealous evil spirits. Moreover, these spirits will do their best to kidnap and harm the baby. Thai people, therefore, call newborn babies ugly or unpleasant to fool the evil spirits.
So if you’re in Thailand, don’t call any baby cute if you don’t want to anger the parents. Moreover, don’t feel bad if Thai people call your baby ugly because they don’t really mean it. They’re just protecting your baby from evil spirits.
7. Don’t cut your hair on Wednesdays
If you’ve tried cutting your hair on a Wednesday in Thailand, you might’ve noticed that most salons and barbers are closed. This is because Thais believe that it’s bad luck to have your haircut on a Wednesday. The origin of this superstition comes from the fact that in the past, the King and the Royal family got their haircuts on Wednesdays. Therefore, common people were prohibited from cutting their hair on the same day.
Some people also see Wednesday as an auspicious day that promotes growth. Therefore, they believe that cutting your hair on this day means cutting the opportunity for something to grow.
8. Monitor lizards bring bad luck (and good luck)
Many Thais believe that seeing a monitor lizard will bring on bad luck, just like people in Western countries think that black cats are a symbol of bad luck. This is because monitor lizards lurk around cemeteries, so spirits may follow them to where people live. Some people also believe that these lizards carry bad luck because they steal chickens and eggs and can be a threat to small animals.
However, there are also Thais who believe that monitor lizards symbolise wealth and fortune. For these people, finding these gigantic lizards near their homes means they’re in for some good luck. They may even feed the lizards to increase their good luck.
9. Pregnancy superstitions
In Thailand, there are many superstitions and spiritual beliefs around pregnancy. The first superstition is that pregnant women shouldn’t attend funerals because the evil spirits and ghosts of graveyards will frighten the unborn child. Pregnant women are also advised against sitting on stairways as this could result in an obstructed birth, and they should avoid burying anything in the ground while they are pregnant as this is thought to result in a difficult delivery. Additionally, expecting mothers shouldn’t watch another pregnant woman give birth because it will make their own labour difficult.
10. Everything is written on your face Thai superstitions
Like in many countries across Southeast Asia, physiognomy — the art of interpreting personality and behaviour from outward appearance — is a big thing in Thailand. For example, you shouldn’t trust someone who has a mole on the lower lips with your secrets. Moreover, birthmarks also have meanings. Those who have one are seen as old souls and have had a previous life. On the other hand, those who don’t have marks are new souls.
Some of these superstitions are a little odd and may even be illogical. However, they play a big role in Thai society. Whether you believe in them and don’t want to push your luck or you just want to learn more about the local culture before visiting Thailand, understanding these superstitions is undoubtedly helpful to know.
Interested to learn more about Thai culture before visiting the country? Read our list of etiquette and rules in Thailand.
