Once Upon a Time in Thailand: Folklore or Religion?

By Esther Chung

In most societies, the distinction between local folklore and religious teachings remains unclear. The line is usually blurred. It is difficult to tell when folk legends end and religious myths begin. Such a situation is no stranger in Thai society: one could tell that some are obviously local lore, whereby others remain indistinguishable. Two popular folklores will serve to illustrate this dilemma.

The legend of Nang Nak revolves around the tragic tale of a loving and loyal wife – Nak. Both Nak and Mak were expecting their firstborn when Mak was called to serve in the king’s army. Mak won the approval of the king due to his bravery and combat skills, and was thus awarded with riches. He returned to Nak and their newborn boy, a happy man. As he was expressing his contentment of being blessed with success and a loving family, his neighbours grew wary and suspicious. They said that Nak died during childbirth along with their newborn son. Mak did not believe them and laughed it off. The next day, the village was horrified by the brutal deaths of the neighbours whom warned Mak about his family. Mak still did not believe the villagers’ warnings until one by one they were found cruelly murdered. He then spied on Nak to see if the rumours were true. It was found that Nak had ghostly abilities. Mak fled from his ghost wife and Nak began to terrorise the villagers as she thought they were the ones who separated her husband from her. The village shaman interceded and exorcised her and her son’s spirit so they could find peace. 

A shrine to Nang Nak can be found near Phra Khanong in memory of her devotion and undying love to her husband. According to our local tour guide, Wang, the legend of Nang Nak is doubtlessly a Thai folklore. It is a widely known folklore and people still present offerings to Nang Nak’s shrine. The two known variations of the legend have no elements of Buddhism in it. 

Another household name would be Nang Kwak, whose original name was Nang Supawadee. Supawadee was the only child of two travelling traders. She was described as filial, compassionate and wise for her age. She would accompany her parents to town and help with the trading. One day, Supawadee overheard the sermon of a travelling monk and asked permission from her parents to go to a nearby temple where he was going to preach. Entranced by his teachings, Supawadee then took refuge in the Triple Gems (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha). Her devotion moved the gods, who then bestowed blessings upon her and her parents.

Supawadee, widely known as Nang Kwak, is now worshipped as a major deity, especially in service-based business establishments like restaurants and hotels. She sits cross-legged in a red dress and golden crown with her hand posed in an inviting manner, as if to invite guests into the hotel or restaurant. Nang Kwak is an equivalent of the Chinese deity of prosperity, believed to bring profits and good luck to corporate agencies.

An altar to Nang Kwak in our accommodation, Golden Palace Hotel, Bangkok.

In this case, Wang could not clearly tell whether Nang Kwak is a Thai or Buddhist myth. While the human figure of Nang Kwak is clearly known as Thai, the process of her apotheosis remains hazy. A variation of the legend purports Nang Kwak to be the daughter of a mountain spirit. On one hand the legend has strong relations with Buddhism, on the other it sounds like a shamanistic belief. 

Be it related to religion or local beliefs, one can spot the similarities found in most folklores of different countries: the jilted lover, the devoted believer and a vengeful spirit, to name a few. Having said that, it cannot be denied that Thai legends have their own unique flavor to it.

P/S: The two tales were told to me by our Buri Ram tour guide, Wang.

Esther Chung, 21, is a Communications and Writing major student. Married to chocolate. Last seen swooning over the poems of Edgar Allan Poe.

Diary Entry - Day Four

By Esther Chung
Photos by Esther Chung and Amanda Sangeetha Thomas

A six-hour van ride to Buriram awaited.

Excitement heightened as we boarded the vans which were, according to our Buriram tour guide Judy, karaoke vans: with faux velvet cushions and a ‘bedazzled’ ceiling. 

Karaoke van.

The interior of the van was enough to keep us hyper, at least for two hours. The neon cabs lessened, vegetation on the sides of the highway increased; skyscrapers gave way to modest attap-roofed houses. We were lulled to sleep by the steady rhythm of the van on the bumpy road. 

A bright yellow sign on the side of a road greeted us after hours on the road. 

Mechai Bamboo School.

Our first stop was the Mechai Bamboo School founded by the Mechai Foundation. As its name suggests, the school was built from bamboo stilts on what used to be a mango tree swamp. Instead of paying their fees in monetary form, students of the school pay their fees by performing four hundred hours of community service and by planting four hundred trees per school year. 

Although the school is still in the process of developing and growing, its reputation has reached great heights. According to one of the school directors, Mimi, there are four applicants for every seat in the school. Student selection is based on their academic and behavioral performance. What sets the Mechai Bamboo School apart from the Thai public schools is their philosophy of building successful individuals who are willing to share their success. The syllabus emphasizes instilling good community values in their students, one of which was to share. Another factor that distinguishes the school from others is its dedication to lifelong learning, in which they also provide IT training for villagers.  

Sections of the UN Declaration of Human Rights

Besides having a holistic education syllabus, the school provides a healthy and beautiful environment for both their students and teachers. Greenery flourishes throughout the school, with scenic manmade streams for irrigation purposes.

Greenery and water.

Bamboo Walkway.

Bamboo Gazebo

As beautiful and appealing as the school is to prospective students and parents, it faces the problem of retaining good teachers. Teachers who started their training or taught in the school soon leave for schools in major cities where the pay is higher. 

We headed to our accommodation for the night – Cabbages & Condoms Resort, Nang Rong. Also an establishment founded by the Mechai Foundation, the profit generated from the resort goes to the funding of the school, just as its sister company does – Birds & Bees Resort, Pattaya. 

The resort was named thus after the concept championed by the Mechai Foundation, in which they encourage the villagers to stay and develop the rural areas instead of crowding the major cities; and also to practise birth control for a better and sustainable environment.

Dinner consisted of homegrown vegetables and poultry which was served by the side of a picturesque lake in the resort. 

View from Cabbages and Condoms restaurant.

A few of us went to a local delicacy store to hunt for desserts. An assortment of local delicacies for every palate was paraded before our eyes, making it difficult to resist forking out more money. 

P/S: Just as the writer was typing this, a short but terrible storm occurred. What made it worse was that it was dark, the wind was howling and we were stranded in the restaurant, far away from our room. However, the show must go on so the writer stayed back till a quarter past eleven to bring you this diary entry. Cheers!

Esther Chung, 21, is a Communications and Writing major student. Married to chocolate. Last seen swooning over the poems of Edgar Allan Poe.