Page 68 - วารสารแสงธรรม เล่ม 9

The Light of Dharma July 2020 – June 2021 67

Thapthim Goddess of Chaomae Thapthim Annual festival parade of Phrasri Maha Umadevi, Silom road,
Shrine, Takhlee District, Nakhonsawan Bangkok 2018
province, 2015

are kings or past masters, such as King colours. The Khmer wear simple dress at first,
Thonburi. Kromluang Chumphon Khet- dancing in the middle of a field until entering
udomsak. Sometimes it is a famous monk such into a trance like state and then, after
as Somdet Phuthajan (To Phromrangsri) or as a becoming a medium, they then will wear a
Buddha image such as Luangpho Wat national costume.
Phananchoeng. Some are the guardians, such In Thailand, mediums are neatly dressed
as the Drum Tower Lak Muang Thepharak. and prostrate themselves to the Buddha image
Some are Hindu deities such as Uma, Brahma, while allowing the entity to enter their body.
and Shiva. At this time, the medium would begin shaking
People with hidden spirits like this are to the point that they would need an assistant
said to have inner, or hidden bodies. To help them to their feet. The medium often
become a medium, one must first receive the shakes and trembles but then becomes calm.
ritual of “Khan”. This ritual requires the The medium’s helper then needs to provide
budding medium to chant the secret scirpts the gifts of betel, liquor and cigarette. Some
from the book of black magic. This ceremony mediums will smoke and smoke many
usually starts early morning and is completed cigarettes. Drink half or full bottles of liquor at
before noon, as the spirits are only available a time, even though, when not hosting these
until then. The “Khan” can be performed any entities, they may have never drunk alcohol or
day of the week, with the exception of the smoked themselves. Those who meet
weekly “Buddha’s Holy Day” which varies mediums are said to ‘have an audience’ with
according to the moon’s cycle. It is worth them. The people that seek out mediums are
noting that a medium must be a person that referred to as “calfs” and offer “flowers”
believes in the Lord Buddha. During the which is slang for money. Different areas of
“Khan”, there is worshiping to a statue of the Thailand refer to mediums as grandmother or
Buddha. There will also be displayed, a small grandfather. In Phuket the spirit medium is
head statue depicting the Brahminical Hermit, called a “ma (horse)”. When the entity enters
or wise man. The venue would be adorned the medium’s body it is said to “stamp” or
with flowers, incense burners and a vessel “overlap”. When leaving, the medium uses
containing holy water. There would need to words like “leave” “retreat” or “ascended”. In
be gifts provided for the spirit, a cigarette, Los Angeles, America, where Christian people
liquor, and betel leafs. The medium would be who respect God and Jesus often use
dressed in either robes (usually red or white) mediums that don’t believe in their God.
or traditional Thai dress. In Europe and Differences between Thai and western;
America it is usual to wear black or dark In Thailand, mediums perform during the