Sprit Hoises at Baan Sanpasak

Spirit Houses at  Baan Sanpasak

A spirit house or san phra phum (Thai: ศาลพระภูมิ) is a shrine to the protective spirit of a place that are found in the Southeast Asian countries of Burma, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. Most houses and businesses have a spirit house placed in an auspicious spot, most often in a corner of the property. The location may be chosen after consultation with a Brahmin priest. The spirit house is normally in the form of a miniature house or temple, and is mounted on a pillar or on a dais.

The house is intended to provide a shelter for spirits which could cause problems for the people if not appeased. The shrines often include images of people and animals. Votive offerings are left at the house to propitiate the spirits. More elaborate installations include an altar for this purpose.

Above is a photo of spirit houses under a large fig tree at the entrance to Baan Sanpasak (บ้าน สันป่าสัก meaning Teak Forest Village) Sansai District Chiang Mai. The spirit houses have been placed here because the owners have moved house from this village and must find a suitable pace for their spirit house so as to placate the spirits residing in it and keep themhappy. What better place than under this beautiful fig tree at the entrance to the village and admacent to the Wat (วัด Thai temple). In the background you can see the avenue of young teak trees (dtôn-sàk ต้นสัก) lining the road to the village. 

Giant Teak trees

The second photo shows some of the huge mature teak trees in the village. The large yellow ribbons are not to welcome someone home from jail but to designate that the trees are not to be logged.

Buddha and Teak trees