Gisele Soo
ANN/THE STAR – Packed with an endless list of must-see sights, must-try delectable delights and exotic charm, Thailand has always been one of the most visited countries in the world.
But the country also has its share of dark tourism gems that come with ghoulish tales that can scare the skin off anyone.
Check out this list we’ve crafted for you if you are keen to embark on a journey of spooky discovery. This list is bound to send fans of paranormal activities or the supernatural on an eerie adventure.
KOH KHAM NOI AKA GHOST ISLAND
Koh Kham Noi is a beautiful island with a tragic past. The island, nicknamed “Ghost island” by locals, is located in the Chonburi province in the eastern gulf of Thailand.
The island used to be a base for American soldiers during World War II. However, many of the soldiers caught malaria, and since they didn’t know how to treat it back then, they did not survive the ordeal.
But instead of getting buried, the soldiers as well as locals who also died from malaria were entombed on the island as a way to stop the spread of the disease.
Although Koh Kham Noi is still frequented by day-trippers and holidaymakers today, nobody actually lives there, thanks to its macabre past.
Stories of ghost sightings have been aplenty, with some even claiming that they can sometimes hear the spirits groaning in pain. A Chinese cemetery and a Muslim one can also be found on the island, upon which the locals were buried.
AYUTTHAYA HISTORICAL PARK
Being a historical park, this place features some ancient ruins. Ayutthaya was once the capital of Thailand until the Burmese invasion took place nearly 300 years ago.
It is said that the massacre during the invasion left a dark, negative energy in the area. One of the many Thai princes named Birabongse Bhanudej (1914-1985) reportedly encountered the headless ghost of Pu Som Fao Sap, a male ghost in Thai culture that is said to guard the important treasures belonging to the nation.
Despite these scary tales, the Ayutthaya Historical Park is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed in 1991) and receives many visitors each year. Some of the relics you can find at the park includes towering royal temples and stupas.
ABANDONED HOUSE AT THAWI WATTHANA
According to Thai superstitious beliefs, run-down and empty places provide an ideal environment for spirits to linger in. That is why this abandoned house has an infamous story that is told over and over again by locals.
In 2015, seven high school boys, who were all high on drugs, decided to set off on a spooky adventure and drove to a well-known abandoned house located at Thawi Watthana near Bangkok which is said to be haunted.
Upon arrival, all the lights in the area were turned off and the place became really dark.
Frightened, the boys made a U-turn and went back to the city.
About three months later, some of the boys who went on this seemingly harmless adventure met their untimely demise in a series of accidents and fatal mishaps like a car crash and house fire. By 2017, only two of the boys remain alive.
After meeting with traditional healers, it is said that the boys were were being haunted by an enraged female entity with long hair, said to “live” in the abandoned house.
If you believe in supernatural beings, then you may want to leave this off your list of eerie places to visit.
THE SATHORN UNIQUE
What was supposed to be an upscale condominium is now rumoured to be one of the world’s most famous “haunted” places. The Sathorn Unique is a 49-storey grand development in the city of Bangkok constructed in 1990 but was never finished, due to the 1997 Asian financial crisis. The project was left abandoned when funds ran dry and all the stakeholders backed out.
But that is not why Sathorn Unique is dubbed “the ghost tower”.
Apparently, it is said that the body of a backpacker was discovered on the 43rd floor of the building in 2014, and is now haunting the place.
Despite its dilapidated state and rumours of ghostly sightings, the tower has become a hotspot for thrill seekers worldwide. The walls are now blanketed in graffiti, said to be the handiwork of trespassing visitors and urbexers.
As the building still stands today, you can easily spot the Sathorn Unique from many places in the city, especially if you’re near the river.
BANG PU SHOE FACTORY
In the Bang Pu industrial estate in the district of Samut Prakan, lies an old shoe factory. It is said that a compressor once blew up inside the factory, killing some workers and injuring numerous more.
After the accident, business continued as usual but some of the remaining workers reportedly started seeing spirits roaming in the premises, and this eventually led them to quit their jobs.
The company suffered a tremendous loss because of this and, unable to cope with the challenges any more, the owner committed suicide in the factory.
The factory, naturally, closed down but the building was never demolished. Apparently, no local or visitors dare to ever step inside the premises since the incident.
Weirdly enough, even though this is a “popular” story, there is hardly any mention of when the accident actually happened or when the business shut down.
