Thai Spirit Houses

San phra phum are small raised shrines standing outside houses, shops, offices and construction sites throughout Thailand, and the belief behind them is straightforward: the land already had a resident spirit before anyone built on it, and the shrine gives that spirit somewhere to live so it does not occupy the building. Placement is done by a specialist - it must not fall in the shadow of the house, and there are rules about direction and height. Daily offerings of food, drink, incense and flower garlands are left, along with figures of dancers, servants and, commonly, red Fanta, which is generally explained as a substitute for blood offerings once made. A second, house-shaped shrine for the ancestral guardian sometimes stands beside it. The Erawan Shrine in central Bangkok is a large public version at hotel scale. Old shrines are never thrown away; they are left at designated sites, often under a large tree.

What you actually see

• The raised shrine - a small house on a post outside almost every building.
• The offerings - food, incense, garlands and frequently red Fanta.
• The figures - dancers, servants and animals placed inside.
• The disposal sites - retired shrines gathered under trees rather than discarded.

When to go

Any time; they are on every street. Morning is when offerings are made. The Erawan Shrine in Bangkok is the largest public example and is busy all day.

Honest expectations

These are private religious objects outside people's homes and businesses - photographing them is generally fine, touching or moving anything is not. Do not take offerings or figures. Retired shrine sites are not junk piles.

Nearby

The Erawan Shrine is at Ratchaprasong in Bangkok; shrines stand outside buildings everywhere.