Phong (ghost)

Phi Phong (Thai: ผีโพง; also known as Phi Pao in northeastern Thailand^[1][2]) or simply Phong is a ghost found in northern Thai folklore. It is said to be the result of black magic gone awry—specifically from those who practice dark sorcery but fail to control the power within themselves.^[1]

Phong
ผีโพง

Creature information
Other name(s)	Phi Pao (ผีเป้า) Phi Pong (ผีโป่ง)
Grouping	Legendary creature
Sub grouping	Nocturnal, undead
Similar entities	Krasue Krahang Pop
Folklore	Thai folk mythology
Origin
Country	Thailand
Region	Northern and Isan
Habitat	Dark rural areas

This condition is believed to stem from raising a particular type of magical herb known as wan^[a] phi phong (ว่านผีโพง)—a ghostly plant with white leaves, a fiery taste, and a glow that shines in the dark like a luminous woodlouse.^[1].^[2] As the plant matures, its leaves are said to change shape to resemble the face of the person raising it. Eventually, the cultivator transforms into Phi Phong.

By day, Phi Phong appears just like any ordinary person. But by night, it reveals its true form. A soft, flickering flame glows from within its nose, and a resin-like substance resembling dripping torch wax oozes down. Much like other Thai spirits such as Phi Krasue, Phi Krahang, or Phi Pop, Phi Phong seeks out filth to feed on—frogs, animal dung, rotting corpses, and afterbirth. It avoids humans, retreating into darkness whenever someone comes too close, making it almost impossible to follow or catch.

Normally, Phi Phong does not harm people unless provoked. When angered, it is known to throw objects—such as a widow's bamboo carrying pole or a stalk of banana tree—onto the roof of the person's home. Illness, misfortune, and even death are said to plague the entire household afterward.

There is one way to destroy a Phi Phong: if someone correctly identifies and speaks aloud that a particular person is a Phi Phong, the spirit loses its power and dies.

The condition is also contagious. Much like the lore surrounding Phi Krasue, Phi Phong can pass its spirit to another through its saliva. If someone unknowingly ingests it—by drinking contaminated water or sharing utensils—the curse is passed on.

In the village of Ban Nong Phi Lok (บ้านหนองผีหลอก; literally "Village of the Haunting Ghost") in Phlapphla subdistrict, Chok Chai district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, eerie stories have been told for generations. Located roughly 5 km (3.1 mi) from the district centre, the area is surrounded by cassava and rice fields. It is said that a vast marsh—nearly 100 rai (approximately 39.5 acres) in size—once sat beside a dirt road there. Locals claim that Phi Phong frequently appeared near the marsh at night, causing people to avoid traveling the area after dark. To this day, the village remains unofficial, never formally registered as a settlement.^[3]

A recent sighting drew public attention on the morning of Sunday, October 29, 2023—coinciding with the Buddhist festival of Wan Ok Phansa. Around 5:00 AM in Thep Sathit district, Chaiyaphum province, a 17-year-old girl filmed a mysterious floating light in front of her house. The light appeared to split into two and ascended into the treetops before drifting over rice fields and vanishing into dense forest. Security camera footage confirmed the sighting. Locals believed it to be Phi Phong.^[4]

Phi Phong has made appearances in pop culture as well. It was featured as one of the regional ghosts in Lhorn (หลอน) a 2003 Thai horror anthology film exploring supernatural beliefs across Thailand's four regions, with Phi Phong representing the north.^[5]

See also

• Thai ghosts
• Mandrake

Notes

1. Wan (ว่าน) is a general Thai term used to refer to certain types of plants, particularly those with underground bulbs or rhizomes. The word is often associated with plants believed to possess medicinal properties or mystical powers—such as invulnerability, charm, or supernatural protection. In most cases, the term wan is placed before the name of a plant, especially when referring to herbal remedies or ornamental plants that are believed to hold spiritual significance in traditional Thai belief systems.