Phi Ton Mai: Spirits residing in trees

photo used with permission - timinphuket - King Rama IV Park

In case you drive throughout Thailand, you may see a number of trees that are wrapped in long pieces of coloured silk: WHY?

According to local belief, an old tree may contain powerful indigenous spirits which are usually benevolent or malevolent. The silk cloth is a reminder the tree contains a spirit thus warning other spirits, and others, of the need to find a different unwrapped tree.

Anyway, this is what I was told.

Then I was later told that in the early 1900s, a Buddhist Ritual (buad paa), became prevalent in Thailand. Environmentalists and NGOs organized and wrapped saffron-coloured monks’ robes around tree trunks as a way to ordain a tree. This meant that the tree was not to be logged! 

(ED: I prefer the first explanation).