In some tsunami ravaged areas, locals are reporting ghost sightings–phantom tour bus passengers, the screams of a woman from a flooded hotel, and phones that ring day and night with the cries of dead friends and relatives calling from the crematorium.

Psychologist Dr. Wanlop Piyamautham says that ghosts are signs of post traumatic stress disorder.


He pointed to the fact that many stories started to appear about 10 days after the wave struck.

That was when the real horror of the loss and devastation hit people, he says. Now it is spreading beyond those immediately affected.

“With all of the pictures on the television, and everyone talking about the disaster, it affected many more people, who have reported seeing ghosts and smelling corpses,” he said.

And Dr Wanlop has an explanation for why such a large number of “foreign” ghosts have been seen.

“Foreigners make a big impression on Thais,” he said.

“They’re physically imposing, and often seem rich and powerful. If people like that die in terrible circumstances, it’s not surprising they should come back in people’s minds as ghosts, especially when they have so far to get home.”


This is the first logical explanation for ghosts that I have ever seen.

First seen at

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