Many Chinese-Thai families believe in the concept of zodiac years which includes belief in pi chong, or unlucky years. This belief has been passed down from generation to generation, so family members of all ages usually participate in rituals to dispel misfortune.
Learning about pi chong from parents, Rarida Intaratbhakdi, Aunchanika Srimudkul, Chayakorn Somabot and Natthakorn Buapa -- undergraduate students from the Management of Cultural Heritage and Creative Industries Programme at the College of Innovation, Thammasat University -- selected this topic for their thesis titled "Marketing Of Chinese Zodiac's Misfortune Years In Today's World".
Rarida explained that the group's choice of unlucky years as their thesis was inspired by personal experiences, as well as by influencer Paiwan Wannabud. Paiwan, better known as Parry, is a former monk who brought the issue of unlucky years in the Chinese zodiac into the spotlight last year. Parry criticised the concept of unlucky years and said it was a scam aimed to promote the commercialisation of products and services to dispel misfortune.
The thesis cited a news report by Tossapol Chaisamritpol of BBC Thailand, who reported that more middle-class people are participating in ceremonies to dispel bad luck due to Thailand's economic situation. As people feel uncertain, they turn to the supernatural in hopes that a sacred ceremony will help them ward off their bad luck. Hence, the phenomenon of the unlucky years not only reflects people's belief, but also mirrors the economic and social situation.
Sarakol Adulyanon, better known as Noom Muang Chan, a well-known columnist, pointed out one marketing tactic that helps boost the popularity of ceremonies to ward off bad luck.

An information sheet of four places to perform rituals to ward off bad luck. (Photo: Rarida Intaratbhakdi)
In the past, only one zodiac sign was affected each year. For example, in the Year of the Snake, only people born in the Year of the Pig would be considered unfortunate. However, nowadays, many zodiac signs are added to the list of those considered unfortunate, with varying degrees of impact. In 2025, for example, people born in the Year of Pig (100%), Snake (75%), Tiger (50%) and Monkey (25%) are considered to be affected.
Traditionally, people would perform ceremonies after Chinese New Year on auspicious dates. However, people now perform ceremonies at their own convenience. As a result, they can participate in ceremonies to ward off bad luck throughout the year.
When people discover their zodiac year is predicted to encounter misfortune, participating in a ceremony at a Chinese temple is the most popular solution, especially at the renowned Wat Mangkon Kamalawat (Dragon Lotus Temple) in Yaowarat.
To complete their thesis, the students gathered information and interviewed 150 people from three generations -- Gen X (born 1965 to 1979), Gen Y (1980 to 1997) and Gen Z (1998 to 2012). The samples included only people who believe and engage in ceremonies, and those who purchased products to dispel misfortune. To search for qualified individuals, the group used the snowball sampling method, where one sample individual recommended another person to be interviewed.
The group revealed that out of 150 samples, 70% believed that ceremonies brought positive results, and although 30% did not experience positive outcomes, they all intend to participate in ceremonies again next year.
Besides participating in a ceremony at Chinese temples or shrines, there are other ceremonies promoted by internet influencers.
"Mor Phi Saowaree, a fortune teller, runs group rituals in a public place where many people can participate. During the ritual, participants have to chant a prayer that will evoke good fortune. After that, participants write their names on a piece of red paper which will be burned. The cost of red paper is about 300 baht," said Rarida.
People who seek convenient remedies can also purchase lucky mobile wallpaper.
"Pi Mor Ice, a fortune teller, from the Icediry Channel on TikTok, offers personalised mobile wallpapers to boost luck for those experiencing a bad year. Users must provide their date of birth to receive personalised wallpaper. Viewing this wallpaper as a phone background can help people feel more at ease. These wallpapers cost 300 baht," explained Rarida.
When asked about the weirdest misfortune ritual, the group agreed it was one by Mor Indy Na Kra Suang Wetmon (Mor Indy of the Ministry of Magic).
"This ritual requires the fortune teller to visit the client's home. During the ritual, the client chants prayers along with Mor Indy, who passes blue and yellow candles over the client's body in order to dispel negative energy. The service costs 3,000 baht. I personally found this ritual unusual and expensive," commented Rarida.
In addition to traditional ceremonies, the belief in unlucky years has led to a launch of various products and services.
"One popular service is hiring someone to perform the ceremony in place of the person with misfortune, since the individual is unable to go. This is particularly popular during Chinese New Year. Temples like Wat Mangkon Kamalawat offer different packages with different prices. If someone uses this service, they pay an additional fee of around 150 baht apart from the temple fee," explained Aunchanika.
Other products and services are lucky charm bracelets, sacred items called takrut, and domestic and international tours to places like Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The group discovered that although every generation believes in the Chinese zodiac and continues to perform rituals, they have different attitudes.

From left, Chayakorn Somabot, Rarida Intaratbhakdi, Natthakorn Buapa and Aunchanika Srimudkul.
Natthakorn and Aunchanika explained that Gen X considers rituals as part of life and they perform them for stability and peace of mind. Most Gen Y, who are working people, perform rituals to feel comfortable in their workplace. Meanwhile, Gen Z does not really believe in rituals but they hire people to perform them in their place or purchase lucky mobile wallpaper because their families believe in them.
The group completed their thesis by creating an information sheet highlighting four popular destinations for visitors seeking rituals.
The top venues are Wat Dibayavari Vihara, Leng Buai Ia Shrine, Wat Mangkon Kamalawat and Bhoman Khunaram Temple. The map provides details on location, unique architectural features and nearby restaurants, cafes and markets.
"We wanted to launch a product to support people. Since temples and shrines are the most popular places that the three generations visit to perform rituals, we decided to create this sheet with details of other places nearby. When we held an exhibition of our thesis at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, the information sheet received positive feedback from most visitors," explained Rarida.
"As students of the College of Innovation, we are glad that we can adapt our knowledge about the creative industry of cultural tourism and further develop that information into a product that may stimulate the economy and generate income for communities and the country."