Belief in ngo heng, or how your facial features determine your fate in life, is widespread among Thai people of Chinese heritage. But it’s hardly the only superstition relating to luck in a country where everything from the day you were born to the letters in your name are thought to have a bearing on the path your life takes. Here are some of the things that could put you on the right track, or set you off course.
Show your colours
Many Thai people believe different colours can bring luck, and the colour of your car is of utmost importance. According to an ancient Hindu belief, the day you were born determines which colours bring you good or bad luck. But sometimes, you might not want a vehicle painted in your lucky colour.
Don’t be surprised if you’re out driving and see a black car with a sign saying, “This car is red”. That’s one way around it. Other people put a small sticker of their lucky colour on the car. It doesn’t have to be visible. Many people use round stickers no bigger than a 10-baht coin, stuck underneath on the bonnet on the driver’s side.
It’s a cuddly toy
From Hello Kitty and Doraemon dolls to adorable looking puppies, no doubt you’ve seen cars and trucks with stuffed animals attached to the front, back or beneath the chassis.
The reason drivers do this is not just a strange affinity for cuddly toys.
It began as a way to pacify the spirits of animals killed on the roads, started by drivers who accidentally ran over dogs or cats and wanted to make sure they weren’t cursed with bad luck as a result.
What was originally a way of warding off trouble became a trend and people started adorning their cars with stuffed animals for fun.
Police then decided the toys were a road safety hazard, and made the practice of hanging them beneath the chassis illegal, though you can still see toys affixed to other less risky vehicle parts.
What’s in a name
Hoping for good fortune: Actress Natthaweeranuch Thongmee changed her name to Waranchaya Chindarakwong.
Thai people have strong beliefs relating to names. Just like with colours, the day, month, year and time you were born determines which letters of the alphabet are lucky or unlucky for you.
In recent years, the trend of changing your name to improve your luck is on the rise.
A number of Thai celebrities have changed their names, after realising their old monikers were not going to bring them more fame or success.
Some people even change their name so that it contains every one of their lucky birthday letters, but the result can be a jumble of vowels and consonants that doesn’t make sense.
Though everyone these days has a nickname, that tradition started from a belief that bad spirits are always looking for newborn children to harm, so giving a child a nickname throws them off the scent.
Signs all around
When your eye twitches, it’s not just a sign of a medical condition or being a bit sleepy. For many Thai people, eye twitching is like a personal fortune teller, predicting your luck for the day ahead.
It’s believed that if your left eye twitches during the day, then you will have a bad luck. But if it happens at night, then your fortunes are looking up. It is also lucky if your right eye twitches during the day. If it happens at night though, the opposite is true.
There’s also a small creature that can act as your own in-house clairvoyant. If you’re on the way out of the house and hear a gecko make a sound, then it might just be trying to give you a message.
If the sound comes from behind or above your head, you shouldn’t leave the house and must postpone your journey. But if the sound comes from in front of you, especially on your left side, your journey will be a successful one.
