Southeast Asia is a region rich in culture, history, and diversity. It’s also a region full of ghosts, spirits, and other supernatural beings that can haunt your dreams and make you pee your pants.
From vengeful female vampires to hopping corpses, these are some of the most terrifying creatures that lurk in the dark corners of Southeast Asia. But which country has the scariest spooks? We’ve ranked them based on their scare factor, appearance, and powers. Let the ghost showdown begin!
(Disclaimer: Belief of the spirits/ghosts below may vary by locale.)
12. Thailand: Phi Pop
Just an ordinary woman? Think again. Illustration of phi-pop created using DALL·E 3
Thailand is known for its beautiful beaches, delicious food, and friendly people. But it’s also home to some of the most horrifying ghosts in the world. One of them is the phi pop, a female spirit that possesses people and makes them eat disgusting things like feces, insects, or corpses. The phi pop can also cause diseases and death to its victims. The only way to get rid of it is to hire a shaman or a monk to perform an exorcism.
Scare factor: 3/10. While the phi pop is certainly gross and dangerous, it’s not very scary to look at. It usually appears as a normal woman, sometimes with long hair covering her face. The only giveaway is her insatiable appetite for nasty stuff.
11. Malaysia: Toyol
Luckily, the toyol is easily distracted. Illustration of toyol created using DALL·E 3
Malaysia is a multicultural country with influences from Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Islamic traditions. It also has a variety of ghosts, such as the toyol, a mischievous gremlin-like creature that is created from the corpse of a stillborn baby or an aborted fetus. The toyol is usually kept by a bomoh (witch doctor) or a greedy person who uses it to steal money or valuables from others. The toyol can be appeased by offering it milk, candies, or toys.
Scare factor: 4/10. The toyol is more annoying than scary. It looks like a small bald child with red eyes and sharp teeth. It can be easily spotted by its footprints, which are inverted. The toyol can be warded off by scattering needles or seeds around the house, or by placing a mirror under the pillow.
10. Singapore: Orang Minyak
Dude’s slippery AF. Illustration of Orang Minyak created using DALL·E 3
Singapore is a modern and prosperous city-state that boasts a high standard of living and a low crime rate. But it also has its share of urban legends and ghost stories, such as the orang minyak, or oily man. The orang minyak is a malevolent entity that covers itself in oil and roams around at night, raping women and terrorizing people. The orang minyak is said to be either a human who made a pact with the devil, or a supernatural being that can turn invisible.
Scare factor: 5/10. The orang minyak is creepy and violent, but not very supernatural. It can be seen and caught by the police or the public. The orang minyak can be prevented by wearing clothes with religious symbols or by reciting prayers.
9. Indonesia: Tuyul
Don’t let the adorableness fool you. Illustration of tuyul created using DALL·E 3
Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world, with more than 17,000 islands and over 300 ethnic groups. It also has a diverse range of ghosts and spirits, such as the tuyul, which is similar to the toyol in Malaysia. The tuyul is a child-like creature that is used by black magic practitioners to steal money or cause mischief. The tuyul can be controlled by a ring or a bottle that contains its placenta.
Scare factor: 6/10. The tuyul is more sinister than the toyol, as it can harm people by biting them or making them sick. It also looks more grotesque, with green skin, pointy ears, and no hair. The tuyul can be repelled by garlic, salt, or vinegar.
8. Thailand: Krasue
She’s got guts, that’s for sure. Illustration of a krasue created using DALL·E 3
Another Thai ghost that will make you lose your appetite is the krasue, a female spirit that has only her head and her internal organs hanging from her neck. The krasue was once a beautiful woman who was cursed by a jealous rival or an angry lover. She now preys on blood and flesh of animals and humans, especially pregnant women and newborn babies. She can detach her head from her body at night and fly around looking for food.
Scare factor: 7/10. The krasue is one of the most gruesome ghosts in Southeast Asia. She looks like a bloody mess of guts and gore, and she can enter houses through small openings or chimneys. The krasue can be killed by destroying her body, which she leaves behind when she goes hunting.
7. Malaysia: Hantu Raya
Great. We have these too in our region? Illustration of a hantu raya created using DALL·E 3
Malaysia has another type of ghost that is similar to the toyol, but much more powerful and dangerous. The hantu raya, or great ghost, is a spirit that serves a master who inherits it from his or her ancestors. The hantu raya can grant wealth, fame, and success to its master, but it also demands a high price. The hantu raya can take the form of its master or anyone else, and it can kill or harm anyone who opposes or offends its master.
Scare factor: 8/10. The hantu raya is a formidable foe that can manipulate and deceive people. It can also possess its master or anyone else, and make them do its bidding. The hantu raya can be defeated by finding out its real name and using it to command it.
6. Singapore: Pontianak
Eeeek! Illustration of a pontianak created using DALL·E 3
Singapore shares some of its ghosts with its neighboring countries, such as the pontianak, which is also found in Malaysia and Indonesia. The pontianak is a female vampire that is the spirit of a woman who died during childbirth or pregnancy. She usually appears as a beautiful woman in white, but she can also transform into a hideous creature with long nails and fangs. She preys on men and children, and she can kill them by ripping out their organs or draining their blood.
Scare factor: 9/10. The pontianak is one of the most feared ghosts in Southeast Asia. She can lure her victims with her seductive appearance or her cries of a baby, and then attack them with her claws and teeth. She can also cause miscarriages or infertility to women. The pontianak can be warded off by nails, knives, or scissors.
5. Indonesia: Pocong
Not a fan of bondage. Illustration of a pocong created using DALL·E 3
Indonesia has another ghost that is related to death and burial. The pocong is the soul of a dead person that is trapped in its shroud, which is tied at the head and feet according to Islamic tradition. The pocong can jump around like a kangaroo, but it cannot move very far from its grave. The pocong usually appears to people to ask for help to release it from its shroud.
Scare factor: 9/10. The pocong is a scary sight to behold, as it looks like a pale and rotting corpse wrapped in white cloth. It can also make loud noises and knock on doors or windows. The pocong can be freed by untying the knots on its shroud, but this can be risky as it might attack or curse the person who does it.
4. Thailand: Phi Tai Hong
We’ve seen many terrifying movies based on her. Illustration of a phi tai hong created using DALL·E 3
Thailand has another type of ghost that is more vengeful and violent than the others, the phi tai hong. It is the spirit of a person who died in a sudden or violent way, such as murder, suicide, or accident. The phi tai hong is angry and restless, and it seeks revenge on those who caused or witnessed its death. It can also cause bad luck, illness, or death to anyone who encounters it.
Scare factor: 10/10. The phi tai hong is one of the most dangerous ghosts in Thailand. It can appear as a bloody or mutilated corpse, or as a normal person with a terrifying expression. It can also possess people or objects, and make them do harm to themselves or others. The phi tai hong can be appeased by performing rituals or offering sacrifices.
3. Malaysia: Penanggalan
Excuse me, miss, but you left your body behind. Illustration of a penanggalan created using DALL·E 3
Malaysia has another female vampire that is even more horrifying than the pontianak. The penanggalan is a woman who practices black magic and uses a flying potion to detach her head from her body at night. Her head then flies around with her organs trailing behind her, looking for blood from pregnant women, babies, or animals. She then returns to her body before dawn, and uses vinegar to shrink her organs so they can fit back into her body.
Scare factor: 10/10. The penanggalan is one of the most gruesome and grotesque ghosts in Southeast Asia. She looks like a floating head with entrails hanging from her neck, and she can suck blood through her tongue or teeth. She can also spit venom or acid to harm her victims. The penanggalan can be killed by destroying her body while she is away from it.
2. Singapore: Jiangshi
So powerful it can be stopped using a yellow piece of paper. Illustration of a jiangshi created using DALL·E 3
Singapore has another ghost that is influenced by Chinese culture. The jiangshi is a reanimated corpse that has been revived by a Taoist priest or a sorcerer for various purposes, such as labor, revenge, or companionship. The jiangshi has stiff limbs and cannot walk properly, so it hops around with its arms outstretched. The jiangshi also has a pale and greenish skin, long nails, and white hair. It feeds on the life force of living beings by sucking their breath or blood.
Scare factor: 10/10. The jiangshi is one of the most iconic and terrifying ghosts in Chinese folklore. It can appear in groups and chase after people with its eerie hopping motion and piercing eyes. It can also infect others with its bite or scratch, turning them into jiangshi as well. The jiangshi can be stopped by holding a mirror, a rooster, or a broom in front of it, or by sticking a yellow paper with a spell on its forehead.
1. Indonesia: Kuntilanak
Eeek! (Wait, haven’t we done this?) Illustration of a kuntilanak created using DALL·E 3
1. Indonesia: Kuntilanak
Indonesia has another female vampire that is even more horrifying than the penanggalan, the kuntilanak. It is the spirit of a woman who died during childbirth or pregnancy, like the pontianak, but she has more powers and abilities. The kuntilanak can fly, shape-shift, and teleport. She usually appears as a beautiful woman with long black hair and a white dress, but she can also transform into a bird, a cat, or a ball of fire. She preys on men and children, and she can kill them by ripping out their genitals or eyes.
Scare factor: 11/10. The kuntilanak is the ultimate nightmare of Southeast Asia. She is cunning, vicious, and unpredictable. She can lure her victims with her seductive voice or her cries of a baby, and then attack them with her claws and teeth. She can also cause madness, nightmares, or death to anyone who sees her or hears her laugh. The kuntilanak can be warded off by nails, scissors, or needles.
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