While global travellers may be familiar with Bangkok’s iconic sites, such as the glittering Grand Palace, sprawling street food stalls or impressive Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho, Thailand’s capital city also offers an array of weird and wonderful places and activities geared toward visitors with more unconventional interests.
In one of Thailand’s most well-known legends, a young woman named Nak died during childbirth while her husband, Mak, was away at war. Upon returning home to his village, however, the husband found his wife and child waiting for him. Everything was fine until strange things started happening and Mak realised his wife was actually a ghost. After seeing the truth, Nak went on a rampage throughout the village of Phra Khanong…near Ekkamai and Thonglor in modern-day Bangkok!
Today, situated near a canal, a hidden but popular shrine to Nak’s ghost and infant is home to several statues, paintings and plenty of offerings dedicated to Mae Nak.
A couple hours outside of Bangkok, those who step into Eat Bakery may find a gruesome surprise. Severed human body parts, complete with blood and bruising, are available for sale. But don’t worry, the gruesome body parts are actually just bread.
Created by artist and baker, Kittiwat Unarrom, the bread is made from your standard dough plus raisins, chocolate and cashews, and then painted to resemble gory severed limbs.
Housed in Thailand’s oldest hospital and medical school, the Siriraj Medical Museum is a must-see stop for anyone who’s fascinated with medical curiosities, forensics and the macabre. Onsite, six different museums covering Thai medicine, pathology, anatomy, forensics parasitology, and prehistoric artefacts showcase a range of bizarre exhibitions, objects and medical marvels from the mummified remains of a famous Thai serial killer to parasitic worms. Just be warned – it’s best to go on an empty stomach!
Just off of Bangkok’s Ramkhamhaeng Road, an abandoned 747, two smaller planes and more lie in an empty lot. While seeing cast-off planes can come as a surprise, what’s even more shocking is that a few local families now call the plane carcasses home. Curious visitors who find their way to the lot can even sneak a peek inside if the families are willing for a small donation.
The Tum Tard Arb Sub stall at Chatuchak Market serves more than tasty som tam, or green papaya salad – patrons also get a side of eye candy with their meal! Here a wait team of Thai models flaunting perfectly chiselled abs and bulging biceps (barely) dressed in elaborate Thai garb serve spicy plates of different som tam as fast as the owner Charoen “Tony” Phochaisee can churn them out.