We’re only days from the best holiday in the world: Halloween. To help invoke the spirit of the season, here’s some costume inspiration we first posted last year.
Here comes another Halloween. With twerking Miley Cyrus and sleazy Robin Thicke costumes sold-out at costume shops in the West, it’s easy to give into despair and, perhaps ironically, mourn the True Spirit of Halloween’s death. But don’t give in to hopelessness and fall back on your reliably mediocre Jason Voorhees mask, last used to take your little nephews trick-or-treating.
Everyone planning to celebrate Halloween here in their original or adopted home of Bangkok should take their inspiration right here from the Big Mango.
Without further ado, here are some Bangkok-inspired Halloween costume ideas:
Thai ghost classics
For the ladies, you can’t beat Krasue, an enduring icon of Thai phantasmagoria. Krasue is the spirit of a woman, and she’s basically a floating head dragging intestines. Paint your face white and sexy and squeeze into a midnight-black top and bottom for maximum invisibility. Now go to the butcher’s shop and get a couple kilograms of entrails. These are best strung to your own torso with some baling wire, because those guts are surprisingly resilient. Grab a battery-powered black light to add an eerie glow and +15 points to your Awesome Ghost Costume score.
Guys, Krahang is your chance to transform into a badass, flying creature of the night and be the perfect draw to find the intestinely well-endowed Krasue of your dreams. First you’ll need to score a couple traditional rice baskets from a traditional market or OTOP fair. Strap those bad-boys on. Add a ratty pair of black shorts and, dudes, you’re done. Being a man is just too easy.
Sgt. Silent (Ja Chei)
A most reliable mannequin, Ja Chei was retired in 2009 after only two years of traffic-police duty. In his prime, his clone army stood silently around Bangkok intersections to encourage drivers to follow traffic regulations or just laugh out loud.
Ja Chei was put out of commission after the police bureau received complaints from citizens that his awesomeness inspired the fleshy human cops to slack off and depend on his authority. So when it comes to the costume part, it’s very important to differentiate yourself from common police. I would create Ja Chei mask from his photo and make the name tag become the center of attention. Use a mirror to perfect the salute’s perfect 45-degree angle and Xanax-tinged expression.
Bloody motorbike-taxi driver
Celebrate our unique transportation method by becoming a victim of its delicious dangers. Maybe you sped too fast down Rama IV Road and became road burger in Khlong Toei, or got flattened by one of those colorful trucks with the funny horns and drivers sloshed on Sang Som. Simply look for an orange, oversized vest, get someone to paint your district on it in white and grab a helmet. For the Halloween effect, apply fake blood and add bruises and cuts to your mortal heart’s content.
Victory Monument
If you want to rock the group costume thing, this is a perfect option for a group of five. There are five statues around the central obelisk which represent army, navy, air force, police, and civilian bureaucracy. The tricky part is the full-on black makeup and outfit. To pull it off correctly, try to maintain the statue-like movement no matter how many buckets of rotgut you down. For the obelisk, make an easy one-dimensional foam cut-out and strap it to your back. I doubt you can enter any night club with anything grander.
Giant at Wat Phra Kaew
For those who go big and are willing to make a commitment, there is no costume in this world more complicated and uncomfortable than the traditional Khon outfit. Made out of beautiful embellishment, Khon costumes are rather heavy and are not complete without a head accessory. But why not tip your pointy hat to Bangkok’s most-visited attraction? For lighter options, you can replace the draped bottom with printed harem pants.
Nang Gwak
Nang Gwak is a lucky charm which is believed to draw customers into a shop. We commonly see her at small street vendors, much like the Japanese Maneki-neko (the Hello Kitty thing).
One strange fact about Nang Gwak is that locals believe she likes to drink Red Fanta. So your beverage for the night should reflect this for authenticity points. Our suggestion: Vodka and Red Fanta. Nobody will suspect you’re not really Nang Gwak this way.
