Red F A N T A

[the-monk]

In homes, at public markets, at government buildings, at hospitals, quite often you will see a shrine ( altar ) where people bring drinks and - or food, the most popular drink seems to be the RED FANTA.
My questions are this: Why RED FANTA ? What is the origin and meaning ? Thanks. Have a safe and pleasant day.

[Niggly]

I've never really thought about it before but yes, I often see Red Fanta at shrines.
I just asked Mrs N why & she's told me its because baby ghosts like this one . I'm sure there must be a more rational explanation but I'm going with this one because I kind of like it

[papafarang]

buddha's favorite ?

[Wee Jimmy]

I've never really thought about it before but yes, I often see Red Fanta at shrines.
I just asked Mrs N why & she's told me its because baby ghosts like this one . I'm sure there must be a more rational explanation but I'm going with this one because I kind of like it

Wife says the same. For Peelock!!

[parrot]

Along an isolated road near Loei

[stattointhailand]

Good salesman at Red Fanta Company who knew Thais would believe anything superstitious made it up?

[newtovillagelife]

Has more to do with the color. In the village you will often see houses with a red t-shirt hanging at the gate, it's to keep ghosts away, they don't like red.

[AlexO]

Has more to do with the color. In the village you will often see houses with a red t-shirt hanging at the gate, it's to keep ghosts away, they don't like red.

Or white string running around the house and connected to the village anti ghost grid system. My missus still swears blind she has seen her brothers ghost on at least 3 occasions. Must be when she has tried the local hooch.

[Doodoo]

Why? you may ask? Answer is "Because"

https://thestrategicretreat.com/red-fan ... i-shrines/

[stattointhailand]

Why leave bottles of Red Fanta at a shrine?

Answer with a question ........... Have you ever tried to drink the stuff?

[tamada]

Why leave bottles of Red Fanta at a shrine?

Answer with a question ........... Have you ever tried to drink the stuff?

Is the right answer!

It's truly the most vile of all the traditional Thai bottled sugary water drinks but some of these new inventions with bubbles and milk and the like are giving it a run for it's money.

[parrot]

A few thoughts about red Fanta. You'll likely see a bottle placed near the waving statues that beckon customers into a store (นางกวัก nang kwak). Kwak is what you do when you do the Thai wave signal with the hand extended and waving the hand with the palm upside down. Americans tend to use their palm up with a waving index finger to call someone.....but that's supposedly an obscene gesture in Japan.
There's a story that the idea of red fanta arose after someone placed incense sticks in a glass of water and the water turned red.......of course, meaning the spirits had something to do with it, so the spirit must like red liquid. We Westerners would never believe such things as water turning into wine or the sort.
The idea of a red offering may also derive from bloody animal sacrifices of old.
Say what you want about the 'awful' taste, but in GI daze, red and green fanta were popular with Thais and many GIs while slurping their noodles or pad thai. Red Fanta - Big Red (used to be popular in Texas).......taste similar.
In the end, red fanta seems to be one of those things that's wrapped up in tradition, superstition, animism. One thing I can pretty much guarantee, you won't see anyone sipping those red fantas that are placed along side of the road (in my photo above) or at any of the spirit shrines throughout Thailand. It's sort of like the water in the bowl as you enter a church....dip your hands in and sign the cross on your head. It's water.....but a priest says an incantation and now it's holy water.