Asein thay tha yae are the ghosts of people who met their demise through unnatural and often violent deaths. The word “asein” means green in the local language, a term which is also used to describe the unripe state of fruits, while the word “thay” translates to death, and “tha yae” means ghost. Hence, asein thay tha yae signifies the ghost of a person who had an abrupt and untimely passing, typically resulting from accidents or acts of violence.
Those who met their ends under such circumstances are believed to linger as spirits. The intense emotions of anger, fear and resentment that consumed them in their final moments are thought to bind them to a specific location, object or even individual who held significant meaning to them in life. They remain tethered to their obsession as restless spirits, unable to find peace.