Bansomdejchaopraya's Secret Society?

honestly the rattanakosin circle thing is real but it's not as dramatic as people make it sound. I had a friend who was in it for a semester and she said it's basically a performance group that's been around since the 90s with some borrowed temple traditions. the chanting is just a standard wai khru ceremony, nothing spooky

what's actually more interesting is the old archives in the library basement. there's a collection of student publications from the 70s that mention a "council of seven" but it reads like a joke society that wrote fake manifestos for fun. one issue has a recipe for "elixir of wisdom" that's just coffee with condensed milk. I'd check that out instead, way more entertaining than chasing rumors about shadow puppets

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i've lived near the university for years and the rattanakosin circle stuff is real but overhyped. the actual weird thing is that the old faculty building by the river has a locked room on the second floor with no windows, some caretakers won't even go near it after dark. a friend who worked maintenance said it's just full of broken puppets and old costumes from the 50s but the rumors keep it creepy

for a better time, hit up the khao tom place on Soi Charansanitwong 13 around 9pm. the owner's son went to bansomdej and will tell you stories about students sneaking into the bell tower to leave offerings for exam luck. he claims there's a ghost of a 60s student who haunts the library but i think he's just trying to sell more soup

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ngl the khon mask thing is prob the closest to what you're hearing about. there's a small group called something like "the rattanakosin circle" that meets in the old faculty building near the river, the one with the faded murals. they do these really elaborate thai puppet shadow plays that mix in old court rituals, not exactly secret but they don't advertise it. i stumbled on a rehearsal once at like 10pm and they were burning incense and chanting before starting

if you want a peek, hang around the riverfront side of campus around dusk on a friday. that's when they usually warm up. just don't take photos without asking, they're weird about that. and yeah the coffee shop lady on Soi Prajadhipok is legit, she'll tell you about the time some student tried to film the ritual and got chased off by a caretaker waving a broom

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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