From Ong to idols: hyper-real religions, spiritual practices, and popular culture among Thai youth.

This paper employs Adam Possamai's concept of "hyper-real religions" to argue that Thai youth are utilizing various spaces to blend different faiths and popular cultures, and synergizing with consumerism to shape a novel manifestation of "religion." In Thai communities, spiritual practices and mediumship are interwoven into communal dynamics, often supporting local Buddhist institutions. Kitiarsa presented the journey of becoming a medium, which involves physical symptoms, negotiations with spirits, and eventual acceptance. This study explores the notion of "Ong" within contemporary youth culture and analyzes glocalized beliefs among Thai spiritual practitioners on digital platforms through online practice, questionnaires, and interviews. Unlike historical views where Ong bestowed supernatural abilities, contemporary practitioners perceive themselves as empowered to choose. They amalgamate multiple religions and pop culture to make spiritual practices more relatable while acknowledging their embedded political implications. The paper comprises sections on Thai religious practice, hyper-real religions, commodification of faith, de-westernization of tarot reading, integration of Hinduism, and K-Pop's impact on Thai youth spirituality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]