If you ever find yourself wandering through central Bangkok and suddenly feel surrounded by an army of wooden willies, don't be alarmed — you're at the beautiful Chao Mae Tuptim Shrine, the local "Penis Shrine."

Businessman Nai Lert created this site in the early 1900s after spirits allegedly appeared to him in a dream, instructing him to build a shrine honoring the Hindu god of creation. In Thailand, phalluses symbolize good luck, fertility, and protection against evil spirits — a belief shared across many Southeast Asian cultures.

The shrine quickly gained a reputation as Thailand's go-to baby-wishing destination, thanks to an early success story: one hopeful visitor made her wish, got pregnant, and returned to celebrate with a generously sized wooden phallus offering. This act of grat

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