Ganeshotsav 2026: Bangkok Shrine Draws Attention For Boba Tea Offerings To Ganesha
Bangkok, 15th September 2026: A Bangkok-based content creator has offered social media users a glimpse into the unique way devotees worship Lord Ganesha in Thailand.
In an Instagram video, Piya Ping showed several cups of bubble tea placed before a Ganesha idol outside Union Mall in Bangkok. While laddoos and modaks are commonly offered to Ganesha in India, devotees in Thailand appear to bring boba tea as an offering to the deity.
“I know that we are supposed to offer Ganesha his favorite snack, Laddu, but over here in Bangkok, Thailand, we offer this, bubble tea,” Piya said in the video.
She went on to explain that devotees often return to the shrine to offer bubble tea after their wishes are fulfilled. The quantity of the offering may also increase, with three cups becoming six and six becoming 12.
“People actually bring bubble milk tea here as an offering,” she said, while showing the shrine surrounded by cups of the popular drink.
Ganesha, also known in Thailand as Phra Phikanet or Phra Phikanesuan, is widely respected as the deity of success, fortune and the removal of obstacles. His worship in Thailand reflects the influence of Hinduism and Indian culture, which spread across parts of South, East and Southeast Asia through centuries of trade and cultural exchange.
Although fruits and sweets are commonly offered at Ganesha shrines, the practice of offering bubble tea adds a distinctly Thai touch to the tradition. Since the drink is extremely popular in the country, devotees appear to be offering something that is both familiar and personally meaningful to them.
“People offer something they enjoy and something meaningful to them. This is a traditional belief with a very Thai twist,” Piya said.
The video, shared around the time of Ganesh Chaturthi, attracted significant attention online. Many users praised the tradition and said that offerings made with genuine devotion would be accepted by Ganesha.
One user commented, “He will accept whatever is offered to him with devotion.”
Others shared examples of offering fruits, doughnuts and different treats to the deity. The viral video has since sparked conversations about how religious traditions can take on local forms while retaining their deeper spiritual meaning.
In Bangkok, a cup of boba tea has become more than just a popular drink, it is also a heartfelt offering to Lord Ganesha.
