Urban Legends

The Elevator Ritual of Sathorn Tower

Origin: Bangkok, Thailand

In the heart of Bangkok stands the Sathorn Unique Tower, an unfinished luxury skyscraper abandoned since the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Originally meant to be a symbol of Thailand's economic rise, the tower now looms as a 49-story shell, dark, skeletal, and stained with rust and water damage. Urban explorers call it the "Ghost Tower."

Among the many tales surrounding Sathorn Tower, one urban legend persists quietly among locals and thrill-seekers: The Elevator Ritual.
A game. A test. A trap.

If you follow the correct steps, they say, the elevator doesn't take you to another floor.
It takes you somewhere else.

The Ritual:

The legend began with teenagers exploring the tower in the early 2000s. One group claimed they found an ancient Thai charm drawn in chalk on the wall near the service elevator, a yantra, a kind of sacred geometric tattoo used in black magic, half-erased and surrounded by old wax drippings and bones of small animals.

Attached to the wall was a sheet of paper, now faded, handwritten in Thai:

"If you wish to see her, ride alone. Press the floors in this order: 4–2–11–6–2–10–2. Do not get off. Do not speak to her. If she speaks to you, don't answer. If she smiles... close your eyes."

Curious and defiant, they tried it.

The elevator reportedly stopped on floor 17, which was not pressed. A woman in traditional funeral garb stepped in. Her feet didn't touch the floor. The air grew cold. She looked directly at the leader of the group and said:

"It's not your turn. Yet."

When they tried to leave, the elevator returned not to the ground floor, but to the basement, which was supposedly sealed. They were trapped there for four hours, though the building's caretaker claimed only 30 minutes had passed.

One boy fainted. Another refused to ever return.

Who Is "Her"?

Local legends say the tower is haunted by the ghost of a construction worker's daughter, who died on-site before the tower was abandoned. Other versions claim she was a prostitute murdered and hidden in the building when it briefly served as a hideout for criminals after the financial crash.

But the most chilling version?
That "she" is not a ghost at all, but a nang mai, a spirit of the trees displaced by the building's construction. Since the tower was built on land once occupied by sacred fig trees, some believe the spirit was trapped in the concrete - angry, bound, and looking for a way back into the world.

The elevator, they say, is her only path.

A foreign tourist was found in a trance-like state near the top floor, muttering in Thai despite not being a speaker. He kept repeating: "She's waiting on the tenth floor. Don't make her wait."

A local photographer documented his exploration of Sathorn Tower on social media. His final image showed an empty elevator shaft with what appeared to be a woman's hand reaching up from the bottom. He deleted the post within 24 hours and disappeared from public view.

A night security guard reported that the elevator moved on its own, always returning to floor 10, even though all controls had been removed for safety. That same week, he quit his job, leaving a note: "She smiled."

In Thai culture, spirits of the restless dead, or phii, are not taken lightly. They are believed to remain in places of sudden or unjust death, especially where construction has disturbed the natural or spiritual balance.

Buildings like Sathorn Tower, abandoned and hollow, are seen as perfect homes for hungry ghosts or displaced spirits.

Young urbanites treat the Elevator Ritual like a dare. But older Bangkokians know better. They leave offerings - lotus flowers, incense, and sweet drinks at the base of the tower. Not out of belief. Out of respect.

Those who've tried the ritual and returned describe several eerie patterns - The elevator lights flicker on floor 10, no matter what. A floral scent (jasmine or decaying lotus) fills the space before she appears. Your reflection in the elevator mirror moves slightly out of sync.

And always, always:
If she smiles, do not smile back.

Urban explorers continue to sneak into Sathorn Tower, despite increased security and fencing. Most leave unharmed.

Some don't return.
Some come back... different.

If you find yourself at the tower, and an elevator still works, resist the temptation.
Or if you must ride, press only one button: "G."

And pray it means "ground," not "goodbye."