The Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station or called by the locals, Rong Phak Kong Mueang is on Rachadamnoen Road between Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Si Koed. The land for the station was the property of Chao Inthawarorot Siriyawong, 8th ruler of Chiang Mai (190-1909). He granted the land to the government when Chao Praya Surasiwisitsak (Choei Kalayaamit) was governor of the Payap Region (1903-1914). The police station was built around 1904 and was rebuilt 3 times. The one remaining today is the third one.
Opposite the station, to the east, and behind the Chedi Luang temple is the office building of the Vehicle License Department and police officers homes that were taken down and replaced with flats. The buildings are now separated by Chaban Road. The people living nearby had spread rumors that the police homes around the area were haunted. After his talk with Phrakhru Chiranuwatthanakhun, a 76 year-old monk, Pol. Lt. Col. Anu Noenhad learned how the story of the haunted houses began During WWII Wat Chedi Luang had 25 monks and 20 novices residing in its compound. A band of soldiers, whether from the INF BN 13 or 15, with CPI Sa-ngiem as commanding officer came to camp at Chao Kaew Nawarats cell at the south of the Vihara. He slept outside the room and I (the monk) was inside with one of his soldiers, Private Loi, appointed to service me. CPI Sa-ngiem often asked me to join him in his patrol around the camp to prevent the soldiers from slipping out at night. The other soldiers built banana leaf shacks around the temple ground for their shelter. Every night they put some guards to patrol around the back gate of the temple which connected to the road to the Kong Mueang Station to prevent the privates from sneaking out for night entertainment. The temple at the time was surrounded with dense banana trees. One night, around 11 p.m. a guard came running towards us and after he saluted us he reported that he couldnt stand guarding any longer. A ghost had haunted him. The captain was angry and ordered two soldiers to stand on guard instead of just one. A while later the two ran back saying they were haunted so the captain led them towards the back gate. A little after midnight, they all returned to me and told me that a ghost was really there. It was hanging its legs down from the toilet ceiling. It even grabbed at the captains head. So the guard was cancelled for that reason. The ghost was sure fierce and daring, it didnt let go even of the officer.
References
Anu Noenhad, Pol. Lt. Col. (2005). Yan Thanon Ratchadamnoen (sangkhom Chiang Mai lem 11) (Ratchadamnoen Road area (Chiang Mai society vol.11). (in Thai).
Chiang Mai: Nopburi Printing.
Boonserm Satrabhaya and Sangkhit Chanthanaphot (1977). Adit Lanna (Lanna past). (in Thai). Bangkok: Rueang Silp.
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