Chiang Mai University Haunted Dormitory: Who Is Walking Upstairs After Midnight?

Over the years, Chiang Mai University has not just been a place to learn. Established in 1964 as the first public university in the north of Thailand, the University has evolved along with the city. The dormitories that exist at Chiang Mai University have played an integral part in the lives of its students, considering the way the university had been structured with a residential setup allowing for living, learning, and forming friendships among students.

Today, there are many student residences within the university, which include some of its older male and female dormitories. While the university calls its dormitory system “living, learning and caring,” history of the university is also responsible for giving it another name—one associated with mysterious noises, bizarre events, and ghostly appearances late into the night.

One of the most popular legends is attached to Female Dormitory 7.

Based on the legend, there was a case of a young female student who was either raped or attacked by an unknown person and subsequently murdered in the dormitory. The circumstances under which the supposed murder took place are different according to the version of the legend and there is no official document confirming the crime as described in the legend. Nonetheless, the legend has been widely adopted by the university community.

However, the most horrifying aspect of this legend occurs after midnight.

It has been said that, once the dormitory corridors are completely quiet, there may be heard a peculiar rhythmic sound from the staircase.

"Pok... Pok... Crued..."

The sound has been compared to a person climbing the stairs.

Based on the legend, it is the ghost of the murdered student that makes such a sound, supposedly returning to the place of her death. There are versions of the legend which state that the sound starts at the bottom of the staircase and grows louder the closer it gets to the top.

These people were warned not to investigate the issue.

This legend became so widespread that it found its way into Thai popular culture. The legend of Chiang Mai University ghost was turned into a horror film anthology titled "Haunted Universities" in 2009.

However, what about the proof of the presence of a ghost?

There is no scientific proof such as any photos, recordings or forensic investigations showing the existence of a supernatural being in this dormitory. The majority of the evidence can be attributed to testimony of students and stories that are handed down from generation to generation by the residents of the dorm.

Some students claimed that they heard mysterious sounds, like footsteps in deserted hallways, doors opening and closing without any visible reason and some odd noises from staircases during the night.

Moreover, there is an interesting historical fact that makes the ghost stories associated with Chiang Mai University so persistent. In the early days of the university, some areas near its premises remained relatively undeveloped and wooded. University officials confirm that the legends of ghosts and specters had spread among the student population, and that spiritual rituals had been conducted at the university to reassure the terrified students.

None of this proves that the dormitories are haunted. Old buildings could be creaky, and wind, plumbing, and animal sounds along with noises made by other tenants could be the cause of such odd sounds.

But this might be exactly why the Chiang Mai University dormitory ghost story is so powerful.

The buildings are real. The history of the university is real. The students who claim to have heard something are real. What cannot be proved is the identity of the source of the noise.

And for the students moving down the empty stairs of the dormitory after midnight, this difference does not matter.

Because when the corridor falls quiet and that first “Pok… Pok… Crued…” sounds out of the dark downstairs, the oldest question of Chiang Mai University gets asked again:

Was it just a noise… or was there a visitor coming up the stairs?