Boba for Bappa: Why Thai devotees offer bubble tea to Lord Ganesh

“I’m here at Union Mall, one of Bangkok’s well-known shopping malls, and just outside the mall, there’s a shrine dedicated to Ganesha. And yes, people actually bring bubble milk tea here as an offering,” Piya explained.

‘A Thai twist’

The video showed dozens of cups of bubble tea gathered around the shrine. Boba tea, also called bubble tea, is typically made with tea, milk or fruit flavours and chewy tapioca pearls. The drink is particularly popular in Thailand.

“And the reason behind it is because some devotees believe that when their wish comes true, they should come back and offer more than they did before. So from 3 becomes 6, from 6 becomes 12,” Piya said.

For Piya, the practice shows how religious traditions can take on local influences. “People offer something they enjoy and something meaningful to them. This is a traditional belief with a very Thai twist,” she said.

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Ganesh is also revered by some Thai Buddhists, reflecting the long-standing overlap between Hindu and Buddhist traditions in the country.

‘Boba checks’

The video was shared around Ganesh Chaturthi and quickly gained traction on Instagram, collecting nearly five lakh views in a day. Many viewers welcomed the idea of offering the deity something that is culturally familiar to devotees in Thailand.

“Ganesha is the type of god who would love Boba Tea. It felt so homely to see Ganesha everywhere in Thailand,” one user commented.

“I live in Seattle, I gave him an apple donut yesterday. I get concerned that maybe he needs a variety of treats! I offer him anything that seems nice,” another wrote.

A third user pointed out that offering local sweets is not unique to Thailand. “Actually my late mom said, we can offer anything sweet to God to signify our love & gratitude – in Malaysia we usually offer Malaysian sweet delicacies instead of laddoos too. Have a blessed Ganesh Chaturti dearest neighbor – Love from Malaysia!” they said.

“Well he is quite famous for having a sweet tooth. So boba checks,” another user joked.

One commenter even suggested that Ganesha could use some variety beyond traditional sweets. “Aye… Lord Ganesha might get bored with just Ladoos and Modaks. Good on you guys for adding variety. I have been campaigning for this for years. So 1st time at my household atleast…. We got chocolate Modak.”