Thailand Land of Smiles» Thai Culture

The Naga of Thailand

Talen — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 23:56:52 +0000

One of the more beautiful elements of Thai temples and spiritual places is that of the Naga. Naga is a Sanskrit and Pali word for a diety that takes the form of the great snake, often a king cobra.

Ancient stories tell of the Naga’s birth as the cousin of the great Garuda. A very powerful sage named Kasyapa had two wives that both wanted children. Kadru, his first wife, wanted many children while his second wife Vinata only wanted a few children but she wanted them to be powerful. As legend has it they both were granted their wish. Kadru laid 1000 eggs that later hatched into snakes while Vinata had but two children, the sun god Surya and a large bird like creature named Garuda.

After a foolish bet made by Vinata with her sister was lost she became the slave of Kadru as did her son Garuda. Garuda was required to do the bidding of the snakes until one day when he asked what it would take to release him from this bond. The snakes required Garuda to bring them the elixir of life called Amrita which was guarded by the gods. Garuda stole the elixir and brought it to the snakes as required but prevented them from drinking it and becoming immortal. Released from his bonds Garuda forever regarded the snakes as enemies.

In Buddhist lore Naga can have one head or many heads and some have magical powers that can help them take the shape of humans. Some Buddhist artwork portrays this shape changed Naga as a seated man with a snake or dragon extended over his head. The Naga can live anywhere on earth but the Thai and Lao versions of the Naga generally live near or in water.

In the Northeast of Thailand the Mekong is held as a very sacred Naga sanctuary with many Thai’s and Lao’s still believing the Naga rule and live in the waters. Indeed, there are still annual sacrificial ceremonies held in both Thailand and Laos to pay respect to the Naga because they believe the Naga protect them from danger on the water as well as the believe that the Naga bring prosperity to fishermen.

The mystery deepens every year on the 15th day of the 11th month of the Thai and lao lunar calendars. On this day between the Nong Khai and Pak-Ngeum provinces of Thailand red fireballs the size of eggs shoot out of the Mekong and high into the sky for all to see. It’s widely believed both in Thailand and Laos that the Naga under the river shoot the fireballs into the air to celebrate the end of Vassa or Buddhist lent.

Both local Thai’s and Laos claim this is a natural phenomenon and a reminder to them by the Naga to treat the waters with much respect. Although many claim it to be a hoax there has never been definitive proof to the contrary. Well, nobody has spoiled the fun as far as I know…there are theories that the Lao’s know a bit more about the fireballs than they are letting on

Festivals are held in Pak-Ngeum and Phonephisai districts in Nong Khai province as well as every district and province in between during the second week of October, usually between the 10th and the 16th. Likewise the Lao counterparts on the other side of the Mekong hold festivities at the same time.

Even if you don’t believe in the mythology or history of the Naga you can still appreciate the beauty they bring to Thailand.

What is Issan?

Talen — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 01:15:49 +0000

I received an e-mail recently asking what Issan was because I had referenced it in more than a few posts over the life of the blog. The simple answer is that Issan is the Northeast area of Thailand bordered by Laos and the Mekong in the North and East, Cambodia in the Southeast, the Pratchinburi mountains in the South and Phetchabun mountain range to the North and Central plains. The word Issan comes from the Sanskrit language meaning Northeast.

The harder answer is just why the Northeast region of Thailand is called Issan. You will find many arguments across the internet about royal Lao, Khmer, Chinese, Mon and Thai bloodlines that will leave you even more confused than when you started. The simple version is that a long time ago before Thailand ( Siam ) existed many people inhabited this region from Laos and Cambodia and their descendants are still there to this day.

The Issan region of Thailand can be seen almost as another country in and of itself. The primary language of Issan is Issan, which is a combination of Lao and Khmer dialects using the Thai alphabet. The dialect will change depending where you are in Issan. Along the border areas of Laos and the along the Mekong the dialect will be heavily Lao influenced whereas the further you get South and into the central areas the dialect will still be primarily Lao but with more Khmer thrown in. In Nakhon Phanom I hear a lot of Lao and Thai mixed together while in Mukdahan you get Lao, Thai and a little Khmer for good measure.

Just as the language is distinguishably different from the rest of Thailand the food also takes on a different taste and that is definitely of Lao heritage. You’ll hear many people claim that Issan food is just a regional Thai cuisine…I would bet they don’t say such things out loud while in Issan. While many Issan dishes have filtered down throughout Thailand with its people the dishes themselves can never be categorized as Traditional Thai food. While Thai food can be very spicy, Issan food redefines spicy. The food is generally more salty, spicy and sour. You won’t find many sweet dishes here.

Issan has gone through periods of Thaianization since the early days of the last century but the area has largely remained true to it’s conglomerate heritage. Although there have been times when the powers that be have strived to make Issan more Thai they still recognized the region by officially naming it Issan early on in the 20th century.

All this and I have still only scratched the surface of what Issan truly is. My hope is to add more to this topic in the future with the knowledge I learn first hand travelling throughout Issan and spending a great deal of time in areas such as Mukdahan and Nakhon Phanom.

Thai Sticky Rice Containers

Talen — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 01:28:38 +0000

If you’ve been to Thailand you’ve seen them everywhere in popular tourist areas. Woven bamboo containers that make great souvenirs to remember your trip to Thailand. If you’ve only been to the tourist areas you might think they are just that, souvenirs. In fact they are much more than souvenirs and even much more than sticky rice containers, I see them as a large part of Thai culture and society.

I watched with wonder as my girlfriends mother came out of the family house with a machete one morning and proceeded towards the bamboo patch around the side of the house. She cut down 2-8 foot sections of bamboo and then continued chopping those sections down to 1 foot pieces. She then grabbed two tiny stools and sat down amongst the family and started splitting the bamboo down to 1″x1′ pieces. Once this was done she would then use her teeth to separate these 1 inch pieces into 4 separate pieces.

All the while she tended to her child and grand child and continued her lively conversations with her sisters and brother. She was preparing the bamboo for new sticky rice containers which would become a part of their every day life. Some of the containers are very large while others are very small and they all serve their purpose equally well. When lunch time comes 4 sticky rice containers are brought out and spread out among the family so everyone had sticky rice within arms reach. Later, when Uncle went to work he was given a small personal sticky rice container to snack on through the day.

The bamboo is cut and dried and then woven into whatever sized basket is needed. It seems easy enough but there is more to it than that. The interaction between family and friends while the weaving is taking place and then the meals where they are used by family and friends alike. Often times friends coming by the farm would bring their own containers of sticky rice to share. They also make an appearance when friends are gathered just to talk or when a break in work is needed. It’s more about coming together and sharing time with people you care about.

On the family farm much of what is needed is often produced by the family. I suspect that even if they were willing to spend the 100-200 baht for the sticky rice containers they would still make them themselves because it seems to me it’s more about family and community rather than containers and food. It’s a way for them to spend time together working on something that is important to the family and the community.

Next time you see a sticky rice container in use look around and I bet you’ll see many smiling faces around it. Maybe Thailand should export the sticky rice containers full of rice to the west with instructions for use…who knows maybe the decline in family and community will slowly turn around and people will spend face time together again instead of texting, e-mailing or just locking themselves away with the internet and T.V for company.

Songkran 2009 Revisited

Talen — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:51:50 +0000

As I mentioned in an earlier post I was lucky enough to spend the Thai New Year, known as Songkran, in 4 different provinces. I spent the first day of Songkran in Pattaya on soi Diana playing with all the bar girls and the subsequent days I spent in Mukdahan, That Phanom and Nakhon Phanom.

For those of you not in the know Songkran is basically the worlds largest water fight that takes place throughout the entire country of Thailand for 3 straight days ( 5 or more days in Pattaya). You’ll be assaulted with squirt guns, hoses, water sticks and bowls of water. Aside from the water you will have baby powder smeared on your cheeks and dumped on your head. Sometimes large blocks of ice are used to chill the water used and depending on where you are the water and powder may be dyed different colors as well as scented. Cold green colored water and mentholated baby powder happen to be my kryptonite! I did enjoy the jasmine scented water I ran into here and there though.

Songkran in pattaya is what you would expect, many falangs and bar girls having fun. Unfortunately I witnessed a few incidents where some falangs didn’t want to play and became irate at getting wet. Why would you be out and about during Songkran if you didn’t want to get wet? One occasion I witnessed a very old falang hit a Thai girl for squirting him. The only reason he wasn’t beaten to death on the spot was due to the fact that he is well known in the area and apparently has a mental disorder. For the most part it was a great time getting soaked and powdered.

Mukdahan was quite a different story. Although it is a nice sized city most of the action took place on the side roads and on the roads leading out of the city. This of course necessitated a truck to drive around in and a few good sized barrels filled with water. When the water ran out we just stopped at someones house or a water station for a refill. We spent 12 hours driving around throwing water between Mukdahan and That Phanom, stopping occasionally for food and water.

One thing that caught my eye were the many colorful stands on the rural roads decorated in red and yellow selling some sort of clay pots. It wasn’t long before I was offered a drink from one of these clay pots that made everything very clear. It seems the Thai’s in rural Thailand make their own Thai whiskey just for Songkran and everyone and their brother sells it on the roadside. Now I know why there are so many drunk driving deaths in Issan during Songkran. I have to admit though, it was pretty good hooch.

The last day of Songkran was spent in Nakhon Phanom driving through the side streets of the city and along the scenic Mekong where the majority of revelers congregated. There were at least a thousand trucks driving through the city and up the road that paralleled the Mekong. Along the Mekong there were also three concert areas as well as many stalls set up for merchants and traditional Songkran dancing and music

I’d have to say Nakhon Phanom won me over hands down for being the best Songkran experience. Everyone was extremely friendly and sharing everything from beer and food to their water and powder of course. I think the best part was hanging out with Pooki’s family…especially her beautiful little girl Fa.

You may not like huge water fights but I think everyone should take part in Songkran at least once in their lifetime.

If you want to see what it all looked like I’ve added over 600 pictures of my Songkran experience to the gallery Songkran 2009

Thai Silk

Talen — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 02:49:22 +0000

Thai Silk is one of the most beautiful fabrics you’ll ever see. It has very distinctive features that make it very different from Chinese or Indian silks. Thai silk is smooth with a rough uneven texture unlike Chinese silk which is very smooth and satiny or Indian silk which is very soft but with a crinkly texture.

Although invented by the Chinese and it’s secrets guarded for a very long time, Thai silk can be traced back as far as 3000 years ago by pieces of fabric found at ruins in Baan Chiang.

Thai silk begins it’s journey with the silkworm, or more precisely a caterpillar named Bombyx Mori, hatched from the eggs of the silk moth. From the caterpillars birth it’s fed mulberry leaves around the clock that have been cleaned, dried and chopped. They eat so much they grow at an alarming rate and actually shed their skins up to four times before spinning their cocoon. At about the one year mark they begin their final stage by spinning their cocoon. This process can take up to five straight days of the caterpillar making thousands of tiny figure eights of liquid silk that becomes hard on contact with the air.

At this point the cocoons are gathered and then boiled. The pupa is removed and the fibers are attached to an overhead spindle that unravels the cocoons very slowly. As with everything else the Thais waste nothing and the pupa is said to be a delicacy. The silk is then spun onto wooden spindles in preparation of being spun into thread. This process can take up to 40 hours to produce just 1 pound of raw silk. One cocoon can produce a single fiber up to 500 meters long.

The silk fiber is a natural gold color and at this stage the thread is washed and bleached white, in preparation of being dyed. The thread is then dyed to it’s intended color, washed again and stretched onto wooden drums in preparation of weaveing the thread. The Thais used to use natural vegetable dyes but now use synthetic dyes which are colorfast and permanent as well as being more vivid.

Another defining characteristic of Thai silk is the fact that it’s hand woven and shows this in it’s uneven texture and slightly knotty threads. The Primary growing area for the Thai silkworms is the Korat plateau in the North East but the vast majority of the silk production in Thailand takes place in Chang Mai. You can visit the many different silk producers in Chang Mai and watch the entire process from beginning to end.

If you are searching for the best souveniers to bring back from Thailand then you have to bring home some Thai silk.

Thailands Wats ( Temples )

Talen — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:58:43 +0000

One of the most amazing sights in Thailand are the Wats. Not one is alike. The above picture is from a wat in Bangkok that has a decidedly Chinese influence. From the colors and textures to the sounds and smells they all create a very unique experience for the visitor.

Although each temple is different and can range in size from very small to very large they all incorporate the same elements. Each Wat has an one ordinal hall or Ubosot where new monks are ordained and important ceremonies are held. Each Ubosot will have an alter and at least one Buddha image. The Ubosot is surrounded by 8 Sema stones marking the sacred ground of the temple.

Each temple will also have a Vihara housing important Buddha images where the populace comes to pray. There may be several Vihara at a temple.

Each temple will also have a Chedi or Pagoda that usually houses a relic of the Buddha but may also contain the ashes of an imortant monk or king. Each temple will also incorporate a Naga which is a mythical creature said to have sheltered Buddha while he meditated. They can generally be seen in decorations, roof edges and railings. Most people will confuse the Naga for dragons. The Wat eaves are very decorative as well.

Each temple will also have a Sala with is an open sided pavillion used for sermons. Most temples will also have a drum or bell tower to call the faithful to prayer.

Each temple will have a Mondop or library which houses sacred scriptures and images.

Temples are a very important part of Thai life They are a place of worship, community gathering places, as well as places where the departed are cremated. Some Wat’s also have schools, meeting rooms and sporting grounds. When visiting a Wat in Thailand one should be respectful and learn the accepted etiquette as not to offend the Thais.

Thailand’s Wat’s are very beautiful and peaceful places to visit and a must see if you’re planning a trip to the kingdom.

Loy Krathong 2008

Talen — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:01:49 +0000

Loy Krathong is celebrated on the day of the full moon in the twelfth lunar month ( November ) When the weather is beautiful and the rainy season is at an end. Today Thais across Thailand will be celebrating and giving thanks to the water spirits and the goddess of the river.

Loy means to float and Krathong is a small vessel usually made from banana leaves. Loy Krathong is also known as the festival of light. The Krathong’s are filled with beautiful flowers, joss sticks, candles and coins. In the evening under the light of the full moon the joss sticks and candles will be lit and the Krathong set afloat upon the water while a silent prayer is said. Many couples will release Krathongs together praying for lasting love. It’s also believed that the Krathongs carry away with them sins and bad luck.

Besides the beautiful Krathong’s floating lanterns and fireworks are also released into the sky.

I think this is the most beautiful of Thailand’s festivals.

Below you can see a video of Loy Krathong and also a Video from Chang Mai where they also call the festival Yi Peng.

Small Neighborhood Temple in Bangkok

Talen — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:16:18 +0000

One day while in Bangkok I decided to take the river boat taxi up the Chao Phraya River to it’s last stop and just get off and explore. At the last stop you walk down a narrow plank of wood through a tiny tarp covered market into a nice little neighborhood. About half way up the lane I spotted this small temple complex.

It’s a very beautiful Wat ( temple ) with very ornate features. It was closed for the evening but several of the monks said I could come in and take pictures. Even for a very small Wat every attention was paid to detail from the very ornate eaves to the inlaid doors. A great find that made my day.

Thai Amulets

Talen — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 01:50:29 +0000

Thai Amulet vendors are almost as prolific as Thai food cart vendors. They can be found in every market, on street corners, and of course at the local temple.

Thai amulets are worn for luck and protection and no Thai leaves the house without at least one on their person. The amulet image is usually one of Buddha or a revered Thai monk. When worn as a necklace the amulet is placed in a protective case that hangs from the necklace. Sometimes they are hung from belt loops and it’s guaranteed that every Thai lady has at least one in her purse.

Usually worn around the neck Thai amulets can be made from a whole host of materials. Some are made of stone, wood, or ivory and are very old and expensive. Others can be made of molded powder, rice, or plastic. Amulets are a huge collectible among the Thai people and the rarest and oldest are always sought after and can run over $100,000. Most amulets are rather small but some can be as big as your palm. You’ll see many Thai men walking around Bangkok proudly wearing their amulets sometimes 5 or more at a time on the same chain.

I’ve picked up a few on my trips that are nice but not expensive. If you don’t know the market it’s best just to stay at the shallow end. One amulet I have is very small and made of metal. The other Amulet I picked up when I visited Wat Phra That Phanom. That particular amulet is a small thinly pressed metal with Buddha on the face and the temple in green on the reverse. The amulet comes in different colors according to the day you were born and the color for my day is green.

After you purchase your amulet you then need to purchase a protective case for it as well as a necklace. The merchant will fit the amulet into the case making sure it is set right and put it on your necklace. Then you are set to go. The Wat amulet cost me a whopping 20 baht ( about 50 cents ), the protective case and chain another 200 baht ( roughly $5.00 ). Very little on the cost scale but a great memory of a beautiful temple visit.

More pictures can be seen in the Thai Amulet gallery

Buddhist Lent Begins in Thailand

Talen — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 04:01:28 +0000

Buddhist statue at Wat Phra That Phanome

Today marks the beginning of Buddhist lent in Thailand. Buddhist Lent starts on the first day of the waning moon of the 8th lunar month (July) and ends on the 15th day of the 11th lunar month (October). Also known as the rains retreat or Khao Phansa in Thai.

it’s a time when all Buddhist monks will spend the next three months of the rainy season in permanent dwellings. In early Buddhism it was believed that if a monk or holy man traveled during this time when crops started growing they might accidentally trample new plants. Buddha himself said all that follow him should also follow in this tradition. This is the day that Buddhist monks will take a vow to stay in one place or temple which will house them from the coming storms and rain.

During Lent Buddhist monks aside from staying in one particular temple will teach those that wish to become ordained in the Buddhist doctrine. This will be the beginning of their studies.

Followers of Buddhism during lent are to refrain from bad actions such as alcohol or drug use, anything that would cause followers to lead an inappropriate life. During this time they will gain merit by meditating, listening to sermons and observing the 5 precepts. The precepts are

Abstain from harming living things
Abstain from taking things not freely given
Abstain from indulging in sexual misconduct
Abstain from speaking falsly
Abstain from using intoxicating drinks or drugs that cause heedlessness

In Thailand The monks will vow to stay in one temple and not leave the temple grounds. Normally the monks would walk the surrounding city or country every morning to receive offerings from the people but being growing season Buddha doesn’t want them to trample new seedlings.
The beginning of Buddhist lent in Thailand is a celebration centered around the ceremony of giving candles to the temples for religious worship. Colorful candle processions will be organized at each temple where the offering will be made by many participants. The procession itself will have many large ornate candles carved from bees wax into shapes of temples, religious figures, and creatures.

Offerings outside temple

The act of donating candles to the temple for religious worship is supposed to give great blessings to the donor. They will also offer food and other necessities to the monks and then the procession will walk three times around the temple. After which prayers and meditations will be done.

At this time a lot of buddhist followers will make resolutions to be a better person by giving up smoking or alchohol and observing the 5 precepts of Buddhism.

No matter what religion you are visitors are always welcome to take part in the ceremonies. Just visiting a temple on a non-holiday and making an offering is a very soothing experience that you shouldn’t miss out on if you get the chance.

Thai Police Waching Nude Chinese Teen

Talen — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 01:53:53 +0000

After the recent earthquake in China a 19 year old college student wanted to do her part to help out. So she went to the internet and made her appeal which was slightly better than that of other organizations. You see, a very attractive 19 year old Chinese girl promised that with every dollar sent to her she would remove more of her clothes!

Apparently, according to the Bangkok Post , the Thai police have been monitoring the situation because they are afraid other websites of it’s kind will pop up or be re-created in Thailand. In Thailand it is against the law to distribute or display nude pictures and those convicted of the law face up to five years in jail and up to 100,000 baht in fines.

I’m sure the Thai police have been diligent in their quest to make sure this doesn’t show up in Thailand…I would even bet they are making notes in the hopes that one day attractive Chinese girls will come to Thailand so they can arrest them for posting nudes of themselves. It’s not like there are any nude Thai girls running around Thailand. Thai girls or Chinese girls I’m sure the police are watching you.

Well, two things are certain. This Chinese girl is getting naked on the internet and the Thai police are very interested in her. That’s a good thing because that will keep all the girls on Soi Cowboy dancing naked without fear of a police raid. Only in Thailand.

I haven’t been able to find her actual blog yet but here are two Chinese sites referencing her work:

BBS. Ganji

Oddfish.cn

Note: no actual nudity is shown in this clip other than bare back, shoulders and legs…a shame really.

Update: Apparently she has never gotten nude just taken suggestive photographs which is fine by me as she is a very beautiful lady.

It surprises me still that the Thai Authorities have bothered with this investigation when they have their own problems with the sex industry in Thailand. Not only are men and women available in the red light districts of Bangkok and Pattaya there is also many internet sites catering to any sexual persuasion. Until Thailand cleans up it’s political system and starts offering a quality education to all including rural Thai’s then they will have a problem.

Thai girls, Chinese girls there really is no difference. Whether they are showing what they have on the internet or the bars of Bangkok and Pattaya it’s all the same thing. Thai bar girls have the advantage at least since it’s their own country so I doubt they are concerned with naked Chinese women on the net, But I would bet a few enterprising Thai ladies are using this example to help their own incomes.

For those of you that don’t know it is against the law to post nude photos on the web in Thailand. Seems odd considering they turn an eye to places like Soi Cowboy, Nana Plaza, Patpong and of course Pattaya.

Visakha Bucha Day in Thailand

Talen — Mon, 19 May 2008 00:47:56 +0000

Today is Visakha Bucha day in Thailand. Visakha Bucha is a very important day in Buddhist tradition as it marks the birth of Prince Siddhatha Gotama who Became Buddha thirty five years after his birth, and died 45 years after becomoning Buddha. All three of these events happened on the 15th day of the waxing moon
in the 6th lunar month,which is the day of the full moon.

Throughout Thailand people will be heading to temples to take part in ceremonies and give flowers, incense, and other gifts to Pay respect to the great teacher Buddha. At temples such as Wat Phra That Phanom many people will gather and circle the great pagoda three times before giving their respects. The great pagoda at Wat Phra That Phanome was built eight years after Buddha’s death and houses his collar bone which is revered as a holy relic.

The following history of Visakha Bucha is courtesy of the Royal Thai Consulate General in Vancouver.

VISAKHA BUCHA
(Vesak) means the worship of the Buddha on the full moon day of the
sixth lunar month. It usually falls in May. In the case of a year with
an extra eighth lunar month–Adhikamasa (there are 13 full moons in
that year)– the Visakha Bucha Day falls on the full moon day of the
seventh lunar month.

BIRTH-ENLIGHTENMENT-PASSING AWAY

The Vesak full moon day
(The full moon day of Sixth lunar month)

Visakha
Bucha Day is one of the most important days in Buddhism because of
three important incidents in the life of The Buddha, i.e. the birth,
the enlightenment and the passing away, miraculously fall on the same
month and date, the Vesak full moon day. .So each year, Buddhists
throughout the world gather together to perform the worship to
recollect the wisdom, purity and compassion of the Buddha.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The Buddha was a king by birth. His clan name was Gotama. He was born
in Sakya Kingdom, eighty years before the Buddhist Era (around 2625
year ago), at Lumbini Park (now called Rummindel, in Nepal, north of
India), in Madhayama Pradesa, located between Kapilavastu, capital of
the Sakya Kingdom and Devadaha, capital of the Koliya Kingdom, on
Friday, the Vesak full moon day in the year of the dog.

Prince Siddhatha (the Buddha’s personal name) was the son of King
Suddhodana and Queen Sirimahamaya. On his birthday, Queen Sirimahamaya
who was pregnant, wanted to pay a visit to Devadaha wich was her native
country.

In the morning of the Vesak Full moon day, the Queen left Kapilavastu
on a visit to Devadaha. Approaching a lovely park of Sals trees called
Lumbini, located between the two capitals but nearer to Devadaha, the
Queen wanted to visit the park and when she arrived at a Sal tree she
started contractions and gave birth to a son there. When the Kings of
Kapilavastu and Devadaha learned this, they were very happy and
arranged a procession back to Kapilavastu.

Prince Siddhatta was brought up in the midst of luxury, led the happy
life of a privileged youth and married at the age of 16 to Princess
Yasodhara or Bimba who bore him a son, Rahula.

He discontened and took on the life of a wandering ascetic a the bank of the Anoma River. He was then 29.

He studied the mystic practices of the foremost Brahmin ascetics and
realized that such practices were not the way to enlightenment. He went
on his own way applying the reflective thought of conscious meditation
to a rational simple life of moderation.

At the age of 35, he attained Enlightenment at Uruvelasenanigama
subdistrict, Magadha State, (nowadays, located in the area of Buddha
Kaya, Bihar State, India), on Wednesday, the Vesak Full moon day, the
year of the cock, forty five years before the Buddhist Era.

The Dhamma discovered by the Buddha was Ariyasacca or the Four Noble Truths, namely:

The Noble Truth of Suffering

The Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering

The Noble Truth of the Extinction of Suffering

The Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Extinction of Suffering

After having attained Enlightenment, the Buddha wandered from place to
place teaching his discoveries to people who are accessible to
instruction, helping large numbers of them achieve various levels of
spiritual attainment. He sent his followers to spread Buddhism in
capitals, cities and upcountry, until Buddhism was firmly established
and widely spread.

The Buddha passed away on Tuesday, the Vesak full moon day in the year
of the small snake under the two Sal trees in the Sala Grove of the
Mallas in Kusinara, capital of the Malla State, (nowadays located in
Kusinagara of Uttrarapradesa, India) at the age of eighty (around 2545
years ago).

The performance of the rituals on Visakha Bucha day had been
continuously observed in Jambudavipa or India, the motherland of
Buddhism, for a long time before Buddhism spread to Sri Lanka and
Thailand. There, the Visakha worship has been continually observed to
the present day.

In Thailand, Visakha Bucha observance began during the Sukhuthai period
(around 700 years ago), because of the close religious relations
between Thailand and Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan monks came to propagate
Buddhism in Thailand and were highly respected. Thai monks also went to
study in Sri Lanka. It’s believed that, those monks introduced this
ceremony to the King and people at that time.

More pictures of Wat Phra That Phanom can be seen in the gallery Wat Phra That Phanom.

Meeting the Thai Family

Talen — Mon, 12 May 2008 04:08:18 +0000

My last trip in January it was decided that I would make the journey to Mukdahan to meet the girlfriends family. I really didn’t know what to expect or how to act other than going with the flow. When we arrived at her village Most of the women in the family were waiting for us at the house and a few villagers stopped by to meet the falang as well.

They made sure I was comfortable on the front porch and then commenced to cooking food and pouring me a beer as I met everyone. After a little while an ornate silver bowl was brought out and I was asked to stand. Inside the silver bowl was a small banana, sticky rice and an egg. Another family member brought out a small pile of string. The contents of the bowl was placed in my left hand and one by one everyone present tied a string around my wrist while the others touched my elbow.

I was wondering if I was getting married and someone forgot to tell me, but as it turns out this is done for good luck.

Throughout the day more villagers stopped by to meet the falang and tie a piece of string on my wrist. Eventually day became night and we went to the local Thai BBQ to get food for everyone. Mind you I was buying. Some people will say this is the Thai’s taking advantage of the falang by making him pay but Thai culture says it is for the newcomer to gain face with the family and friends. When you can buy food and beer for twenty people and the total cost is $30.00 U.S. it’s hard to feel taken advantage of…especially when the food and beer last all night.

Over the next couple of days I was fed and watered well and driven around town and out of town to see all the sights which seemed to be worth more than the $30.00 I spent for dinner.

The rest of the night was spent eating drinking and meeting new people and having many strings tied to my wrist. It was an experience I’ll keep with me for a long time to come.

More pictures can be seen in the gallery My Trip to the Village

Songkran (Thai New Year )

Talen — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 15:23:58 +0000

Although Thailand officially observes New Year along with the rest of the world the ancient Thai new year known as Songkran is still observed and it is the largest and most fun of the Thai festivals.

Songkran, also known as the water festival, is celebrated in mid April and is the most important of festivals for Thai people. It’s a time of cleansing ones spirit as well as previous bad actions, the house and most importantly the Buddha figures. Songkran is also known as the worlds largest water fight!

Traditionally the Songkran ceremony was to pour water into the hands and drop scented water onto the head in order to wash away bad thoughts and actions…to cleanse ones spirit. Good words and wishes are spoken during the cermony for good luck in the coming new year.

The first day of Songkran is an important day to do good deeds. People visit the temples and give alms to the monks. The second day of the festival Thai people carry sand to the temples to build a small pagoda, this is called PHRA CHEDI SAI. These small sand piles represent personal pagodas built as part of a merit making ritual. The Thais believe when they leave a temple they take with them temple dust so making these pagodas of sand is giving back that which was taken. People also place flags at these sand pagodas to bring good luck.

The temples themselves traditionally move their holiest of Buddha statues to an outside pavillion for the people to sprinkle water on to purify it. You’ll also see people driving through the streets with Buddha statues in pickup trucks so they can be purified by the people.

Officially Songkran lasts only three days and all banks and government facilities are closed so the people can go home and celebrate with their families. More often than not Songkran unofficially starts a day early and in some provinces and cities, such as Pattaya, lasts more than a week. Songkran has literally turned into the worlds largest water fight and many tourist travel to Thailand this time of year just to take part in the daily Water hi jinx.

Unfortunately some tourists take the water fun too far by not observing the generally accepted rules of stopping water fights at dusk and not attacking someone not dressed for fun but for the most part everything goes well. One thing to consider if you are thinking of going to Thailand for Songkran is your safety. Streets are soaked and there have been accidents and deaths attributed to the water logged roads. Keep an eye out for your safety and you should have a blast.

A Trip to Issan

Talen — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 20:28:58 +0000

More pictures of my trip to Mukdahan can be seen in A Trip to the Village Gallery

Before my last visit to Thailand in January my girlfriend and I decided I would make the trip up country to meet her family in Mukdahan. Only ever seeing the tourist areas on my previous trips I didn’t know what to expect and of course my western mind came up with all kinds of scenes…dirt roads, huts, and of course the dreaded squat toilets.

Mukdahan is in the north east region of Thailand which is generally known as Issan. Mukdahan province is situated on the Mekong directly across from Laos. My girlfriend told me her family lives in a small village just outside of the city.

We had been in Pattaya to see friends and took an overnight bus to Mukdahan. From Pattaya it’s a ten hour trip but it wasn’t as hateful as one might think. The bus itself was a modern tourist buss with reclining seats, air conditioning and a bathroom. Snacks were provided and blankets for sleeping. Somewhere about 5 hours into the trip the bust stops at a roadside restaurant where a meal and drink is provided for free when you show your bus ticket. The one way trip was 695 baht or about $22.00. I even managed to make a new friend on the trip.

We arrived in the city of Mukdahan about 9:00am and grabbed a small tuk tuk to the Mukdahan Grand Hotel which was way more than I expected in rural Thailand. The Mukdahan Grand is easily a 3 star hotel if not a 4 star with large well appointed rooms and marble clad bathrooms. I thought it odd that the room was not only equipped with air con but also had heat. I would soon find out that the temperature this time of the year in north east Thailand can get down into the low 50’s, which is the equivalent of freezing in Thailand .

My western mind had already painted a a very rich rural scene for me before I got to Mukdahan so I was very surprised to find a very beautiful small city which was cleaner than any city I have been to in America. My girlfriend’s village, located just outside of town, was also a surprise of very nice Thai style houses and paved roads throughout.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be adding posts about my experiences in Mukdahan and Nacome Phanome . You can view pictures from my trip in the gallery or by clicking here: A Trip to the Village.

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