Farang Farang

I read this over at The Lost Boy. Matt, aka The Lost Boy, reports:

Out of nowhere, a spokesman claiming to represent 11 separatist group from the Deep South has declared an end to the violence.

What. The. F***.

Any groups who do not comply with this newfound peace will be dealt with accordingly, said the spokesman.

“We want to see peace and stability in the region. All forms of attacks have come to an end,” he said.

Hmm… That’s strange, because I just read about an attack on a Pattani police station. This makes me wonder about the validity of the statement. I am glad to be in good company with Matt, who is equally doubtful:

Surely a group of militants who have beheaded, burned and butchered innocents for years would not simply call it day and not have a strong reason for doing so. This makes them look weak.

We will see what happens. I would love to see the day when Thailand can put this mess behind itself and have the people all get along. I know it makes me sound like some darned hippy or somethting, but peace in the country would certainly be a boon in many respects. You can’t argue with that.

Kwampenthai refers to “Thainess” and is a word that refers to national pride. According to Pai Nai Ma, “The essence of kwampenthai is love of the nation, religion and king.”

This video shows some interesting tidbits of Thai culture. Enoy!

This video shows an important side of the tensions in Southern Thailand but does not do justice in really talking about Thailand’s role in causing the distrust between Thais and Islamic ethnic Malay people. Thaksin Shinawatra, the previous prime minister, did a lot to fan the flames and fomented violence in the south but this is almost glossed over in the video. After all, it is a VOA production, and the US government is on an anti-Islam kick, so I am not too surprised by this.

In case you somehow missed it, here is a video from the Songkran festival in Chiang Mai. Songkran is the Thai new year. The new year is 2551, which is the time since the Buddha’s life, just as we measure our years against that of Christ. Something interesting about Songkran festivals is the presence of water.

People splash each other with water and it has become quite a sport over the years. The water ritual started off as something much more meaningful, though. The role of water in many rituals, including this one, is symbolic of washing away the old and sullied parts of life so we can properly arrive in the new, glorious time. This is also seen in our own culture in the form of baptism.

Enjoy!

I don’t know about you but the Boy Scout troop I was in did not do any sort of dance performances. I think it’s interesting to see this kind of cultural difference – how Lord Baden Powell‘s idea has picked up local flavor as it has traveled around the globe but has not deviated in spirit from the original intentions.

I looked further into Thai Scouting and found this page, which states:

Scouting was first introduced in Thailand on July 1st 1911 by King Rama VI. Thailand was the third country in the world to take up Scouting. King Rama VI received his education in England. He was the first Thai monarch to have studied abroad. He graduated at Oxford University and also attended Sandhurst Military academy. He brought back with him many new ideas that he had seen. In Thailand he established the “Wild Tiger Corps” for adults and created a junior branch which continues today as the Scouts. King Rama VI is fondly remembered as the “Father of Thai Scouting” and every year on Scout Day, on July 1st, Scouts pay homage to his image and take part in parades. Thailand is the only country in the world where Scouting was directly founded by a monarch. It is also honoured with being one of the Founder Members of the World Organisation back in 1922.

Scouting appeals to the people of Thailand and receives strong support from the Royal family and government which has facilitated the steady growth and development of the organisation. The present monarch, King Rama IX, is the Chief Scout and under his patronage, Scouting has flourished in Thailand, and continues to develop many programmes to fulfill the needs of its young people and of the country. Thai Scouting has received much publicity due to its impressive work during emergencies. Such work includes taking part in ambulance and first aid teams, helping the Fire Brigade and assisting in flood control.

As a former Boy Scout myself, as well as a lover of Thailand, I found this very interesting. Cool stuff!

HIV and AIDS have been a serious problem in Thailand for quite a while. The problem has been largely ignored but some social activists, like the one running this hospice, have made great strides forward in bringing the problem to light and helping those who need it.

Wat Rong Khun is an all-white Buddhist temple compound that is currently under construction, begun in 2003 with the artist predicting the whole compound to take 90 years to construct. The coloring deviates from the normal orange, brown, gold and green normally seen in Thai Buddhist architecture. This is really quite a breathtaking video. And just imagine – in 85 years you might be able to go visit it and see the completed compound.

This video, by the folks at the Learning Thai Podcast, is rather long, but a great introduction to counting in Thai. They also have numerous other videos to help you learn this beautiful language. If counting isn’t your thing, go check them out for a different tutorial. They do a great job.

This is a wonderful video that features a Buddhist monk in Chiang Mai talking about Buddhism and the life of a monk. Great stuff and beautifully shot and put together by Kedar Video.

Another video from NanfengOranges.com. This is another view of a street market and the amount of food available there. It’s really astounding. Note the woman at about the one minute mark and how she chops away at the top of the coconut. I have seen this done in Asia and in Asian markets in the US and Canada, so not long ago, when I got a hankering for coconut juice, I decided I would give it a try. Believe me when I say that it is harder than it looks. I am glad to have all my fingers still attached!