The Thai Pirate - Thai Blog and Travel Stories

Birthday Ceremony

Every year, on my youngest sisters birthday, the family invite monks to the house to make merit. Work is off the agenda, but everyone mucks in to cook, clean, organise and be happy and social. This being little sister's 20th birthday means that this is probably the last occasion this type of ceremony will take place.

So I took the chance to take some footage of the day.

In the foreground, you can see one of the head monks melting candle wax into a pot of water; this is to bless the water so it can be used to bless the congregation.

After the chanting is finished, the food that has been prepared is given to the monks, who all tuck in and have a good lunch. There will be plenty leftover for everyone else after they have finished.

Finally, everyone has a little sing song to celebrate Noon's birthday, and she cuts the cake (warning: singing is included in this video)

Becoming a Monk....... Thai Boys who reach 20 yrs

Recently, a cousin of Sutiya reached 20 ... Most lads in Thailand who reach 20 go through a Buddhist ritual of becoming a monk for a few days / weeks... The evening before the big day, cousin has a few family around, asking them all for forgiveness for any previous wrongdoing(s), so that, he can be 'clean' before becoming a monk.

(Quite a turn out) The ceremony took place today, everyone gathering at a local temple and walking around the temple a number of times whilst bopping along to a mobile band who thump out a lively choon or two. If you attend one of these events its always a very friendly, sociable occasion, with some truly bad dancing (yes yes kettle black etc). That's cousin in the background under the umbrella, on some guys shoulders....

After the temple goers have walked around the temple a number of times, cousin enters the temple., followed by the rest of the buzzing crowd... Us, having a kid in tow, means we can gracefully bow out of all the walking bits and take a pew outside during the temple stuff... So for an hour we take in the cool winter climate beside the temple building, chuck the dogs some grub, and have a nice rest. Well done nipper.

Afterwards, we make a short journey to a local spot to get down to the serious task of eating.. On this occasion, a very nice Thai green curry, some grilled spicy chicken, and a large plate of thai pork salad... Yes.

But probably the best part for an English drunkhead like me is the beer Chang at the dinner table, with large bucket of ice. Being at a table populated by responsible Thai ladies, this unfortunately means I get lions share.. hmmm, is it beer o'clock already? 10.30am on a Sunday? Sounds alright by me ....

I really enjoy these monk-making ceremonies...

Temple fund raiser in Suphanburi

For the last month or so envelopes have been distributed around our local area to raise funds for the Lemon Temple in Suphan. The fund raising climaxes with an event and ceremony at the temple on a Saturday morning..

Its an early start - up at 5 to get ready, and cook up a light lunch for us and the monks. This routine must be the same for dozens of families throughout Suphan...  A good turn out, as you can see from the picture. We got their late-ish, so got stuck with sitting on the floor. Actually its quite an eye-opener how when I first arrived in Thailand I could only sit on the hard floor for about 2 minutes before the aching began.... These days I can manage about 10 without blinking. Probably cos I've lost a bit of weight, am a bit more flexible, I can curl my legs up underneath me quite easily now I'm used to it.

That's Sutiya and Noon counting out the cash from some of the many envelopes collected .. Every envelope has the name of the donor on the front, and after opening, the amount contained inside is neatly written on one corner . . After a few hundred envelopes, the amounts are toting up rather nicely. It's a testiment to Thai character and community that lots of people, who live day to day with little money, manage to find some for the pot.

Throughout there is a Buddhist ceremony in effect. One of the organisers has the loudspeaker most of the time, yapping away, with the occasional chanting... at other times the head monks get the mike for chanting and prayer... The audience sit quietly and raise their hands in the wai on occasion.

After just over an hour, it all breaks up, the monks are passed food by some of the younger members, and shortly after all the temple-goers move downstairs, or on the floor in front of the monks to eat.. Just before we eat, the loudspeakers announce the amount raised - a little over one million baht. Wow. Not bad going for a modest sized temple... All the money goes to the local poor.

Celebrating the Thai God of Art (part 2)

Continued from part 1

The monks have had their fill, and clamber into the back of a pick up truck to get a lift back to the temple. After the excitment of the small ceremony performed by the monks, it is time for the us to pay our respects.

A feast has been prepared over the last few days. A mixture of sweet and crunchy cakes, chicken, crispy and fresh rice noodles, various fruit and veg and yes, you've spotted them already...... Pigs heads.....

After we'd spent some time inside, the food is gathered up and taken outside, to be offered to Pa Wisa Nu. Everyone follows one another into the garden, depositing the food at the front of the spirit house.

Together, we then walk around the spirit house three times. When I first met Sutiya, we both came to Thailand for a holiday (.....to meet the parents), and took part in this same ceremony.

Whilst we were walking around the spirit house, Sutiya's father whipped out a rather smart looking black hand gun, and blasted it into the air for over a minute.

I didn't know whether to laugh or run.

Por left his gun in his trousers this year. I was a little disappointed (no need to scare the poop out of me anymore perhaps...... But it will be funny to see what happens when little sis brings a fella home. ha ha ha) !

Afterwards, everyone retreats to have a generally relaxed day, free of work. Here above, you can see that none of little piggy wiggy gets left to waste.

What did you think was in your pad ga pow moo? ;)

Celebrating the Thai God of Art (part 1)

My Thai family here hold an annual celebration at the house to celebrate the 'Thai God of Art', or Pah Wisa Nu, who represents all kinds of art in Thailand. It is believed that if you take part in such celebrations and prey for him, this will bring us and our workers luck and good fortune in our continued efforts to be successful in our business.

The ceremony begins early in the morning when monks come to the house to sit and chant with everyone in attendance. The praying lasts for about 5 minutes and then food that has been prepared is given to them.

The early start and chanting prove to be hungry work, and the monks busily get stuck in to their breakfast, whilst everywhere else in the house turning to chaos as people clamour about finding things to do.

Thanks is given to the monks after breakfast by Por, and small items and gifts are passed to them in gratitude.

More of the celebration in Part 2.