Stopped In the Name of the Law

High School Students Perform Lao Traditional Dance

Thursday night, Duang and I drove out to Ban Nong Han to attend a big party where her brother was performing.

It turned out the the party was for the retirement of a long time public employee for the Sub-District.

My brother-in-law and his group were not the only entertainment for the evening.  We were pleasantly surprised to see the local high school troupe, Ban Chiang Witthaya School Silipin Tai Puan, that we enjoyed at a previous retirement party in Udonthani on 13 Sept were also performing.

High School Cultural Band Performing

The high school students play traditional music using traditional instruments and perform traditional Lao dances while wearing traditional costumes.  Apparently the troupe helps to support itself by hiring out for private functions.  It is good to see that the unique aspects of Lao Loum culture are maintained and celebrated by the younger generations.

We arrived at the party location at 6:30 P.M., in time to see the entire performance of the Ban Chiang Witthaya School.

There were quite a few presentations and speeches before Duang's brother got to perform.  I was confused as to what was going on in regards to the retirement festivities.  I had a pretty good understanding of the man who had retired.  After people made a speech about him, he was presented with an envelope or a colorful wrapped box.  He then presented the envelope or box to the person who had just finished speaking. That confused me.  I asked Duang about it and she said the man who was retiring gave the gift to the person who had talked nice about him.  It seems that in honor of the person who is retiring, people bought a gift for the retiree to give to the big bosses.  Hmmm ... I wonder if many of my liberal progressive friends would approve of such a means of wealth redistribution or what their comments would be.  The retire did receive some gifts and actually got to keep them.  I was telling Duang that in America when people retire they get to keep all the gifts.  But then again in America, the bride and her pay for the vast majority of the wedding rather than here in Thailand where the groom pays for the wedding and the bride's family spend it.

Duang's brother'st was his typical great show.  In addition to Lon and the band, there were four dancers, a male performer and a female performer.  Two of the dancers I recognized from a previous show last year. One of them apparently remembered me, too.  When she saw me photographing her, she did a couple of her dance moves that I had appreciated so much last year.

One year later, still kicking and thrusting to the music

The people at the party were very friendly which was not all that surprising.  The Lao Loum people are very friendly and hospitable.  I was offered alcoholic drinks several times.  Each time, I thanked the person and explained to them in Thai and gestures that I do not drink beer or whiskey when I am driving because I am afraid of the police.  One man had some difficulty understanding and I had to explain to him three times.  It was not that I could not explain it properly or clearly - he was just so loaded that he could not understand why any one would refuse a free drink.  The others who heard and understood me, seemed to think that I was a little paranoid.

We left the party at 11:00 P.M. to return to our home roughly 30 minutes to the west.  As we drove along Highway 22, a four lane divided thoroughfare that links Udonthani to Sakon Nakhon, Duang remarked about how few cars were on the road.  It was a fairly easy drive back to Udonthani if I don't dwell on the man stopped on his bicycle on the left side of the lane I was driving in rather than in the breakdown lane. Fortunately he was wearing light colored pants that I saw just as I came upon him.  Duang did not see him until I passed him.  I am also not dwelling on the broken down motorbike on the left side of the lane that we were in.  In was a good night in that, on the way home, there were no vehicles driving the wrong way or motorbikes passing us on the wrong side or on both sides simultaneously.

About 1 km (1/2 mile) from our home where the Ring Road 216 intersects with the main road to Bangkok, Highway 2, we came upon a scene up ahead.  Duang who does not drive at night did not understand what it was. I, perhaps because I am paranoid, knew exactly what we were headed for - A police DUI checkpoint.

Being a child of the 1950s, we used to play cops and robbers with the highlight of our play being the "cops" yelling "Stop in the name of the law ... or I will shoot"  I don't ever want to get into that type of predicament here in Thailand or even back in the USA.  I always err on the side of caution and slow down and become prepared to pull over and stop. Often it is confusing because the Thai Police are often not that demonstrative or assertive with their hand or flashlight signals as to what their intentions for me are.

Thursday night there was no confusion.  There were two check stations in the road that had been narrowed down to a single lane at a point where there was no opportunity for a u-turn or any other turn to avoid the check point.  The car in front was flagged over to the first and I was flagged into the second.  I rolled down my window as one of the two policemen approached the truck. When he saw me he was surprised and said "Oh, falang." (Oh a foreigner).  I don't believe there was any ill intent in his remark.  I suspect it was more along the lines of "Oh a foreigner, this could get difficult if he is drunk"  He then said "Alcohol" and pointed a flashlight shaped device at me.  I had to blow at the device.  In about 5 seconds there was a beep and the policeman said "Varry gud"  I told him in Thai that "No problem.  I do not drink beer or whiskey.  I am afraid of the police.  Police love falang too much.  200 baht, 300 baht".  "200 baht, 300 baht" ($6+, $5 USD) refers to a practice where foreigners get stopped for "speeding", driving in the right hand lane rather the left hand lane other than passing, or some other minor infraction or perceived infraction but the foreigner can pay a 200 or 300 baht "fine" on the spot and continue on their way.  In six years it has happened to me four times but not in the past two years.  The policeman started laughing and wished us a good night and sent us on our way.  I have no complaints - the police were doing their job politely and respectfully along with a sense of humor.

If you flunk the alcohol on your breadth test, you are given a formal breathalyzer test on the spot.  If the tests or tests confirm that you are driving impaired, you will spend the night in jail, go to court the next morning and pay a fine depending how badly you failed the breathalyzer test.  The typical punishment is around 10,000 baht fine ($330 USD), perform 30 hours community service, and have your car confiscated for 6 months. This may seem rather lenient, but I still would not to spend a night in any Thai jail.  There is also a kicker - if you are caught a second time, any where in Thailand, you will go to jail for 6 months.

You might avoid the breathalyzer tests by paying a negotiated "fine", but once the breathalyzer test(s) are administered, everything is documented and recorded with extremely unlikely chance to avoid the justice system.

Duang and I returned home smiling and laughing about our experience.  I was reminded of an old saying from the 60s "Just because your paranoid doesn't mean you are not right"  Yes I may have been overly paranoid, but the other night it was wonderful approaching a checkpoint with complete confidence and without any panic.

I am a guest in Thailand, allowed to stay in the country for one year at which time I have to apply for a years extension.  I enjoy my life here too much to complicate or risk it by doing something that is illegal and even worse doing something wrong which I have complete control over.

Same Old Thing, The Joy Is Seeing It Differently

Khene Player Performing During Morlam Lao Show

Last week we attended one of my brother-in-law's Morlam Lao shows in the village of Si That here in Isaan.  The show was part of a festival at a Wat in the area.  The festival was raising funds for the local Wat.  Although the show was free, the performance attracted people to the Wat grounds where they could purchase  handicrafts, food, drinks, play carnival type games such as "Pop the Balloons with darts", or just plain out make a donation to the Wat while they were there.  The key was to get the people through the gates.  A Morlam Lao show here in Isaan is always good to attract a crowd.

I have lived in Thailand for five years now and I don't know how many of these shows that I have attended other than it has been quite a few.  These shows are performed for all kinds of reasons such as weddings, house warming, Monk ordination celebrations, anniversary of deaths, running for political office, giving thanks for winning an election, local festivals, certain holidays, fundraisers for Wats, and I guess for no other reason than they are fun.

I am fortunate that my brother-in-law earns his living as an entertainer.  I am made aware of many of these shows.  Most of these shows are small village events without any advertising other than word of mouth.  With his involvement in may of the shows and with Duang's large extended family, there seems to be ample mouths to get the word to me.  I enjoy these shows very much - the music, the pretty girls who perform, and interacting with the people.  I also enjoy getting out with the local people and dancing "fawn Lao" style.

Dancer Applying Make-up Backstage

I always bring my camera gear to photograph the shows.  I enjoy taking photographs at these venues.  After so many of these shows, you would thing that I would run out of enthusiasm for the photographic opportunities a show presents.  yes there are the ubiquitous shots of performers applying make-up backstage, putting on their platform go-go boots, and the dancers performing.  I am fortunate in that I can go back stage at will and photograph the performers. But perhaps I am most fortunate in that I am able to see each show as a unique event with its own individualized photographic opportunities.

A Dancer Ready To Go Up On Stage

My photographic style is constantly evolving so with each show I am striving to experiment with different techniques or perhaps different angles for the photographs.  Often the dancers and performers are different who will also often inspire me.  Best of all, it seems that someone will always capture my focus for the duration of the show.  The center of my attention can be a dancer, a singer, someone in the crowd, a musician or even some aspect of that particular show.  No matter the case, it makes each show that I photograph "different and special" for me - my personal spin on a well used phrase over here of "same same, but different"

"Same same, but different" can be an aggravating phrase to many, but for me it captures some of the allure of living here in Isaan.  Thai food is renown for the varied textures and flavors of each individual dish. The simplest of dishes is actual quite sophisticated for the palate.  Well life is also quite remarkable when you allow yourself to fully explore it and delve deeper beneath its surface. "Same same, but different" exemplifies the possibilities for us.  What may seem banal and common place, can be stimulating and rewarding if we just allow ourselves to recognize and appreciate its subtleties.

Khene Player In Si That

For the show in Si That, the khene player became the focus of my photography efforts that night.  We had given him a ride from Udonthani to Si That along with my brother-in-law and his manager.  The khene player was very quiet and reserved on the hour drive out to the show venue.  He was very reserved as he sat upon a saht behind the stage applying his make-up. Unlike my brother-in-law who uses a more traditional flat white pancake make-up for his performances - thing along the lines of Dracula, the khene player used darker tones of make-up to accentuate the contours of his face.  This made for better portraits in that it created greater contrasts and implied shadows on his face.

Once the khene player had changed into his "work clothes" and completed his make-up he looked completely different than the person who sat behind me in the truck.

Once he grabbed his khene and went up on stage he was a different person than the person who sat behind me in the pick up truck.  He had been completely transformed.

So what is the khene and what significance does it have to Morlam Lao music?  The khene is a reed instrument.  It is the ubiquitous instrument of Lao music and in many aspects it helps to define Lao culture.  The khene is to Lao music what the lead electrical guitar is to rock and roll music.  Besides playing the melody, the khene player, like the lead guitarists, also creates the environment in which the singer performs.  The khene player dances, struts, and jumps about the stage as he plays.  His pelvic thrusts accentuate parts of the melody. He or she are entertainers as well as musicians.  This guy was very good so I had plenty of good opportunities to photograph him.

Facial Expressions Are Essential Too

So it was a Morlam Lao show the same as so many others that I had attended.  It was the same but different at least for me because of the khene player.  Focusing upon him during that show had revealed to me an aspect of the shows that I had not fully experienced before. It was an experience that I am pleased to share with others.

When I was working, I essentially had the same duties and responsibilities on my assignments for the last fifteen years of my career.  I never grew tired or bored with the assignments, "same same' as they were because although they were "same, same" they were also different.  Although the duties and responsibilities were the same, the magnitude of the projects were greater but more importantly the environments were very different.  For last ten years of my career those same duties and responsibilities were being performed overseas in the midst of different cultures.  The satisfaction and stimulation that I sought came not from achieving what I was accustomed to but from achieving it with all the challenges presented by unique cultures and situations.

So what does "same same but different" have to do with photography, my former career, this blog and perhaps you?

Well, they are all connected.

It is about enjoying life by exploring it deeper.  It is about not taking things for granted and willing assuming that it is all the same.  It is also about learning, continually learning.  It is about learning to appreciate and value the differences and subtleties that surround us

The joy is not in the comfort of the "same same" but in exploring and discovering the "but different"

One of my reasons for writing and maintaining this blog is to share the "but different" that I have found in "Allen's World"

Sailfest 2011 Fireworks



Fireworks Over the Thames River

 The past two weekends have been busy here in Groton.  There have been two celebrations which provided Duang a little more flavor of American culture.

On July 4th, we attended the annual Groton Fourth of July parade.  The parade had a small town flavor to it and the highlight actually was watching the small children around us.  I was able to explain the Revolutionary War and Groton's role in the rebellion fairly well to Duang.  However I was not able to explain very well the large women roller skating down the street as part of the parade - they were representatives of a women's roller derby league.  Duang was just as much at a loss of understanding of the concept of "roller derby" as to why large women in unflattering clothing would be roller skating down the middle of a street in full public view.  I don't always succeed in explaining the idiosyncrasies of American culture but I always try.  As Duang often says "Thailand not same America".  I have seen women walking down the street in Thailand but they were always wearing their best clothing and behaving demurely and acting dignified - often part of a religious procession or celebration.

The big highlight of early July was the fireworks display on July 9 as part of Sailfest Celebration in New London across the river from Groton.  The fireworks display this year was sponsored for the 19th year by the Mashantucket Indian Tribe.  My parents had often told me how nice the fireworks were so I was determined to see them with Duang this year.  The Mashantucket Tribe own and operate Foxwoods Casino in Ledyard.  As I posted on FaceBook "Thank you to all those who gambled and lost (I guess that means just about everyone) for making this spectacular show possible."

I had been told that approximately 300,000 people could be attending the fireworks celebration so I knew that Duang and I needed a plan.  My first decision was that our plan would exclude driving our car to the event.  Fortunately the fireworks are fired from barges in the Thames River just upstream from Electric Boat - an area that I had walked to many times as a young boy.  I figured that the best place would be in the parking lot of Garbo's Lobsters.  Saturday afternoon just after lunch Duang and I drove down to the area to scout out optimum viewing locations.

As we drove, I was shocked to see how many streets were going to be closed to parking for the event.  This only reaffirmed my decision that we would be walking that night.  We made it down to Garbo's and the entrance to the parking lot was roped off.  Some people were lined up at 12:50 PM to enter the parking lot.  I spoke with some people and they said the the street along the river was going to be closed to traffic at 3:00 P.M.  Just before 1:00 PM a couple of men showed up to remove the barrier to the parking lot.  I spoke to one of the men, obviously the "Boss" since he was carrying a clipboard, about being able to walk onto the parking lot later for the show.  From our conversation I determined that it was possible but whether I had a car or not the fee for a space was $30.  I informed me that there were only a couple of spaces remaining.  It didn't matter to me because I had no intention of paying that amount!  Upon leaving the property I spoke with a family waiting to enter, the husband informed me that he had spent $90 to view the fireworks that night.  He also told me how crowded that it got in the Garbo lot and surrounding area.  He suggested that we walk down and place lawn chairs on the sidewalk across the street.  That sounded like a pretty good alternative to me and definitely a great deal cheaper.

Duang and I returned to our car and drove down Thames Street reconnoitering vantage points.  Everywhere along the river bank barriers had been set up to restrict access.  Property owners were either denying access to the river for their own use or were charging $20 to $30 a car for parking.  I remembered many fond days at Fort Griswold State Park overlooking the river, so I turned the car right to climb the heights to get to the Fort.  Just as our drive along the river vantage points were roped off and parking was severely restricted along the streets - either no parking along one side or no street parking allowed at all.  However when we got to the Fort, I could see people already entering the park carrying blankets, ice chests, and blankets.  From the sights it was obvious to me that this would be our site to view the fireworks.

Since the afternoon was still young and we had our plan, we drove over to New London to attend Sailfest.  Once we arrived in new London, I could not find any available parking for less than $20.  Undeterred I had an idea; we would drive to Shaw Cove, park the car, and walk to the festival.  Shaw Cove is an office development which houses government offices such as Social Security and Veterans Administration along with many doctor's facilities.  Since it was a Saturday afternoon, I thought that there would be plenty of parking,; free parking.   Well I was partially right there was plenty of parking but it was $20 a vehicle.  I found an empty lot that had a sign stating "Event Parking" with no barrier tape or attendants.  As I pulled in, the attendant from the lot across the street walked over to me.  I asked if I had to pay for parking and he confirmed that it was $20.  I told him that it was not personal and had nothing to do with him and inquired if he had a boss.  He confirmed that he had a boss after which I responded "Tell your boss, he can go ... himself"  The guy laughed and we returned to our home in Groton.

I had lived for a time in California where we also had festivals.  At those festivals the city persuaded or perhaps strong armed the local developments to allow the use of their vacant parking lots for festival use.  I suspect that the city provided police surveillance as well as clean-up services for the lots while they were being used.  The businesses contributed to the festival at no cost to themselves - a good deal for everyone.  The city also provided free shuttle service between the parking lots and the festival site.  I believe that New London is missing out on an effective and economical way to encourage festival attendance by not doing something similar.  However New London is the city that a few years ago made international notoriety by refusing to hire a policeman candidate because he scored too highly on an aptitude test.  They informed the applicant that he was too smart to be a policeman in New London.  I will write no more on that matter.

Part of the Gucci Fireworks Show

After returning to Groton, commencing at 6:00 P.M. we walked from my parent's house to Fort Griswold with our car conveniently parked in the driveway.  It was a beautiful night for a walk and most importantly - fireworks show.  The sky was clear.  There was no wind and the temperature was just right for sitting outside without a jacket.

I selected a scenic as well as nostalgic route to get to the Fort, showing Duang the way and building that I attended elementary school, pointing out where long gone restaurants, movie theatre, and friend's homes were located.  It was interesting how much the area had and had not changed over the past 4 decades.  Of course it was all new to Duang which made it exciting for her.

We had not travelled far when the wisdom of not driving a car was readily apparent.  The roads around the park and leading to the park were all closed to traffic other than pedestrians.  Police were at the intersections maintaining control.  We like so many other people walked up the center of the streets past the homes where residents were grilling as they enjoyed ice cold beverages.  All in all it was a very relaxing and festive atmosphere on our way to Fort Griswold.

We arrived at the east side of the park and walked leisurely towards the monument and Bill Memorial Library.  It was very impressive.  There was a mobile Connecticut State Police command center set up along with some ambulances staffed with several EMTs.  The area was well organized and under control.  The control was not oppressive or intimidating but just sufficient to keep thousands of people from getting out of control.  There were vendors booths set up along the road as well as booths where you could buy food and non-alcoholic beverages.  There were also plenty of Porta-Cans available should the need arise.  All in all I was very impressed with the planning and organization apparent along the viewing venues.

I stopped and asked a Policeman if the Fort it self would remain open for the duration of the show.  I believed that the park typically closed at sunset.  He replied that it would remain open for the show.  That was good enough for me.  Duang and I entered the fort and soon found a nice spot on the slope to set our beach blanket.  As it turned out we were actually almost directly behind and about 150 feet above my original planned destination of Garbo's Lobsters. After seeing all the closed roads, I knew that this location was superior for getting out at the end of the show.  It was also cheaper - $0.00 each.

There were a great deal of people watching the fireworks.  Many of the people were drinking.  We were out for 4-1/2 hours and did not see one incident of bad or threatening behavior.  It was, unlike many events in Isaan, a very peaceful as well as relaxing celebration.  Back in Isaan we attend many outdoor shows and we have only stayed from beginning to end at about 4 shows out of about 35.  There is drinking at those shows too but Duang always makes me leave when the fights start and the fights almost always start.  In Isaan it seems like the people get drunk, sloppy drunk; the kind of drunk where the person loves everybody and wants to be every body's best friend.  At some point this aggressive friendliness crosses the boundary of acceptance and becomes a perceived slight or affront.  A push or a punch is made and the fight is on.  Once a fight starts the night is fairly well ruined.  The initial combatants are usually separated but ancillary skirmishes break out between the people trying to break up the inital combatants.  "Face" is often lost which requires combat until "Face" is somehow believed to have been restored.  In general people are not afraid of the Police so running skirmishes continue until the concert is completed or shutdown by the Police.  Duang is afraid that somehow I will get involved in the middle of all this so she has me leave.  The funniest thing was the closest that I got to being involved was at the last show.  I had been dancing at the front of the stage in the "Mosh Pit" area.  Duang became fearful and walked up and brought me back to sit on a chair in front of the police.  While I was cooling off, she went off to buy me a soft drink.  While she was away, the first fight broke out followed quickly by a couple more.  The crowd ran in panic down the center of the viewing area.  The combatant ran along the edge of the viewing area right where Duang had placed me for "safety".  I dodged a couple empty beer bottles that had been thrown not directly at me but in the general vicinity of some "bad guys" that happened to run near me.  I went over to Duang's mother and hovered over her as I told her to go back to our truck.  She was impressed that I was concerned with her safety to the point that I am still in her good graces almost 9 months later.  Needless to say the excellent behavior of the crowd at the fireworks show made a very big impression on Duang as she told me "Amerika not same Isaan"  For me, this was an occasion that I was glad that "Amerika not same as Isaan".

 
 

 
The fireworks lasted about thirty minutes but it was a very intensive thirty minutes.  Tandem fireworks were constantly being fired into the sky.  There were all kinds of colors, sounds, and sights from the exploding fireworks.  There were special fireworks that when they exploded created star patterns and even "Smiley" faces.  Some fireworks exploded to create bi-colored hemispheres.  By chance we had watched a show on cable two weeks before about how fireworks were manufactured or more appropriately "created".  For us it was even more enjoyable to see the melding of science and art to create such an enjoyable art performance.
 

Our surprises for the night were not over.  The police kept the roads closed until most of the pedestrians had cleared the area.  Duang and I were home 30 minutes later and in bed and I am convinced - before many people in their cars had even got on the feeder roads out of the area.

The night had been very enjoyable and a tribute to the organizers of the event.
 

Kok Sa-nga, King Cobra Village

Kok Sa-nga Resident Fights A King Cobra

About two weeks ago, I watched a very interesting National Geographic documentary titled "Hiss of Death" from 2004.  The program dealt with a small village in Northern Thailand where King Cobras are kept as pets and used in local shows.  As it turned out the village, Kok Sa-nga, is located in Isaan outside of Khoen Kaen which is 90 minutes south of our home in Udonthani.  Much of the program dealt with a young 8 year old boy, "Touk", who wanted to be a snake fighter like his uncle, Khun Tongkum.

In 1951 a man named Khun Ken Yongla from Kok Sa-nga discovered an herbal remedy for poisonous snake bites.  He prepared the medicine and sold it to local people who were happy with the product.  Mr Yongla went door to door selling his remedy.  To increase sales, he decided to bring a snake in a wooden box with him as he went from village to village.  As people gathered around to look at his cobra, he would market his product.  Even today traveling medicine or "snake oil" shows ply the back roads of Isaan.  I wrote of one such experience in Tahsang Village over a year ago in my blog
http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2009/09/snake-oil-salesman-health-care.html  Originally Khun Ken used a spitting cobra in his marketing strategy but after 6 (!!) years he changed over to using a King Cobra which does not spit its poison.  The King Cobra has to strike in order to utilize its venom.  This makes it safer for the audience.  Khun Ken used to take his children with him out into the countryside on his sales trips.  He developed a wide reputation for his skill in handling snakes.

In 1982 the Tourism Authority of Thailand investigated reports dealing with Khun Ken and Kok Sa-nga Village.  They found that over 200 King Cobras were kept as pets in the village.  It was during 1982 that the King Cobra Club of Thailand was founded at the local Buddhist Temple - Wat Srithumma.

The program was fascinating and with the village being rather close to our home, I decided that we needed to visit the place.  As is standard operating procedure for planning our trips, I researched the location on the Internet.  I found directions to the village as well as more information about the program.  I decided to go on a weekend because village school children take part in the shows when they are not attending school.  My research also indicated that the best time to visit was during Thai New Years (Songkran - Mid April) when there was a large celebration.  Since the village was not far away, I decided to visit it now to determine if it was worthwhile to visit during Songkran.

We located the village with no problem at all.  From Udonthani we took Highway 2 south towards Khoen Kaen.  About 35 km north of Khoen Kaen, we exited left onto Highway 2039 towards Nam Phong.  At 14 KM from Highway 2 there is a narrow dirt road on the right that leads 600 meters into Kok Sa-nga.  You take the first left in the village and the first of the snake shows is 1/2 Km on the left.

There are two venues for snake fighting in Kok Sa-nga.  The first one that you encounter is a private enterprise.  The second one which is located about 200 meters further down the road at Wat Srithumma is run by the King Cobra Club of Thailand and receives some government support.  Having been to both shows, with both shows not charging admission, with both shows seeking donations, and with both shows lasting about 20 minutes each, I recommend that people visit both locations.  Both locations also allow photography including the use of a flash.

Our first stop was at the private enterprise.  There appears to be no formal show times.  We had arrived around 11:00 A.M. and were in no hurry or on any schedule.  I was content to just sit around and watch the local residents doing their thing.  My photography is "documentary" style so I do not necessarily have to have a staged event to take pictures that I seek.


A Snake Fighter Kisses The Head of a King Cobra

In front of the show pavilion there were booths that sold snacks, drinks, souvenirs, clothing items, and herbal "medicines".  There is limited parking in front of the pavilion with additional parking across the street.  There were not many visitors on the day of our visit.  We waited about five minutes for the start of the show. The performers congregate around and seem to perform so that visitors do not have to wait very long.

Both shows commence with young girls dancing to Mahlam Lao music.  Midway through their dance, pythons are draped over their shoulders.  After awhile dancing with the snakes the girls place the snake's head in their mouth.  Pythons are none poisonous however as I watched I could not help to be somewhat concerned about bacteria on the snakes getting into the dancer's body.


Kok Sa-nga Man With King Cobra In His Mouth


After the dance, older men fight King Cobras.  At the private show, the man was more violent as well as aggressive with the snake.  He used his fists and feet to actually touch the snake.  At the second venue, the man resorted to more shadow boxing type movements to illicit strikes from the cobra.  Both techniques were interesting to observe.

Man Versus King Cobra

When the older men were completed, a young boy fights snakes but not King Cobras.  The snakes that the young boys fight are extremely quick and aggressive.

Touk, now 14 years old, Fights A Snake

At the King Cobra Club of Thailand we were greeted just as enthusiastically as we had been at the private club.  I immediately recognized Touk from the National Geographic program.  He is now 14 years old and continuing to learn his uncle's trade of snake fighting.  I did not see or if he was there I did not recognize his uncle Khun Tongkum.

Touk The Snake Fighter

Touk and the Other School Aged Performers of the King Cobra Club of Thailand

This Young Girl Loved to be Photographed



King Cobra Club of Thailand Performer

After the show we stayed around to talk with the villagers.  They were as interested in learning about us as we were in learning about them.  I took photographs of the young performers while Duang continued chatting with the villagers.  Here in Isaan, people never seem to be at a loss for words.
Prior to leaving, the villagers placed two pythons over my neck and shoulders.  I made sure that the villagers had not told the snakes that I had eaten python when I lived in Vietnam.  They had a good laugh.  We all had a good laugh when Duang overcame her fear and posed with one of the pythons over her neck.


Brave Duangchan Holding a Python - Her First

We enjoyed our visit and we will return in April for the large celebration.  We were pleased to have witnessed another unique aspect of life here in Isaan.

Young Kok Sa-nga Villager Dances to Mahlam Lao Music As She Heads Home

Go-Go Girls At The Door to The Water Underworld

It has been over a week since my last blog, but it is not because we have not been doing anything. To the contrary we have been very busy. I have completed reviewing approximately 2,000 35mm slides from the past 32 years. I ended up with 57 packets of 35 slides with identification labels attached. After boxing them up, we were off to the Post Office to ship them to the USA where they will be sent to India for digital scanning.

Saturday we set aside everything and went to a show put on by Duang's brother.

Her youngest brother continues the family tradition of performing. Duang's father is a former mahlam morlam (Lao traditional music). His youngest child puts on and performs in the modern versions of the shows. The shows are popular throughout Isaan. Performances are presented for religious holidays, weddings, festivals, anniversaries of a death, Monk ordination celebrations celebrations, and sometimes - to just have a party. Often as you travel the roads of Isaan you will pass trucks loaded with staging, sound equipment, musicians, and dancers traveling to or from a performance. Often in the middle of no where, you will stumble upon a show venue. The shows are put on in the morning, afternoon, and nights - sometimes all night long.

The shows are typically comprised of a live band. For big shows such as Siriporn Amphaipong the band has 16 musicians. Duang's brother's band runs 6 to 8 members. In addition to the lead performer there are other singers. Duang's brother typically has 3 to 4 other singers whereas big shows can have up to 8 other singers. The shows always have dancers. At one Siriporn Amphaipong concert that we attended, I counted 56 dancers - male and female. Duang's brother has 3 to 4 female Go-Go dancers. His show's complement depends on how much money that he gets paid for the show. More money gets more performers and more musicians. Typically a show will last 6 to 8 hours. Most of the time the shows are free. When we attend the big Siriporn Amphaipong productions, it costs around $3.00 USD for the 6 hour show.

In downtown Udonthani, there is a street alongside Wat Matchimiwat there is a street where many Mahlam Morlam performers live. They live in very narrow and small tin roofed buildings with large advertising banners for their shows over the doorways or utilized to provide additional weatherproofing to the structure. The entire front of their home opens up to the sidewalk when the sliding doors are opened. The residents can always be found sitting at concrete tables and chairs that are set on the sidewalk. There is a very strong sense of community amongst the residents of this street.

Saturday's show was scheduled to start at 10:00 A. M. at Wat Kham Chanot about 2-1/2 hours from Udonthani, so we arrived at the performer's street at 6:15 A. M. As we sat outside on one of the concrete benches, people were just getting up and starting the day. In addition to Duang's brother's show that morning there was another show to prepare for. Young girls, the Go-Go dancers came out of their houses and either set off to the local market to buy breakfast or to sit on the concrete benches to commence doing their hair.

Go-Go dancers in Thailand wear elaborate hairdos. The hairstyle, like their dance moves, are very reminiscent of the late 1960's. Typically hair pieces are worn that provide long tresses down the dancer's back and a large bun of curls on the top of their hair. A tiara is often used to accentuate the hair style.

Upon arrival at the show sight, the girls set their shopping bags of cosmetics and plastic boxes of costumes in the sheltered area behind the stage that the roadies had set up earlier. After placing sahts, the ubiquitous woven reed mats, on the ground the dancers commenced the laborious task of applying their make-up. Like the singers in the luuk thung shows, the dancers wear heavy makeup. The eyes get very special treatment - many different layers of powders, liners, and outrageously long eyelashes.




I sat down and just photographed the girls as they prepared for their performance. It was not long before we were joined by some young children. Two young girls stood by intently observing the go-go girls applying their make-up. Their attentive demeanor was much like any young girl watching a bride to be applying her make-up on her big day. These young girls were perhaps dreaming of the day when they will be watched as they apply their make-up before a show. This is a reality of Isaan. To escape the grips of poverty and limited opportunities in the region, many young women enter into the entertainment field. The villages of Isaan are continuously supplying fresh young dancers and entertainers to local shows as well as to the tourist centric establishments in the bigger cities.


In a previous blog I noted that people working in the garlic fields make 100 baht a day ($2.85 USD). The 18 and 19 year old dancers that work for Duang's brother are paid 500 baht for a 6 to 8 hour show. In addition the dancers are often given tips from people watching the show. Spectators often walk up to the edge of the stage to hand a singer or dancer a gift in appreciation of their performance. Gifts are often 20 or 100 baht bank notes but sometimes are fresh flowers or paper chain necklaces like we used to make in elementary school to decorate Christmas trees. The exchange and acknowledgement of the gifts is a significant as well as important component of the performance. Tips from a show can run from an additional 200 to 1,000 baht for a dancer depending upon the venue.


Saturday's show was at a Wat Kham Chanot out in the middle of no where. This Wat is an important place for the local people. It is located in an area known as "Wang Nakhin" - (Naga Place). Nagas are water serpent creatures that have mystical powers. In ancient times the worship of naga spirits was practised in China, India, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. The belief if not worship of these spirits remains today in many areas - in particular Laos and Isaan. There is a shrine located on an island out in the middle of the rice paddies that is reached by walking along an elevated zig zag concrete elevated bridge. At the head of the bridge leading out to the island are two naga heads. Their bodies lie atop the railings of the bridge out to the island. The shrine is built on an island where the local vegetation has remained untouched. Huge palm trees and all kinds of tropical plants flourish at the site. The name of the site "Kham Chanot" is derived from the tall chanot palm trees that grow unencumbered on the island. There is a large elevated pool of water at one side of the site. People walk up to the side of the pool to collect its waters in plastic bottles or to sprinkle the water over their head while reciting some prayers. I was told that this was very special water because it was very old and came out of the center of the Earth. This mystical and spiritual site is considered to be the door way to the water underworld of the naga. Outside of the shrine there were three gongs varying in diameter from 6 feet to 2.5 feet. The gongs were made out of thin metal and had a round protrusion pressed out in the center and smaller bumps pressed out of the disk closer to the edge. I have seen these before and I have actually rung them using a mallet placed near them. However Saturday was different. After kneeling before the gongs, saying a prayer or two, the worshipper placed their hands inside the hollowed out protrusion and vigorously rub their hands back and forth. For most of the people, and for some unexplained reason - all the children, the gong would start to vibrate and give off a loud as well as an un-earthly hum. Apparently this facilitates the prayers being heard by those who can do something about the requests.

On the land side of the Wat complex, a festival was being held. These festivals are very similar to the church bazaars held by the Catholic Church back east in America to raise money to support the Parrish. There were booths with local foods for sale. Other booths sold small fireworks. There were stalls where typical festival games such as breaking balloons with darts, shooting targets with air rifles, and throwing rings over bottles. There was a small merry go round for very small children as well as a large inflated slide. There were even two trampolines for children to jump on. I knew that I was not in America when I noticed not "Release of Liability" documents to signed by the parents, anyone spotting at the side of the trampolines, 3 to 5 children jumping on each trampoline, and no lawyers hovering around in eager anticipation of a negligence suit. The children had a great time just being children on a hot sunny day jumping and falling on a trampoline under the shade of a blue plastic tarp. Part of the joy I have in Thailand is due to the innocence of the children as well as the adults here. It is much like the America of my parent's childhoods that they told me about so many times. A place where people are free to be themselves and not preoccupied with the fears of not being politically correct or intimidated by the specter of capricious litigation. A place where you can stop and talk to babies without aggravating the parents. A place where taking photographs of strangers is accepted as an honor or compliment rather than as a perceived threat.

The festival at the Wat was several days long. As part of the celebration rockets were being launched. Saturday there were several rockets launched with a great roar and swoosh. Little boys perhaps in dreaming of or contemplating the future fired smaller bottle rocket type fireworks into the sky at the edge of the rice paddies.

The previous night a stage had been erected and a makeshift movie screen had been set up. A movie was shown for the enjoyment of the villagers and others. Others? The movie was apparently a comedy that the villagers enjoyed very much as well as the phii (ghosts) that showed up to watch. Apparently several ghosts had been observed watching and laughing along with the people. This area is well known amongst local people for having friendly and good phii.

Anyhow - back to the Go-Go girls.

The show started at roughly 10:00 A. M. The girls danced with a great deal of energy as well as enthusiasm - song after song after song. The music has a rapid driving beat and the dancers synchronize their movements to the music. Often strong drum beats are accentuated with large pelvic thrusts by the dancers. Other popular dance moves are leg kicks, flailing arm movements, and even squats. The routines are very similar to what American teenagers and Go-Go dancers were doing in the late 1960s. Can it really be 42 years ago? Despite the provocative dance movements, the dancers are actually rather modest. They wear a tight opaque short tee shirt over their bra and underneath the "brassiere" portion of their dance costume. Underneath their dancing skirt they wear pantyhose covered by black very short-shorts. More skin is seen at any beach in the USA than is seen on these Go-Go dancers. Of course more can be seen inside the clubs and bars of the bigger cities but that is an entirely different culture and venue. The modesty of the dancers includes their costume changes. There are no dressing rooms at the concert venues so the girls change costumes behind the stage. They put on a typical Isaan or Lao long skirt and pull it up to their arm pits and change inside the skirt.

The Go-Go girls danced outside the doorway to the naga waterworld from 10:00 A. M. until approximately 1:00 P. M. when the show took a 45 minute break to eat. The show and their dancing resumed from 1:45 P. M. until 4:00 P. M. in the glaring sun. The temperature was at least 90 degrees F or 95 degrees F all afternoon. The afternoon set was more energetic than the morning set. The catalyst was the audience. The audience was very energetic and animated in the afternoon. The performers fed off the crowd's energy. The catalyst for the audience was beer, and whiskey. By the afternoon after several hours of drinking, everyone was in a party mood. I was busy filming the show at my brother-in-law's request so my involvement in both the drinking and dancing was limited. Even so, by 3:30 P. M. I was sick - sick from the heat and sun.

The go-go dancers had danced approximately 4.5 hours during the 5-1/4 hour show but their day was far from over. They and the rest of the company had to drive 4 hours to the south in order put on another show starting at 9:00 P. M.. The night show would continue through the night and end around 7:00 A. M. The dancers would earn another 500 baht plus tips for the second show. We were invited to join them for the second show but I wasn't too proud to admit that I couldn't handle it. I needed to get home and recuperate from another memorable experience in Isaan.