Naga-mobile

In Gotham City, Batman drives around in his Batmobile.  His Holiness, the Pope, while traveling throughout the world is driven around in the Popemobile.

On Thursday, Duang and I attended a house warming here in Udonthani.  Duang's youngest brother had been hired to provide the entertainment for the celebration.  Here in Isaan, people have a party when they move into a new home or start a new business.  Part of the celebration is a merit making ritual where food offerings and goods such as robes and toiletries are given to the Monks.  The Monks and the family walk around the house three times before the Monks inspect the home and bless the home as well as occupants.



Monk Leads Procession Around New Home

After the religious aspects of the celebration have concluded, there is typically a live show to entertain the people.  The show typically lasts around 5 hours.  The celebration always includes a great deal of drinking and eating.

When we arrived at the new home, actually a new shop house, the religious portion of the celebration was about to commence.  The family will live on the second and third floors while the first floor is reserved for cooking and more importantly the family's whiskey distribution business.  I noticed an elaborately painted Mazda pick up truck parked in front of the home.

Nagas Guarding A Stairway In Luang Prabang, Laos

The truck was decorated in a religious motif, the mythological snake creature "Naga".  The Naga is a large snake creature that is found in Hindu as well as Buddhist religions. Nagas are not allowed inside of the temples but you will often find sculptures of the Nagas on the stairways leading up to the temples. For the Lao Loum people of Thailand and the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic (Laos) living along the Mekong River the Nagas are still believed to rule the river.

7 Headed Naga Outside of Temple In Luang Prabang, Laos

It did not take very long for me to determine that this tricked out vehicle, which I nicknamed "The Nagamobile" was the transportation for the Monk.  Monks are not allowed to drive but some temples have vehicles that are driven by laymen to transport the Monks.  In this case, it is a very special vehicle.

 

 

 

Headed Back to the Wat

I waited for the Monk to get back to the Nagamobile so that I could get some photos of him and his special vehicle.  Duang explained to him what I was up to.  As so often happens around here, the Monk was more than accommodating even requesting that Duang take pictures of me and him in front of the truck.

On the Road Again !

I often find myself smiling these days.  My smiles are neither condescending or scornful.  I am smiling the smiles that an inner joy and contentment brings.  Thursday was another one of those days of smiles ... thinking of the nagamobile.

Kept On Truckin

Back in 1968, in the first issue of Zap Comix, there was a one page comic strip of many different men strutting confidently (i.e. about 25 degrees vertical from the ground with a distorted view of the bottom of their lead shoe) across different landscapes.  The drawings became iconic images of optimism of that era.

Even today there are many men over 60 years old that, to their embarrassment, still have a "Keep On Truckin" tattoo on their upper arm.

Well the other day during my stop at the staging area for sugar cane deliveries at the Kumphawapi Sugar Company, I came upon what I felt was Isaan's response to the proverb to "Keep On Truckin".

Parked amongst all the various models and ages of trucks heavily laden with freshly harvested sugar cane was an Isuzu lorry.  Lorry?  Lorry is a British term for "truck".  Upon close inspection of the vehicle, I could not in any good faith refer to it as a "truck".  Fred Sanford, the television character, drove a truck.  Jedd Clampett, another television character, drove a truck.  This vehicle was unlike any thing that I had seen before.

Riveted Bodywork - A Long Lost Practise

After some Internet research, I determined that Isuzu commenced manufacturing "lorries" in Thailand in 1957.  I strongly suspect that this was a lorry from 1957.  Why?  First of all the lorry did not have a sheet metal body. It had a STEEL body.  I saw portions of the fender that had RUST thicker than the sheet metal used in today's vehicles.  Secondly, portions of the bodywork were RIVETED construction.  I looked closely to ensure that the rivets were not for decorative effect.  Thirdly, the vehicle did not have doors on it.

No Need for Doors ... or Upholstery!

Closer inspection of the driver's compartment revealed a wood bench seat with no upholstery or cushioning other than a folded saht that the driver had placed himself.  There were no side windows either.  With no doors or windows there was no need for air conditioning.  There was no radio or GPS.  This lorry added a new meaning to "bare bones".

This lorry was obviously over 50 years old and still running.  This in itself adds a totally new aspect to the adage that they do not build them like they used to.  Given the lack of the Lao Loum "preventative maintenance" practises in regards to mechanical equipment, the fact that this lorry is still able to perform is a testament to the design and durability of its construction.  Here in Isaan, when something is broken it is typically repaired by shade tree mechanics.  With thick steel construction, dents are minimized, rust through is reduced, and repairs are easy to make when necessary.

The trailer portion of the lorry was constructed of wood and with a unique color scheme - definitely not original and most likely not even "lead free".  As I photographed the lorry I kept thinking of all the repairs that were made to keep this lorry... to keep this lorry truckin.

It appeared that the  windshield had been replaced.  The windshield seemed to fit properly but had a unique mechanism to keep it in place. Three ropes were strung across the face of the windshield to fasten it to the steel frame of the cab.

Yes this lorry has been kept on truckin long after comparable vehicles in the USA have been scrapped.

Once again I had witnessed how important it is that things be fit for purpose rather than "looking good".  Once again I had seen that planned obsolescence once could be resisted.  Once again I marvelled at the persistence and ingenuity of the Lao Loum people to make do with what is available ... for much longer than you might expect.

"Keep On Truckin"

What A Difference A Week Can Make - Cane Harvest

Sugar Cane Trucks Awaiting Offloading

Last week, activities in the fields in Isaan centered around rice cultivation, more specifically threshing this year's rice harvest.  As you drove along the narrow country back roads you would see clusters of people in the parched paddies collecting the sheaves of rice for threshing.  You would encounter small farm trucks transporting bags of threshed rice back to the farmer's home.  Occasionally you would encounter a small farm trucks transporting sugar cane from the fields to a refinery.  Well one week has changed all of that.  The three month sugar harvest is now well underway.

A Typical Isaan Farm Truck

The back roads of Isaan on now filled with large, very large, and heavily loaded trucks transporting harvested sugar cane from the fields to the sugar refineries. These trucks will run all day and well into the night for the next three months.  The heavy trucks and amount of trucks take a heavy toll on the roads.  It seems that the roads are destroyed after two seasons of the sugar harvest requiring the roads to be replaced every three years.  yes that's right - destroyed every two years and replaced every three.  That is the way it is out in the countryside.  For one year you learn and become adept at avoiding the potholes, lumps, and bumps of the back roads.  I often joke with the local politicians and officials that if they will fix the road that year, I will vote for them.  I suspect that elections are every four years so the roads are fixed every three years as demonstration of the elected officials performance.  Right now the road out to Tahsang Village is great (the elections were in November).

Sugar Cane Laden Trucks At Kumphawapi Sugar Company Refinery

The loaded trucks take the sugar cane to sugar refineries.  On our way to Tahsang Village, just outside of Kumphawapi, Kumphawapi Sugar Company has their refinery.  Between the road and the refinery which is set a ways off from the road, is a large parking area.  The area used to be unpaved and was covered with a thick layer of very red dust.  This year the company greatly improved the parking area, it has been completely paved over with concrete and has a grass covered berm built around it. It is much better now to walk around it taking photographs than when the dust got into everything.  I suspect that the local residents are even more thankful.

The refinery has a limited capacity to offload trucks and to process the sugar cane.  The result of the refinery capacity and uncoordinated delivery of cane to the refinery, is a huge logjam of cane laden trucks at the entrance to the plant.  The parking lot is where the trucks await their turn to enter the refinery and offload their cane. During the height of the harvest, truckers can wait up to three days for their turn to be offloaded.  It reminded me somewhat of the huge line of trucks lined along the highway for about 20Km (roughly 15 miles) during the soy bean harvest waiting to enter the port of Paranagua, Brasil to ship their cargo out.

Trucks In Line to Enter the Refinery

At the Kumphawapi Sugar Company, the trucks arrive and log into the security office.  The truckers are given a number and they park their trucks to await their turn by number to get into the line to enter the refinery.  We spoke to a trucker and found out that he had already been waiting one day.

Passing Time, Waiting For Their Number To Be Called

Hearing that he had been waiting a day and knowing that some truckers end up waiting three days to offload, got me to thinking about how the truckers make money.  Do they own the trucks?  Are they hired to drive someones truck?  Are they paid by the hour?  Are they paid by the day?  Are they paid by the load?  Are they  paid by the weight of cane that is delivered?  Fortunately Duang was with me to ask and get answers for me.

For the most part, the drivers are hired by companies that own the trucks.  The drivers are paid by the amount of sugar cane that they haul.  The driver that we spoke with is paid 6 Baht ($.002 USD) per metric ton of sugar cane hauled.  For a tandem trailer, two 35 ton loads, he makes 420 baht ($14 USD).  General farm labor had been running 150 Baht a day but now it is closer to 300 Baht a day ($10 USD).  So running and offloading in one day is not that bad.  However, taking two or three days to offload is not very good.

The drivers pass away the time by socializing, listening to ethnic music, and sleeping.

Have Hammock, Will Sleep

Many of the drivers will sleep in their trucks overnight.  Food is readily available.  Townspeople have set up little stalls outside of the parking area where food and drink are available.  Some of the drivers, like the driver that we spoke to, drive their trucks back home for the night and return to wait once again early the next morning.  They keep the same number in the line until they are off loaded - whenever that may be.

Although it was a public holiday, The King's Birthday/Father's day here in Isaan, some people had to work.  Their work schedule is dictated by the ancient cycles of farming - times for sowing and times for harvesting.  There is also the need to take advantage of any opportunity to make a living.  Where opportunities are great, any opportunity, no matter when, can not be ignored.

Sugar Cane Trucks In Kumphawapi On Father's Day

Every Picture Tells A Story

The cliche, "Every Picture Tells A Story", has been used widely as well as often.


I would like to use it today to provide my interpretation of a few photographs from the recent rice harvest here in Isaan.

I had written about the rice thresher that had been used to thresh the family rice last Saturday. I described how it was old, had no doors, and was most likely held together by the many coats of paint on it. Today while editing photos from my other camera of the threshing process I came upon some photos of the thresher. One of the difficulties of maintaining a blog and taking so many photographs is that there is often not sufficient time to review and edit all photos before posting a relevant blog entry in a timely fashion. My preference is to post blogs in a timely fashion because it better connects this world with the readers world(s) in real time. I want to share the life of real people in real time with others to enhance the experience for all. This often requires a compromise with writing the blog and perhaps using all the optimum photos.

When I worked on the photos of the threshing machine today I remembered the cliche and it occurred to me that every picture tells a story but what story does it tell? It is like a picture of a 12 oz glass with 6 oz of water in it. Is the story concerning a half empty glass or a half full glass. We all know that the story is based upon one's perspective, experience, and personal agenda. So it is with these photos.

One story about these pictures could be centered around the negatives and the things that the thresher, machine and man, do not have. There are no doors, there are not adequate lighting, there is no air conditioning, there are no safety belts, there are no ..., he doesn't have much money, he doesn't take care of his equipment well, he doesn't look after his safety very well, he doesn't ... , he isn't ... This is the story of pessimism.

The story that I want to share is a story of optimism. I see a piece of equipment that is fit for purpose and gets the job done. In more developed countries or areas, a threshing machine could cost $100,000 USD or more - well beyond the ability of Isaan farmers to purchase or to support. This threshing machine, in its current state and condition, serves the needs of the local community of subsistence farmers. The owner besides being able to provide a needed service to his community as well as to support his family.

On a typical day of the month long harvest season, he will be paid about 8 bags of rice for a total of 240 bags for the season. One bag will feed his family for two months so he will acquire more than enough bags of rice during the harvest to feed his family. He will be able to sell the surplus rice to dealers and agents for about 500 Baht ($15.11 USD for 110 pounds of rice) a bag to pay for diesel fuel, and other operating expenses as well as to support his family.

In a one month harvest season, he will earn 117,000 baht or the equivalent of 9,750 baht a month for the year. This is no where nearly as good as the crab fishermen on television's "Deadliest Catch" but pretty good for a Thai farmer.

This story of optimism is also a testament to the freedom that many people here in Southeast Asia to make a living as best they can and anyway that they can. There are not many government regulations, permits, reports or applications necessary to start up a small business. The people are free to exercise their initiative and entrepreneurial skills to make a living no matter their economic status. They focus on what they can do rather than finding or wallowing in the excuses for all the things and reasons that they can not.

Although there is not a Thanksgiving holiday here in Isaan, I am sure that the Lao Loum people are thankful to be able to earn a living, with minimal governmental interference and involvement, even with equipment that is only just fit for purpose - a blessing that we should all enjoy.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

New Truck Blessing

We were up at 5:30 A.M. this morning in order to get out to the Wat near Tahsang Village in time to offer food to the Monks. After making merit, our truck was going to be blessed by one of the senior Monks.

On our way out to the village we stopped in Kumphawapi to buy some ready made food from the morning market. We then stopped at Duang's mother's house so that she could join us. Today was a holiday so the roads were not very crowded. Despite it being a holiday, the fields were busy. Farmers were busy harvesting sugar cane, preparing the harvested fields, and planting cassava in the former sugar cane fields. The sugar cane harvest has just started and is limited to small trucks - so far. Later in the harvest which will run well into the new year, large tandem trucks will take over hauling the harvested cane to the large sugar refineries.

Today we drove out to a Wat that I had not been to before. This Wat was set out in the middle of the sugar cane fields towards the flood plain. Duang said that it was very old and had been there for 100 years. As we drove along the dusty dirt road towards the Wat, we came upon a road crew. Local villagers - men, women and children were busy trimming the heavy vegetation from the side of the road and were busy - very busy filling in some of the many ruts in the road. Later men were in the trees cutting off branches. Some red, white and blue pennant flagging nothing to do with any delayed 4th of July celebration, they are also Thailand's national colors)lined parts of the narrow road to the Wat. Later I found out from Duang that the next day, representatives from one of the local bus companies were going out to the Wat to present a check to the Abbot to help support the Wat.

The Wat was very primitive but very impressive. It's beauty was in its simplicity. The grounds were very well maintained and filled with trees, flowers, and plants. The buildings were plain wood and cement block. Situated throughout the grounds were wood cages with various types of birds in them. Some of the birds may have been talking birds but I couldn't really tell - they may have been speaking Lao but don't know it well enough to distinguish it from normal bird squawking.

The entire grounds had been swept with brooms. It was more of a nature preserve than a Wat. It was very peaceful.

Some women were preparing the offerings of food for the Monks. Duang gave them our offerings and she went to a smaller building where there a senior Monk. he appeared to be the Abbot. Two other women were there to make merit. The elderly Monk was quite a sociable person. He talked and talked. It was obvious to me that it was small talk rather than any spiritual lecture or dissertation. Later it all made sense to me - the Monk's last name was Veeboonkul - Duang's family name. The Abbot was one of her many uncles! I often tease her about how many relatives that she has around here - today she had the joke on me! This also explained why her mother accompanied us out to the Wat.



















After the Monk finally finished with the normal merit making ritual, he started the ritual to bless our new truck. Once again the ritual was more of an incorporation of Animist beliefs and practices than a true Buddhist ceremony. After having me open the truck front doors, the Monk walked around the truck counter clockwise while carrying a small plate with thin yellow candles on it, an amulet that we had received before from another Monk, and a small statue of some sacred religious person, a Buddhist ornament that we had purchased at a "special" Wat in anticipation of having a vehicle, small laurel type leaves, and some money on it. He also had a hunk of cotton rope with him. As he walked around the truck he was very carefully checking out the vehicle almost to the point of giving the truck the "evil eye".



Upon completing his circumambulation of the truck, Duang's Uncle climbed in and sat behind the wheel. He seemed to be imitating driving the truck as he was chanting so softly that I could not hear him. Upon completing his incantations, the Monk took the cotton rope and wrapped it around the steering column at the bas where it penetrates the firewall. At this point, the ritual hit a technical snag. The cotton rope was not long enough to tie around the steering column. As much as he tried, he could not bind the strings together. He called out to one of his lay assistants who rummaged through the small building before he finally came to the truck with some colored cotton strings that are used for Bai Saii rituals (binding the 32 spirits inside a person's body to ensure good luck and health). These strings did the job just fine - completing the loop and binding the spirits of the truck. I was busy photographing and filming the ritual.

The Monk then honked the horn of the truck three sets of three distinct and LOUD honks - completely taking me by surprise - much to Duang's amusement. Having scared the bajeepers out of me and most likely the spirits, the Monk pulled out a magic marker and drew three symbols on the steering wheel hub. He then focused on the headliner above the driver's seat. He seemed to be either praying or meditating as he drew a complex graphic on the roof above the driver's seat. I had seen this done before but the Monks had used a chalk paste. I surmise that Magic Marker is a concession to modern times and an effort at greater permanence. The Monk hung the two flower garlands that Duang had purchased from the Kumphawapi Market from the truck's rear view mirror. Having completed with the vehicle's interior, the Monk exited the truck and had Duang, Duang's mother, and me kneel on the ground in front of the truck. He grabbed a fairly large bucket of water along with a coarse reed brush. He circumambulated the truck three times sprinkling the truck as well as us with the water from the bucket using the coarse brush.

The ritual was now completed and the truck had been properly prepared for our use.

Back at Duang's mother's home, Duang glued the statue, amulet, and Buddhist ornament to the dashboard to ensure that the protection continues.

Isaan Area Back Roads

Driving along the roads of Isaan presents a series of challenges as well as "surprises"

Having developed a certain familiarity with driving on the left hand side of the road is not the conclusion of adapting to driving in Isaan. Isaan is an agricultural area so many of the roads traverse fields and farming villages. Although the roads are typically paved, there are many dirt roads or partially paved roads that add to the challenges of driving here.

In areas where sugar cane is grown and along the country routes to the sugar refineries, the roads are seriously degraded. The large and heavily laden trucks hauling cane breakdown the pavement very similar to the breakdown of roads in northern climates due to frost heaves. The soil in Isaan is mostly clay which is not a very good engineered fill material. Houses and roads are built upon elevated sections of land created by backfilling upon clay with more clay. These elevated portions of ground are not resistant to infiltration of moisture or worse yet - errosion by rains during the rainy season. I was advised not to buy a home that had not weathered at least two rainy seasons. Some newer houses have cracks and settlement issues during the first two rainy seasons due to improper backfilling operations.


The United States has areas with similar soil conditions as in Isaan but utilizes different construction methods to ensure adequate structural soil base for roads and homes. In Louisiana, oyster shells, lime stabilization, geo-textile fabrics, and importation of granular engineered fill materials are used in combination to provide structural integrity.


Here in Isaan the techniques used in Louisiana are too expensive if they are even available. After the heavy haul season, which will end in about 4 months, the roads will be repaired. They will be repaired by removing the damaged pavement, filling in the ruts with more dirt, compacting the backfill, blading the surface to required contour, and paving with asphalt. This will provide a fairly nice road until next year when it will all have to be redone - just like this year.


The ruts, dips, and in some spots - holes create a maze and challenge for driving. When I first started driving here, I seemed to hit every road hazard that there was. Now my driving skill has evolved to the point where I can dodge just about all of the hazards. Dodging involves swerving or driving in the wrong lane along with driving on the shoulder to avoid obstacles.


Now that we are in the dry season, large clouds of dust are kicked up as you motor along the roads out to the villages. Young women driving motorbikes have adopted a technique of squinting their eyes, covering their mouth and nose with one hand as they drive with the other hand. The young boys, in general, just tough it out.


Just outside of a local village the road has been undermined by running water creating a fairly large as well as deep hole that encroaches into 1/3 of the road lane. When the hole first appeared about 9 months ago, one of the villagers placed a broken tree branch in the road as a warning ahead of the hazard. In Thailand as well as Malaysia, broken branches are used to warn motorists of disabled vehicles or road hazards. As you drive along and see a fresh tree branch in the road, you need to watch out. The use of the broken branch is a good idea except that most of the time it is only 10 to 20 feet from the hazard - you see and have react to the branch at the same time as the hazard. Now that the hole in road has been there for 9 months the villager no longer sets out broken branches. A more permanent warning has been installed for the dangerous hazard - a long bamboo stick has been placed in the hole. The bamboo pole protrudes about 5 feet out of the deep hole.

As you drive along avoiding all the road surface hazards, you must be aware of the surrounding traffic sharing or in some cases usurping the road. Along the country roads there are many farm vehicles similar to trucks. These vehicles, called "etan", transport workers to and from the fields as well as tools along with harvest. They are always slowly moving no doubt due to the small (lawn tractor sized diesel engine) engine that powers them. As they move down the road they make a "tuk, tuk, tuk" sound. They are not pretty. They are not fast. But they are reliable. I have yet to find one broken down along side of the road. One of my favorite sights here is to see one of these running down the road with the driver's wide brimmed bright yellow straw hat with the brim flipped up vertically in the front from the breeze with 6 to 12 family members of all ages standing in the back cab on their way back home after a long day in the fields. These farm vehicles are a menace only in that they are so slowly moving.

As you drive in addition to all the motorbikes, driven by 12 to 80 year olds, you will encounter three wheeled motorcycles called "somlaws". Somlaws are used for just about all purposes. They are used like taxis to take people to where they want to go. Some people own a somlaw rather than a motorbike or car. At the markets you will find many somlaws parked waiting to be hired. Somlaw drivers like most people here carry cell phones and can be called for door to door service. There are no posted rates. The price of your journey needs to negogiated and agreed to prior to departure. The charges are reasonable - one way within Udonthani limits is around $2. We pay the somlaw driver that comes to our home, takes us into town for shopping, and brings us back - $6.00 USD for our 2 to 3 hour trip. On main roads there are locations will congregate. These locations are where people get off of songeaws (songtels). The songeaws are pickup trucks that have a canopy and two benches in the pickup bed for passengers. The songeaws travel a set route. The trucks have a number as well as color that specifies the route that they travel. Duang and I have traveled fro Udonthani to Tahsang Village entirely by songeaw - a journey of 30 miles for 50 baht ($1.43 USD) each - one way. It is a very economical way to travel but slow. It takes 2 hours whereas I drive it in 1 hour. It is reassuring though to know that if we did not have a vehicle we could still get around even if it is slow.

Regular trucks drive the back roads of Isaan. But, this being Thailand, "regular" is a relative term. Just as in the case of songeaws where I have seen 20 people riding in the back, outside of the back, AND ON TOP OF THE PICKUP BED CANOPY, passengers, sometimes ride outside of the cab of trucks. There appears to be no problem in this behavior. The police stop mostly motorbikes for lack of helmet by the DRIVER (Passengers are apparent exempt from the requirement), and to check for the appropriate license. Cars are stopped mainly for driving in the passing lane without actually passing anyone (Yes,I was guilty as charged - 200 baht, $6.00 USD fine "on the spot") or speeding.

Besides the other vehicles you encounter livestock along Isaan roads. All cattle here are "free range". There are no feed lots for cattle. The cattle with their herder wander about from early morning until sunset foraging for feed. The cattle consider the road to be an intigral part of their territory. They have a great deal of practise in that they do not panic when they encounter any type of motorized vehicle on the road. They continue at their determined pace in crossing the road or in their ambulation along the side of the road oblivious to the speed, size, or number of vehicles trying to get by them.

Sometimes you will come across an "etac". Etacs are versatile devices. I refer to them as mechanical mules. They can be used to plow and prepare the ground for planting. A compartment can be added to them to transport goods or in this case a family and their best friends. These vehicles which are much smaller, and slower than the etans share the road with everything else. As you drive your full sized pickup truck you execute all kinds of twists, turns, swerves, accelerations, and deaccelerations to avoid the roadway challenges as well as perils.

With this being Isaan, it all seems to work out somehow rather harmoniously. You don't get upset to see someone coming straight at you in your lane. You pull slightly over to make way for him and they only take what they need of your lane to get around whatever is in their lane. Lane designations are more of a suggestion in people's minds than a territorial demarkation. Everyone gives and takes without emotion as required by the current situation. To avoid having to travel a little out of their way to find a turnaround along the road, some people driving any and all types of vehicles will travel in the wrong lane towards on coming traffic. They do this in the breakdown or shoulder along the road so as far as I can tell (so far) head on collisions are avoided. I have become comfortable to expect the unexpected here and I am seldom left unamazed at what passes for driving

Duang has remarked that I drive good in Thailand now. She then smiles and adds that I will need to be afraid, and the police will complain when I drive again in America.

I believe that she is right. It will be different.