Where Flowers Come From - At Least In Bangkok




Colorful Orchids For Sale From A Retailer - Roughly $1.00 a large bunch

Our trip to Bangkok at the end of last month, gave us an opportunity to see and do some different things.  One of the things that we had not done before was to go to the Bangkok Flower Market, Pak Khlong Talat, - at night.

Marigolds For Sale At Pak Khlong Talat Entrance

I had seen some of the periphery of flower market on a visit to Bangkok's Chinatown back in 2006 however it was in the late morning when the flowers had been distributed to retailers and set up at the various stalls.  According to my research the best time to visit the flower market is at night after 10:00 P.M..  The market is open 24 hours a day but it is especially busy at night when new flowers arrive into the city and the wholesalers are occupied receiving shipments and distributing them to retailers.


Pak Khlong Talat Flower Market, Bangkok

Flowers play a very important role in the day to day life of Thai people.  In the larger towns and cities at major road intersections you will find vendors, or more correctly vendors will find you, selling floral garlands that are hung as offerings from rear view mirrors of vehicles in the hopes of having good luck for one's journey. The garlands are created by the vendors from jasmine blossoms, orchids, roses and marigolds and are beautiful.


Bunches of Flowers For Sale, Bangkok

Our home in Udonthani is very close to the intersection of Thai Highway #2 the road from the Lao border to eventually Bangkok.  Every morning the same group of vendors of "Phuang Malai" can be found at the intersection. I have lived here in Udonthani for three years now and have seen enough accidents and near misses that I support Duang in her belief of hanging a Phuang Malai from our truck rear view mirror - anything that possibly could protect us on these roads is worth doing!  It has gotten to the point where we know one of the vendors.  He gets a kick out of me speaking either Thai or Lao to him just as much as I enjoy his attempts to speak English.  Each Phuang Malai costs 20 Baht ($0.60 USD) and in addition to the bit of beauty that it adds to the truck, it quickly adds wonderful fragrances of jasmine or other flowers to the truck.  I can't complain about it - beauty, scent, and protection - all for $0.60 USD - besides it keeps my wife happy.  It has gotten to the point now that our favorite vendor will occasionally give us two Phuang Malai for the price of one - another example of the civility and kindness of the people here in Isaan.

Besides the garland vendors along the roadways, there are several stalls selling Phuang Malai as well as other floral arrangements along with loose flowers at Wats located in towns and cities.  Their products are sold to worshippers to use as offerings during merit making rituals.  In large metropolitan areas such as Bangkok, I suspect there are vendors at every Wat; making up a huge demand for flowers.

Just as in the West flowers and floral arrangements are used in Buddhist funeral rituals.  The floral arrangements used at funerals are made by florists in the towns and cities.  The floral stock comes from flower stalls at the local markets in the larger towns or nearby cities.

I have been amazed during my travels along the back roads of Isaan to see the Lao Loum people's affection for flowers.  In small poor rural farming villages, most of the homes will have flowers growing in front of the homes.  Typically the flowers are growing out of "pots" created out of painted recycled tires.  Yes this is Isaan and the people are very adept at making do with what is available to them.  Interestingly enough many of their adaptions enhance the quality of life to a level that is experienced by only people who are much more monetary richer in other cultures. Some of the homes even have orchids growing from containers attached to trees in their front yard.

The appreciation and utilization of flowers in everyday life creates a great demand for flowers throughout Thailand.  In Bangkok the Pak Khlong Talat is the largest floral market in the city.  Besides the flower market there is also a vegetable market at the "Market at the Mouth of the Canal".  We caught a glimpse at the vegetable market during our night visit but we were tired and focused on returning to our hotel rather then exploring further.  I guess this will be another reason to return to Bangkok someday - visit the vegetable market at night.

Flowers Wrapped in Moist Newspaper To Maintain Freshness

Colorful Flowers Available at Pak Khlong Talat

Flowers are delivered to Pak Khlong Talat from the nearby provinces of  Samut Sakon, Nakon Pathom, and Samut Songkran which are located southwest of Bangkok in the delta, and bottom lands of the Chao Phraya River.  Some flowers such as roses (50 long stem retail for less than $2.00 USD) are trucked in from northern areas around Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.  In the late 1960's as part of Thailand's efforts to eradicate opium production by the Hill Tribes, the King of Thailand initiated programs to teach and encourage the people to cultivate flowers and vegetables instead.  We have seen huge fields of marigolds as well as other flowers during our visits to the area.  In February there is a huge flower festival in Chiang


Edge of the Market - Taxis being filled with flowers, hand trucks, carts



A Tuk Tuk Being Loaded Up With Flowers

Unlike our adventure to arrive at the Royal Barge National Museum, our taxi driver had no problem getting us to the flower market.  He stopped outside of the market area due to the streets being clogged with just about every kind of conveyance either delivering or shipping flowers.

Orchids At A Stall

Most of the flowers arrive at the market in pickup trucks of the local growers.  Like their neighbors, the Vietnamese for motorbikes, the Thais have made an art out of loading pickup trucks.  It is very impressive how much produce, flowers, firewood, eggs, pigs, or people that a Thai can transport in their pickup truck.  It adds a whole new meaning to the term "working truck" for someone who had lived in California for many years.  Some of flowers arrive by small boats on the Chao Phraya River direct from the farms down river near the Gulf of Thailand.


A Porter Prepares to Transport A Load of Flowers to a Local Shop

The trucks are parked along the streets in the market area and offloaded by men and some women using large woven bamboo baskets and either carts or hand trucks.  The market area is made up of a few narrow streets but mostly narrow alleys where it would not be possible to drive a pickup truck even when they were not encroached upon by stalls, food stands, pedestrians, and offloaded merchandise.  Part of the market is in old warehouses - open sided tin roofed structures carved up into small stall and booths as well as old Chinese traditional shop houses; shop at ground level with living quarters above with ornate exterior decoration.  The streets and alleys are lit from a combination of dim street lights, light spilling out of established shops, and strings of temporary lighting. It can be quite confusing and perhaps for some people intimidating but that is what makes it so interesting for other people.


Family Members Making "Phonem Baii Sii" at the Flower Market


The market was a beehive of activity, besides the movement of flowers, some people were busy making products out of the fresh flowers for sale in the morning.  As was typical for the market, the businesses making floral arrangements, garlands, and Pahn Sii Khwan were family run small businesses.  Often you could observe three generations working closely together for the family's benefit.


Porter Delivers Fresh Flowers to a Retailer

With this being Thailand, there was no worry as to anyone going hungry or thirsty at the market.  There were several shops that sold cold drinks either in the can, bottle, or in a plastic bag filled with ice.  Beer was also readily available.  The same shops also sold prepared snack foods.  There were several "sidewalk restaurants", a few plastic chairs, a couple of folding tables, a portable charcoal fire, a pot of soup, and a hose hooked up to a nearby spigot for washing dishes.  A man was grilling fish along with meat on a BBQ made from one-half of a steel barrel and doing a thriving business.  A few of the more established side walk restaurants even had a small television playing Thai shows along the lines of "Hee Haw" or "The Gong Show".  I watched several porters relaxing at one of the "restaurants" - drinking beer and watching TV while their hand trucks and baskets lay close by in the street.  They noticed me taking some pictures and started to pose.  I went over and told them that I liked taking pictures of people working but that they were not working.  We all had a good laugh.  That is how it was at the flower market - people relaxed, enjoying themselves and others while working to make their city a little more special. If you have to work, I guess that it is a good way to be.

A Porter Delivers Another Load of Flowers

A Female Porter With Two Handtrucks of Flowers and Lotus Leaves

Eventually Duang and I decided to return to our hotel.  We had no where near explored the entire flower market along Chak Phet Road and its side streets and alleys but we were tired.  We needed to get some sleep for the next day we had places to visit and things to do - once again.

Small Arrangements For Sale - CHEAP

The Royal Barge National Museum

Duang and I have been to Bangkok more times than we care to remember; many of the visits related to business with the American Consulate.  On our last trip last month as part of Duang's process to obtain a US Green Card, we decided to visit some places and do some things that we had not experienced before.  One place that we had not visited before was "The Royal Barge National Museum".

According to many Bangkok travel guide books and web sites, people should arrive at the museum by boat.  The museum is located across the Chaophraya River in Thonburi. The guidebooks and the websites state that going to the Royal Barge National Museum by land is "long, hot slog from the road via jumbled alleys with scant signage".  First of I consider guidebooks as well as websites to be just that - "GUIDES".  They are like schedules in that they provide a means to develop your own itinerary based upon the information that they contain.  They provide a means to evaluate and modify your trip as situations develop.  They in themselves are not the end all or only means for determining your trip.  Interestingly as you perform more and more research on a location you find that the information more and more closely resembles each other.  Many websites and guidebooks are obviously based on the same source of information.  It reminds me of the saying about one bad apple ruining the whole bushel basket of apples.  How many guidebooks and websites caution against eating "street food"?  How many travelers never experience the delights of local cuisine because of fears inspired by guidebook recommendations.  Just about every guidebook cautions against using ice cubes in your drinks while in Thailand.  In reality the ice cubes are manufactured by companies using pure water and transported in plastic sacks in clean trucks.  I use ice cubes throughout Thailand just like the local people do.  The locals do not want to become ill any less than I do.  You haven't drank a beer here in Isaan unless it is from a glass with ice cubes in it - like the locals do.

As for accessing the barge museum from the road - our biggest problem was getting the taxi driver from the Lumpini Park area of Bangkok to understand where we wanted to go.  I told him in English, and pantomimed rowing a boat in the special style used for Royal Barges.  He was amused but did not seem to understand any better.  Duang spoke in Thai and he didn't seem to understand.  I mentioned "Thonburi" and the 1,000 kilometer stare started to recede from his eyes.  We showed him on a map but the map was entirely in English which doesn't help all that much with a Thai driver.  However it seem to boost his confidence if not ours that he knew where we wanted to go.  We set off in the heavy downtown Bangkok traffic for our intended destination.  Fortunately there was heavy traffic so that the driver had more opportunities to consult the map.  After awhile I recognized that we were in the Dusit Area where we had been the day before.  According to our map, Dusit was on the way to the Barge Museum.  As we crossed the modern bridge over the Chaophraya River, all confusion appeared to disappear - there was a sign in English and Thai for the Royal Barge National Museum!  We took the indicated exit and ended up on a side street.  There was a sign for the museum at the entrance of what appeared to be a high rise apartment building set a ways off of the street.  We continued a little further and ended up at the entrance to a Navy base.  The guard told the taxi driver where the museum was located.  We turned around and went back to the entrance of the high rise apartment building.  The driver told us to walk towards the building.  We thanked him and paid him approximately $4.00 USD for fare and tip.

We walked through a vacant lot type area towards the building.  When we got just about to the building there was a sign indicating the way to the museum.  We were also joined by a local man who appeared to be a guide.  He lead us through a maze of alleys to the museum.  I gave him $1.33 USD (40 Baht) for his "help".  To be honest I believe that we could have managed to find the museum on our own with the signs that were posted or by asking the many people along the way.  But it was reassuring to have a personal "guide".

Sometimes I get the impression that the concept of travel as put forth by many guidebooks and held by many tourists is to visit exotic places within a protective bubble as best can be maintained of your own culture.  There seems to be an emphasis on the "places" and not the "people" that you will encounter along your travels.  Because you have read some of these blogs you are mostly aware that Duang and I do not travel in that many.  Although we love exotic locations it is the opportunity to experience different cultures; to be able to interact with people outside of our comfort zone that is our passion.

Duang On the "Road" (alley?, path? street/) to the Royal Barge Museum

The guidebooks and websites failed to mention  that in avoiding taking the land route to the museum, you prevented glimpsing and experience a little of what life along or rather life on Rimkhlong Bangkok Noi (Little Bangkok Side Canal) is like.  The narrow alleys are bordered by wood or cinder block homes built on stilts.  In many places you could look directly into the homes to see the people working inside their homes.  Some of the homes were built over land and you could see chickens or other birds being raised by the family.  There was all kinds of vegetation growing high above the homes.  You could smell the scents of life along an urban waterway.  You came upon small groups of local residents socializing, working, or marketing goods to their neighbors.  This was a neighborhood where a car, or tuk-tuk had never been.  People walked along these alleys and either rode motorbikes or bicycles to come and go.

In about 5 minutes we arrived at the museum.  Entrance fee for me was about $0.30 USD and because Duang is a Thai citizen - free for her.  Since I intended to take still pictures - I had to pay a 100 Baht camera fee ($3.00 USD).  I have read where the author of a blog suggested that only one person in a group pay the fee and take the photos for everyone in the group.  Please - give me a break!  Objecting and whining about $3.00 to take photos seems to be way too frugal to be polite especially after paying $0.30 to enter.  That is definitely a group that I would not want to be part of.




Barges On Display

 The museum was great.  There are actually 52 barges that take part in the infrequent Royal Barge Processions.  Typically 8 barges are on display in dry dock at the Royal Barge National Museum.  Of the eight barges on display, there are four Royal Barges.  The four Royal barges are:  Suphannahong, Anantanakkharat, Anekkachatphuchong, and Narai Song Suban HM Rama IX.  However on the day that we visited there were seven.  The newest Royal Barge, Narai Song Suban HM Rama IX was being worked on at the nearby Navy Yard.  However there was a bonus, in my opinion, one of the barges was being reconstructed!

The Asura Vayuphak Under Reconstruction - 2.03M wide, 31M long, 0.62M deep

An Asura Class Barge, the Asura Vayuphak , last restored in 1982 was under reconstruction by workers employed by a  private company.  I was told that only the Navy worked on any of the four Royal Barges. This explained why the Narai Song Suban HM Rama IX built in 1996 was not being worked on at the museum.   I spent a great deal of time observing and photographing the reconstruction work.  The work reminded me of the work by shipwrights past and present at the Mystic Seaport Maritime Museum near the town where I was born and raised back in Connecticut.  I found it extremely interesting.

A Thai Shipwright At Work

I scrambled about the dock and even ventured out onto the scaffolding planks to get better views and different photographic perspectives of the restoration work.  The workers did not mind and actually seemed a little amused at my efforts.  They were accustomed to the typical visitor spending 10 to 15 minutes at the museum before moving on to the next stop of their tour.  The naval representative did not like me sitting on the scaffold plank over the water and politely informed me that it was not allowed.  He was a good guy and apparently did not hold a grudge.  Later when I returned to the boat to take more photographs, he moved out of the way at his guard station so that I could get a different perspective.

Placing A New Board In Position



Drilling Ribs In Preparation For A New Plank

 In addition to the static displays there are four videos that are shown to visitors of the museums.  They are extremely interesting and worth watching.  Again, most visitors if they even watch will view only one of the videos.

The barges are like works of art.  They are intricately carved and are decorated with colorful paint and colored glass.  The level of detail and mastery is breathtaking.

My favorite Royal Barge was Suphannahong also called Suphannahongse (Golden Swan).  The Suphannahong carries the King of Thailand and other members of the Thai Royal Family.  It is a very graceful boat - carved from a single teak tree and completed in 1911.  The boat is 46.15 meters long, 3.17 meters wide, and .41 meters deep.  It is propelled by 50 oarsmen.  In addition to the Royal passengers and oarsmen it also carries 2 steersmen, 1 chanter, 4 officers, a signalman, a standard bearer, and 7 Royal Standard Bearers.

Close Up Detail of Suphannahong, "Golden Swan"

The boat is intricately carved, painted gold and accented with colored glass.  It is very impressive.

Prow of Royal Barge "Anantanakkharat"

Prow of Royal Barge "Anekkachatphuchong"

Bow of Krut Class Barge - "Krut Hern Het"

The figureheads of the barges are depictions of mythological creatures from the Thai epic "The Ramakian".  Garudas, Nagas, Hongsa, Hanuman are intricately carved and decorated with colorful paint giving each vessel a unique identity.

Figurehead of "Asura Vayuphak"

After two hours, Duang and I exited the museum and stopped at the little as in three table restaurant on the other side of the alley.  Some naval officers were enjoying their lunch while the restaurant owner's young child half way played and slept close by.  Duang and I each enjoyed a soft drink and interacted with the people before setting off along the alleys back to the main road to catch a taxi back to the center of the city.

We had enjoyed our visit to the museum and the opportunity to glimpse at some aspects of life on, over, and along a river canal.

Are We There Yet? YES Finally - Almost!

Duang and Her Hired Dancers at Erawan Shrine  Giving Thanks for Her Immigrant Visa

I started writing this blog entry yesterday and before I could finish it and post it, we had a significant development - Duang received a call from a Thai employee of the US Consulate informing her that her Immigrant Visa is approved and requested that she pick it up in Bangkok at 3:00 P.M. on 11 January. 

As happy as both of are, I will refrain from declaring victory until she is actually admitted into the USA.  The Visa allows her to purchase a ticket to America and to board the airplane to the USA however admitting her into the United States is up to the interviewing officer at the port of entry.  We expect this will be a mere formality but one never really knows what the future may bring - think of President Bush on the deck of the aircraft carrier with the large sign "Mission Accomplished" before the crap really hit the fan in Iraq.

Are we there yet?  How many times did we ask our parents that and how often did we ask them during what seemed to us to be unbearably long auto trips?  How many times as parents did we tell our children "We are almost there" or "Soon we will be there".

Our quest or rather odyssey to obtain a visa for Duang to go to the United States continues but the successful end is in sight.  On 27 December we flew to Bangkok for Duang's scheduled 7:00 A.M. interview appointment at the American Consulate on December 28th.  We flew from Udonthani to Bangkok in the morning so that Duang could receive her second round of Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus and Mumps,Measles, and Rubella vaccinations at Bumrungrad Hospital prior to her interview.  She had received the two initial vaccinations on 30 November when she had her medical examination in Bangkok.

From the US Consulate website and correspondence, we had been informed that if a visa was granted it would be available 2 to 3 business days after the interview.  Since Duang's interview was on the Tuesday the 28th, I expected that if she was granted an Immigrant Visa, it would be available on either Wednesday 29th or Thursday the 30th.  Allowing for a possible hiccup I allowed 31 December as a possible date for concluding this part of the process.  One of my ambitions was to witness New Year's Eve fireworks in Bangkok so I booked our return flight to Udonthani for January 1.  I figured that we would use any spare time that we might have in Bangkok to do some sightseeing.  Although we have been to Bangkok many times, there were still many places to visit and things to do for us.

I spent about a day and one-half assembling the document package to present at the Consulate.  Duang was required to present original documents that had not been presented previously in the application process.  Updated copies of documents, such as passport, and financial records also had to be presented.  The biggest task for Duang was to present documents and evidence that establishes in the mind of the US official a legitimate relationship between Duang and me.

Besides a review of the documents, the primary purpose of the interview is to convince the U. S. official that Duang and I have a legitimate relationship as wife and husband.  The government suggests that copies of emails, personal photographs, financial support documents, detailed phone records or any other documentation that could establish evidence of a legitimate relationship.  Thankfully the government did not suggest or require any "home" movies!  Interestingly the Consulate does not allow the spouse to accompany the applicant into the interview.

Utilizing my past experience in developing subcontract bid packages and formulating construction claims, I assembled two different packets of documents for Duang to bring to the interview.  The first package was "Originals" and the second package was "New and Updated Documents".  Both packets were preceded with a "Document Transmittal" which listed the appropriate document where the document was located, and indicated what category listed in the government "Packet #4" instructions the submitted document was related to.  In the case where we had submitted an original document to the Dept of Homeland Security, a note was included which indicated and cited verbatim the "Packet #4 instruction" which did not require that duplicate copies to be submitted.

For photographs, I printed contact sheets of several photographs in chronological order which included the date the photograph was taken.  On the transmittal document, the significance of the photograph was explained i.e. "One of the first photos that I took of Duang", "Our Wedding", "My 58th Birthday Party (2007)" ...  There were some original prints of photographs submitted that had the date of the photographed printed by the company.  I tried to concentrate on photos where we appeared together. The whole purpose of the documents was to show the duration of our relationship and the continuing existence of our relationship.

Documents were assembled in the same order as they were listed in the transmittals.  It may seem a bit of overkill but I had operated with one premise throughout the past six months.  The premise was "Follow instructions completely, make everything clear and concise, and finally - Don't give anyone an excuse to delay or reject the application.  Perhaps my concern was unjustified but then again it is difficult to argue with "success" even "success - almost".

Duang appeared at the Consulate at the appointed 7:00 A.M.  She paid the required $404 USD fee in Thai baht.  She was then interviewed by an American female official.  As was typical in this process the American official was anonymous.  I know that security is an issue these days but it is a sad commentary on the situation or mentality that in dealing with MY government's officials we deal with an anonymous person - once we finally get to deal with an American.  Besides "security" concerns that they have, I have "accountability" concerns but as I am often lead to believe - my concerns do not matter.

After 4 hours Duang returned to the hotel.  She had a yellow piece of paper which started off "This office regrets to inform you that it is unable to issue a visa to you because you have been found ineligible to receive a visa ... ". What?  I read further as to why she was denied a visa - there were five boxes that could be checked off as reasons such as "Evidence of your relationship ... ", "Police Certificate from Thai Authorities ", "Medical Exam Results", "I-864 or I-134 Affidavit ... " , and "Consent letter ... "  There was a sixth box that was checked "Other"

In the remarks box associated with "Other" the following was written  " We just need to complete a routine check of Mrs's Hale's police certificate from Brunei. We will call you at (my cell phone) when the visa is ready to be picked up in the next week or so ..."  Well that made me feel a great deal better especially since the Consulate had kept Duang's Thai Passport and had here sign the application form in their presence.  Duang further explained that the cell phone number was indeed my cell number.  To further placate us, we got a call from a 54 year old Thai woman who has been an official in the Red Cross for 15 years.  We had met her at the hospital a month ago when she and Duang were having their physicals prior to their interviews at the US Consulate.  The Thai woman wanted to visit her Thai daughter who is a doctor in the USA but was unable to get a Tourist Visa.  To visit her daughter, her daughter was sponsoring her mother to immigrate to America.  The woman was granted a visa to immigrate to the USA and was checking up after Duang's interview to check on how Duang was progressing.  The woman explained to Duang that she had to wait about a week for a routine check to go back to Bangkok to pick up her passport with the visa.  This was very reassuring to us to learn.  I can not explain why Duang's notification was a form letter rejection to start with but then implied as acceptance pending a "routine check".  I was surprised to read that the Brunei Police document had to be checked since it had been submitted with our application to the Consulate 12 weeks prior to Duang's scheduled appointment for an interview.

Erawan Shrine Troupe Dance and Chant as Duang Gives Thanks

As part of our extended stay in Bangkok, I wanted to revisit the Erawan Shrine to photograph the dancers.  With the reassurance from Duang's new friend regarding the visa approval, we walked over to the Erawan Shrine.  Duang paid 360 Baht ($10.90 USD) to have the dancers perform and chant while she was giving thanks at the shrine for getting her visa.

As it turned out the U S Consulate called Duang her cell phone and not mine.

Duang yesterday after receiving the great news complimented me on my good work in applying for the visa.  She spoke about other people here in Thailand who have used an attorney to obtain an Immigration Visa for their wife.  I told her that I would find it unconscionable to have to pay a Thai lawyer to deal with the US government - MY government.  I added that as a US citizen I expect that I should be able to handle affairs and dealings with MY government on my own and not have to deal with a US lawyer to obtain service or better service.  In some regards I guess that I still remain idealistic and naive. But ...  Most people see things the way that they are and don't ask "Why?" I dream of things the way that they should be and ask "What the @#$% - Why not?" I make no apologies to Robert F. Kennedy or more correctly to George Bernard Shaw for hijacking the sense of his saying and "making it my own".


One step remains for us - submitting the visa and packet to the Immigration Officer at our selected Port of Entry to the USA.

Two Funerals and An Excorcism

One Body Being Cremated In Furnace, Another Body Being Cremated On Open Pyre

Now that the Christmas and New Years holidays are over, it is time to try to get caught up on my blog entries.  I also have a backlog of photographs to review, edit, and post.  There is no doubt in my mind that January will be another busy month.

December 22nd was a very busy day for us.  We were going to the village next to Tahsang Village, Nongdaeng Village, to attend the funeral for one of Duang's cousins.  He was 47 years old and was one of the five people in the village who had died during the past week.  The village has about 200 people.  Needless to say the villagers were rather perplexed.  Duang's Aunt told her that Phii (spirits) were responsible for the deaths.  There are many Phii in this world, or rather in the Animist world that is still a large part of the Isaan experience, some of the Phii are good and some Phii are bad.  Apparently the worst Phii are "Phii Ling" (Monkey Spirits).  Monkey Spirits make people sick and cause them to die.  The Monkey Spirits have a desire for blood and will enter the body through the throat to get at the blood.

Villagers Starting to Arrive at Wat for Exorcism

The people of Nondaeng Village were not going to put up with the infestation of Monkey Spirits that were causing such havoc in their village.  On the Wednesday morning, 22 December, they planned to hunt down and capture the Phii Ling for a second day so that they could properly destroy them.  In addition to attending the funeral, we were invited to attend the ritual, which I will refer to as an exorcism, to witness as well as document the event.  Family members around the villages are very familiar with me and my desire to photograph and learn about their life.  Whenever they are having an event or going to be doing some type of different work, they call Duang to let us know.

Besides being polite in inviting us to the exorcism I suspect that there was also an ulterior motive in getting me to attend the ritual.  The night before the ritual, Duang told me to be sure to wear my Buddhist amulets as protection during our visit to Nongdaeng Village.  She then assured me that her small amulet that she wears everyday was powerful enough to protect her.  As we were preparing to leave our home the morning, she double checked to ensure that I was packing - protection.  Although Phii are afraid of falang (foreigners) Duang wanted to be double sure that I would not have any problems.

A Relative Makes An Offering In Front of the Coffin Inside the Home

Upon arrival at Nongdaeng Village we went to Duang's cousin's home.  Like all the other funerals that we have attended here in Isaan, the body remains in the home for the three day ritual prior to cremation.  The body is placed inside of a disposal coffin which is stored inside of a rented portable refrigerated coffin.  Just as in Western Christian funerals, flowers and a photograph of the deceased person are displayed around the coffin.  In front of the coffin candles and Joss sticks are burned as offerings.

As guests arrive for the final funeral ritual, they present offerings at the entrance to the home.  Money is given to the family and is used to support the family as well as to be used as offerings to the Monks.  The name of each donor and the amount of money that they donate is recorded in a paper tablet.  The information is shared with the Monk after the body has been cremated in order that the donors receive their proper merit.   The family determines how much of the money is offered to the Monks.  Typically it is around 50%.  Since the amount of money offered to the Monks or used to buy offerings such as robes, candles, towels, and Monk Gift Packs determines how much merit is earned for the deceased as well as for the family there are pressures to not be stingy in the amount allocated for the Monks.  We knew that the family was poor we also donated two cases of soft drinks and two cases of drinking water for the funeral ritual.  Some people are too poor to make offerings of money so they make an offering of rice from their larder.  The individual offerings of rice, some as little as 1 kilogram, are combined into a large 55 kilogram sack or sacks.  Just as with monetary donations, the family will keep some of the rice and offer the remainder to the Monks at the local Wat.  The Monks sell the rice for below market price to poor people or give the rice to the poor people who are unable to pay for rice.  There is no state welfare here in Isaan.  The needs of individuals are met by either the family, neighbors, or the Sanga (Buddhist Clergy).

Lan Sai (Grandson) Peelawat, 22 months old and Yai (Grandmother) Duang During Funeral Ritual - She is Praying, He is Eating Dragon Fruit

The family feeds guests and supplies them with soft drinks as well as drinking water.  The female members of the family and neighbors set up an outdoor kitchen to prepare the funeral food.  Young women and older girls typically serve the guests upon their arrival.  At the appointed time, the Monks who have been seated inside the home up against an exterior wall will participate in a formal ritual.  The ritual is actually initiated and lead by a Shaman.  The Shaman will commence the chanting and supervise the connection of the coffin to the assembled Monks with a cotton string similar to butcher's string.  The connection of the deceased through the string to the Monks is an important aspect of the funeral ritual as well as other rituals such as weddings, and Baii Sii ceremonies.  This is an Animist concept that has been absorbed into the Buddhist rituals.

Yong Boys Have Their Head and Eyebrows Shaved to Participate in Relative's Funeral

Another unique aspect of the Lao Loum funeral rituals here in Isaan is the incorporation of children of all ages.  Sons, Nephews, and Grandsons will have their head and eyebrows shaved prior to wearing Monks robes for the funeral ritual.  For the three day period of the funeral ritual the boys will be Monks and participate in the rituals.  The youngest boys that I have seen as Monks during a funeral were around 7 or 8 years old.  Younger children, both boys and girls are brought to funerals with no efforts made to shield them from any aspects of the ritual including the final viewing of the body before cremation.  Just as in the case of births, weddings, and ordinations, children are witness to another milestone in Lao Loum life - death.  Here in Isaan death is a life event that is not hidden out of sight.  There are no morticians or mortuaries.  All preparations and ritual are conducted by family, friends, and neighbors with the assistance of the Buddhist clergy.  The rituals are conducted with a great deal of dignity and respect.

Duang sent me off to the Wat while the ritual was being performed at the home.  I went to the Wat and found about 1/2 of the villagers arriving with bamboo switches in their hand.  They gathered around the Wat grounds until a young Monk lead them out into the village.  The scene sort of reminded me of the original film version of Frankenstein when the villagers set off to find him carrying torches and pitchforks.  Since it was a bright and sunny December Isaan morning there was no need for torches.  The villagers were carrying their long bamboo sticks to scare up the Phii Ling.

The people were very pleased to have me join them perhaps as additional protection since Phii do not like foreigners.  Many times over here in Isaan as well as other areas of Southeast Asia I find myself in situations or experience things that I do not fully understand or quite often do not necessarily believe in myself.  However I do not view it as my responsibility to judge or to validate what I either witness or what I am told.  I believe that my obligation and responsibility is to report accurately what I have seen, experienced, and have been told.  I leave it to the individual reader to form their own opinions and to make their own judgements if they are so inclined.  Having reiterated this position that I have set out in previous blogs, I will now write about the exorcism.

Nongdaeng Village Monk

The villagers gathered around the Monk and set about the narrow paved village streets in search of the Monkey Spirits.  The Monk carried a very old wood carved sword that he often used to point out things and show the direction for the crowd to go.  The crowd was in a peculiar mood that I would best describe as bordering on a somewhat nervously cautious enthusiasm.  The ritual was definitely a social bonding event.  I could see that people were happy to be out and about with their family and neighbors.  Although the villagers were in good spirits they also seemed a little nervous which made their perceived enthusiasm to more bravado than confidence.  It appeared to me that the people really believed that their problem and misfortune was caused by evil spirits and that in dealing with the supernatural they were tempting fate.

An Evil Spirit Is Trapped Against the Floor

One of the young men attending to the Monk carried a large woven bamboo basket.  The basket was filled with a coarse red gravel type material along with a good sized wood phallus.  Some of the villagers as well as the Monk would grab handfuls of the gravel material and throw it up on the roofs of houses and rice storage structures.  The gravel would strike the corrugated metal roofs with a sharp clap followed by the tinkling sound of several small stones rolling down and eventually off of the hot tin roof.  I did not see any cats on the hot tin roofs but there were apparently plenty of monkey spirits on the hot tin roofs.  I did not see any of the evil spirits but the villagers did.  When they did spot an evil spirit, they would give out a whoop and a holler.  Two young men would rush to the location.  Each rather large young man carried a short and stout bamboo stick that was connected to the other stick with several strands of thick cotton string.  Working together, the two young men would pin the evil spirit to the ground or floor awaiting other members of the team to take the next step.  As quickly as a spirit was pinned down, other men arrived with a piece of square cotton cloth that had writing on it, an elastic band, and half of an empty plastic soft drink bottle.  The cotton cloth which Duang told me said something like "Monkey Spirits Go Away" was used to move the pinned spirit into the plastic container and then in conjunction with the elastic band contain the spirit in the bottle.  The bottle was then placed in a very large plastic bag containing all the other captured evil spirits.

While the men were dealing with the captured spirit, the remainder of the villagers were busy searching for other spirits and rousting them out of their hiding places.  The people used the bamboo sticks to beat on trees, roofs of houses, walls and roofs of rice storage sheds, tree trunks, and any other possible hiding places.  Pieces of wood, plastic, or metal were uplifted to seek evil spirits.  In about 30 minutes many of the bamboo sticks had flayed ends from the exertions of the villagers to roust the spirits.


A Captured Evil Spirit is Placed Into a Container

Lead by the Monk, we entered several homes.  The downstairs and the upstairs were checked for Monkey Spirits.  Cupboards and clothes cabinets were opened and struck with bamboo sticks to force the spirits into the open.  Blankets and bedding were overturned in the search for hiding spirits. Escaping spirits were quickly captured and contained all under the watchful eye of the Monk.  I accompanied the capture crew but did not see any of the spirits.  After awhile Duang joined us in the quest for the Monkey Spirits.  She was impressed with how many evil spirits had been captured.  She said that she thought that there could be one thousand Phii in the village.

Another Phii Has Been Captured

Since I had not seen any Phii even though I had close up photographs of their capture, I asked Duang if she had seen any Phii.  She replied that she had seen some of them.  I asked her once again a little while later and she confirmed that she had seen them.  I had reached the limit of my comfort level in regards to the subject.  I had confirmed that she had seen them and to me any further questioning would not be polite.  I guess seeing the Monkey Spirits is akin to seeing the face of Jesus in a grilled cheese sandwich or in the bark of a tree - you have to be a true believer to begin with and have the faith.  Perhaps my inability to see the Phii lay in their fear of falang.  Perhaps out of fear of me they would not reveal themselves to me or my camera.  Although this mystery will most likely never be solved or answered it does not qualify as a mystery of the universe.  It is just one of those mysteries of Isaan that I can only report and never solve.  It is an aspect of living here in Isaan that makes life so interesting.

Besides the attendant with the basket of gravel, there was another man with a basket of eggs.  Occasionally the Monk or one of the villagers would take an egg and smash it on the road or against a building.  According to Duang, Phii do not like eggs which is something that I can relate to.  However the Phii are also attracted to the smashed eggs.  Apparently the smashed eggs are like blood to the Phii.  The Monk and villagers used the eggs to lure some of the Phii out of hiding so that they could be captured.

The villagers, Duang and I spent almost two hours scouring the village for evil spirits; literally and figuratively leaving no stone unturned in our quest to rid the village of the Monkey Spirits.  I got into the "spirit" of the occasion by removing the cover of a well to help look for the spirits.  I figured that if I were an evil spirit I would hide in a well.  Perhaps I had seen too many movies where people hid in wells from the Japanese, Nazis, and Apaches.  Perhaps I would not make a very good evil spirit; we did not find any Monkey Spirits in the well that day although the villagers appreciated my idea and effort to assist them.

The crowd ended up at a home at the edge of the village (isn't it ironic that the evil house is always at the edge of town and never in the center of town?).  The hunters went into the home but for some inexplicable reason I did not accompany them inside.  I should have.  From outside we could hear a big fight break out from inside the home.  There was the ubiquitous crack of bamboo striking the structural columns and beams of the home followed by the frantic thuds of heavy barefoot steps of the hunters either chasing or fleeing something.  There was the sounds of a big struggle accompanied by beastly sounds.  There were unearthly growls and grunts.  After a while the spirit hunters exited the house in triumph.  They had captured the big Monkey Spirit, Monkey Spirit Number One - the leader of the Evil Spirits.  With the capture of the Monkey Spirit Leader, our work that day was done.  The villagers invited me back to the village for the next morning when the last bit of work would be completed - taking all the plastic bottles containing the Monkey Spirits to the Wat and incinerating them in a big fire.

I hoped to attend the last part of the ritual but our priority for the next morning was to visit the Amphur (County) Office in Kumphawapi to obtain some final documents needed for Duang's Immigration Interview at the American Consulate in Bangkok on 27 December.  As it turned out we missed the burning of the spirits.  We got a call from a relative in the village asking where we were and Duang explained.  By the time we got out to the village, the deed was done.

The village exorcism was a unique experience for me and needless to say it was the first time that I had witnessed such a ritual.  I found the ritual and experience to be extremely interesting.  Although I try not to make judgements in such matters I do feel free to make observations.

Nongdaeng Village was a community under going some stress with the deaths of five inhabitants within a week.  Village life in Isaan is not a detached or impersonal activity.  Most of your neighbors in an Isaan village are your relatives.  If your neighbors are not your relatives, they are people that you see and speak with everyday.  There is a very strong sense of community in an Isaan village with neighbors working side by side in the local fields, worshipping at the same local Wat, celebrating life events together, raising the village children, and often sharing food together.  Much of a villager's time is spent outdoors where they interact with each other.  A death in the village affects everyone and is not a detached event removed from your daily life.  Five deaths in a village is disturbing.

The villagers needed answers as to why there had been five deaths in such a short period of time.  Just like people in other societies they had a desire to rationalize what they could not understand.  The Lao Loum people of Isaan, especially in the outlying villages, are not highly educated especially the people 35 years and older.  Whereas we in America would rely upon science to explain the deaths, science is not an option for the subsistence farmers of Isaan.  Their faith for answers to the unexplained is in their religion.  Their religion, although extensively Buddhist, retains a great number of Animist beliefs and rituals.  It is these beliefs and rituals that give the community a sense of comfort, a sense of control and power in its daily affairs.

During the ritual of ridding the village of Monkey Spirits, I saw a community strengthening its bonds.  People were working together and uniting for the common good of all.  The villagers were confronting a challenge to their their normal way of life and taking united action to return their life to a perceived normality.  In the process of ridding the village of the evil spirits, they were strengthening the social and religious bonds that hold their community together.  Although the rationale and methods may be subject to debate, in my opinion there is not debating the merits of results from their chosen ritual.  The community was strengthened and comforted through the ritual.

A Novice Monk Ignites the Diesel Soaked Body and Charcoal With Joss Sticks

Duang and I walked over to the Wat where the final part of the funeral ritual for her cousin were being conducted.  As Duang sat underneath the large shade trees of the Wat with the other women, I wandered about taking photographs.  During Buddhist rituals here in Isaan, women and men sit in separate areas.  Children will sit with the women.  Since I don't understand much of what is going on I sit with Duang in the women's section so that she can explain to me.  Because I am a foreigner and the Lao Loum people are polite, it is tolerated if not accepted.

Taking photographs during a funeral is a widely practiced activity here in Isaan.  At first I was a little taken back by people motioning me to come forward to take better and much closer shots of all aspects of the funeral ritual.  I have gotten accustomed to the practice now and eagerly but respectfully join the others taking photographs.

While taking photographs of the ritual for Duang's cousin at the opening to the furnace, I started speaking to a man who was her cousin's best friend.  He was supervising the activities prior to placing the coffin into the furnace.  He told me that there would be a second funeral after Duang's cousin and invited me to attend.  After the conclusion of Duang's cousin's funeral he brought Duang and I over to the family associated with the next funeral.  In no time at all we felt like part of the community if not family.  We were offered seats, food, and drink.  People asked about where I was from and if funerals in America were like theirs.  I prophetically told them that funerals were nothing like this in America.  I told them that a stranger would never dare to photograph a funeral in America.  What I did not realize as I spoke was that this funeral was going to be unlike any public funeral in America!

Procession From the Home to the Village Wat.  Man sprinkles Puffed Rice ahead of the Procession

The second man to be cremated that day was an older man.  He was a blind man who played music at the market in Kumphawapi to support his family.  He had five children and three wives.  Polygamy is against the law in Thailand but some old habits are hard to break or get rid of.  You can only be legally, as in registered with the government, married to one person at a time.  However many men in Isaan have more than one wife with non-registered wives referred to as "Mia Noi" (Little Wife).

Money Offerings

As smoke rose from the Wat's Crematorium for Duang's cousin, the coffin for the blind musician was brought to the Wat.  As is typical for these funerals, and I have written previously in other blogs about Isaan funerals, the coffin was placed on a pickup truck and lead by a procession of Monks from the deceased person's home to the local Wat.  The Monks, some of them sons, grandsons, and nephews held on to a long cotton string that went back to the coffin.  A man with a basket sprinkled puffed rice on the street and pathway ahead of the funeral cortege.

I was a little confused as to how there could be two funeral rituals on the same afternoon at the local Wat.  One body was already in the crematorium and I expected that the furnace would be occupied for at least four hours.  How were they going to take care of the second body?

Years ago there was a television commercial in America about a now defunct investment firm, "Smith and Barney".  The hook line of the ad was "Smith and Barney, We make money the old fashioned way - we earn it".  How were they going to cremate the second body?  A la "Smith and Barney", they were going to cremate the body the old fashioned way - they were going to have a funeral pyre.  I was about to witness a funeral ritual unlike any that I am aware of back in the USA.

Funeral Pyre Commences to Burn

The coffin containing the blind musician's remains was placed beside the crematorium next to a bamboo structure that was built over a large pile of firewood.  The bamboo structure was comprised of four very long freshly cut green bamboo poles that were lashed together to form a sort of pyramid or tepee.  Horizontal bamboo sticks were lashed to the vertical members to give the structure shape as well as stability.  All bamboo members were decorated with colorful Mylar reflective wrappings or colorful Mylar fringe.


In the Name of the Deceased an Offering of a Robe is made to the Abbott

The funeral ritual was fairly typical.  Off to the side underneath a open walled structure, 14 Monks sat facing the Shaman who lead the ritual and the man's immediate family and closest friends.  Out side of the open walled structure and off to one side were rows of chairs with female attendees and children.  Off to the other side of the structure were rows of male attendees.  In front of the male attendees there were two stuffed couches and cocktail tables were honored guests and esteemed officials such as Village Headman, Subdistrict, and District Officials sat.

After the chanting, a commentator who is a local school official dressed in a Boy Scout uniform performed as the MC.  I had seen him at other funerals before performing the same roll.  He spoke about the deceased person, their life, the merits of the deceased, and wished the deceased good luck in his journey and eventual new life.  The MC then started to announce the names of honored guests, esteemed officials, and close family members.  As their name was announced the people walked up to the MC and were given an envelope by a family member.  The envelope contained a money offering.

The person took the envelope and walked over to the coffin.  They gave a Wai (Thai and Lao gesture of respect) to the coffin and appeared to say some words before respectfully placing the envelope on a tray on top of the closed coffin.  The people were participating in a merit making ritual for the deceased as well as for themselves.  They were offering the money to the deceased who through a family member would offer the money to the Monks.  The deceased would earn merit through the act of offering the money and the esteemed officials, honored guests, and close family members would through their participation in the ritual.  The greatest offerings such as Monk's robe were reserved for the highest officials to make.  Once the offerings are removed from the coffin and offered to the Monks, the cover is removed from the coffin.  It is at this time that family and close friends come to the coffin to pour coconut water over the body of the deceased person.  Green coconuts are prepared just prior to the removal of the coffin lid.  The coconut water is poured over the entire body directly from the coconut.  Other people pour scented water on the body from bamboo tubes or as was the case at this funeral from plastic cups.

A Blind Man Pours Scented Water On His Friend

For me the most touching part of this funeral ritual was when the musician's blind friends were lead up to his coffin to participate in the ritual and to make their good byes to their friend.  They were assisted with dignity as well as compassion by the other attendees.  Throughout the ritual I did not see any crying, outbursts of emotion, or hearing any sobbing.  This has been the case at all Buddhist funerals that I have attended here in Isaan.

The Buddhist attitude towards death is best expressed by Wade Davis, a renowned Canadian Anthropologist and contributor to National Geographic documentaries, in his documentary series "Light At the End of the World" ... "The Buddhists spend all their lives getting ready for a moment that we spend most of our lives pretending does not exist, which is the moment of our death"  In Isaan death is a milestone of life which is familiar to and accepted by all from a very early age. The conclusion of this life, which for many has been very difficult, presents the hope as well as opportunity for a better and easier life in the future - another step towards enlightenment.  As I witness the pain and suffering of people in the West as they artificially struggle to delay the inevitable, I have pause to contemplate the best way to live and die.  Here in Isaan, death comes quicker due to a lack of money and facilities.  At what point should we allow ourselves or others to let go and conclude the suffering?

Some of the attendees placed coins on the body in the coffin.  After the body is cremated, the coins will be retrieved and kept in homes or placed in a tube to be worn around the neck as "Good Luck" items or Talisman.  Many Lao Loum people wear a tube attached to a cord around their neck containing a relic such as a tooth from their deceased parent.

After the final goodbyes were completed, the heavy comforter was removed from the coffin and placed to the side of the funeral pyre.  The coffin was drained of the coconut water and scented water.  Some Joss (incense) sticks were scattered atop of the body, the body was doused with diesel fuel, the lid placed over the coffin and the coffin was placed atop of the firewood.  Men then gathered up the large an long pieces of firewood laying on the ground at the side of the pyre.  The long logs were carefully placed vertically all along the sides of the coffin to form a tepee over it.  The logs were doused with diesel fuel and set ablaze.  The comforter, funeral decorations, and the man's possessions were added to the rapidly consuming flames.  Just as the fire was ignited, a man set off fireworks near by.  The fireworks that I refer to as "Whizzers" are a ring that spin off like a Frisbee leaving a cork screw contrail of smoke and a whizzing sound high up into the air prior to exploding in three loud bangs.  These fireworks or similar fireworks are set off to scare away any evil spirits that may be about ready to grab the deceased person's spirit as it rises on its journey.

Firework Is launched At Start of the Cremation

The brother of the deceased man removed his shirt as a concession to the hot flames of the funeral pyre .  He would tend to the fire until everything was totally consumed.  This was but another manifestation of the people caring for each other and taking care of business.  It was time for Duang and I to return to our home in Udonthani.  The unique smell of burning diesel and the corpse, sort of like a heavy and sweet fabric softener scent remained with me the rest of the day - on my clothing, in my hair and in my nose.  The snap, pop, sizzle and crackle of the funeral pyre was a little disconcerting to me but for the villagers it was nothing out of the ordinary.  When I asked about some of the loud sounds a young woman nonchalantly indicated through pantomime that it was the organs of the body reacting to the fire; such is the reality of life as well as death here in Isaan.

It had been quite a busy day - Two funerals and an Exorcism.  For me it had been quite an educational experience as well as an opportunity to experience some unique aspects of Lao Loum culture here in Isaan - a very good day indeed.


In the Light of the Late Afternoon Sun, Villagers Exit the Wat Grounds