Another Lao Loum Funeral Here In Isaan

Hands Pressed Together, A Young Child Participates In the Funeral Ritual

Sunday we attended another funeral ritual, the cremation of my wife's former mother-in-law.  Although Duang has been divorced for many years, attending the ritual was expected because family ties, even former ties, are strong here in Isaan.  Duang's children also attended the cremation ritual for their paternal grandmother.  Duang's son drove six hours from Rayong to participate in his grandmother's funeral.  He did not shave his head and shave his eyebrows like some of his cousins due to his work considerations.  Our grandson, Peelawat, also attended his great grandmother's funeral.

Duang Makes Prayer Offering For Her Former Mother-in-Law

Every funeral that I have attended here in Isaan has been similar but different enough to make each ritual unique.  For this funeral, there was no procession from the home to the local Wat.  When we arrived before the scheduled start of the ritual at 11:30 A.M., the coffin had been placed in front of the Wat crematorium.  There were some people milling about the home of the deceased person but the outdoor kitchen, hustle and bustle of preparing food, tables filled with food and drink were absent.  There was no gambling anywhere to be seen for this funeral.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages were served to attendees in the Wat's sala (meeting hall) next to the crematorium.  Like all the other funerals that I have attended here in northeast Thailand, the "Old Mamas" were organized into several small clusters; busy gossiping and chewing betelnut.  Funerals here are large social events with family and friends travelling great distances to attend. There is a great deal of noise from people greeting each other and getting caught up on the latest news as well as gossip.

"Old Mamas" Socializing and Chewing Betelnut in the Wat's Sala

Just over a week ago I posted a comment on one of my photographs of an old woman's hands preparing betelnut, "Experienced hands, just like faces reflect the trials, struggles, and triumphs of a long life".  I did not have that comment in mind when I set about to photograph this funeral, but afterwards when I was editing the days worth of photographs, I was struck by the number of shots that involved hands.

A Young Child Bows During The Merit Making Ritual

Although I have photographed several Lao Loum funeral rituals, I am still very interested in them and still find different aspects to photograph.  Apparently for this funeral ritual, my focus although subconscious was on "hands".

Hands Pack the Ingredients for Betelnut Chewing Into A Tube to Create a Plug

Experienced Hands Prepare the Chewing Plug

Helping Hands Are Always Welcomed

The Compacted Chewing Plug Is Forced Out of the Tube

At Last - Time to Enjoy the Fruits of Labor

Duang's former mother-in-law had eight children. With such a large family there were many sons and grandsons to participate in the ritual as Monks.  There were 17 Monks for the funeral ritual - the most that I have seen at a Lao Loum funeral.

As is integral to the merit making ritual, the offering of gifts; cash, robes, and electric fans on behalf of the donors and the deceased was a prominent display.  Apparently because she was once married to one of the woman's sons, Duang's name was announced for her to walk up and take one of the envelopes containing some of the donated cash.  As part of the merit making ritual at Lao Loum funerals relatives, close friends, dignitaries, and esteemed guests are called up to take an offering of money which they place in front of the Monks who are always seated above the other participants of the ritual.  For this funeral there was also a different treatment of the offerings made to the Monks.  A white cotton string that is always used in the ritual to connect the Monks and the coffin, was placed over the offertory envelopes with the Monks placing their index finger on the envelope as they chanted.

Monks Accepting Offerings of Cash As part of Merit Making Ritual

The connection of the Sanga (religious community) and the deceased person with the cotton string is very strong visual symbolism.  Once again the interaction of hands and physical as well as metaphorical objects came to be strong elements of my photographs for the day.

The cotton string that connects the deceased person to the Sanga passes through the hand of a grandson who has become a Monk for the funeral ritual

Grandsons Participating In Their Grandmother's Funeral

Duang Pours Green Coconut Water Over the Corpse

At this funeral the ritual of pouring green coconut water over the corpse to prepare the spirit for its upcoming journey was a more public display than the funeral that we attended earlier in the month.  Besides the Monks, family members either poured coconut water or sprinkled water on the body using white chrysanthemum type flowers.

Experienced hands, just like faces reflect the trials, struggles, and triumphs of a long life

I photographed the hands of the corpse because, to me, they were reminders of the suffering as well as triumphs that this old woman had endured during her life time.  These were hands that had worked countless seasons of planting rice seedlings - pulling sprouts from ankle deep mud in flooded paddies, repetitiously setting transplanted seedlings into flooded paddies under the heat and glare of the Isaan skies.  These same hands gathered and cut innumerable sheaves of rice over countless harvests. It is quite possible especially in the earlier years that these hands threshed the rice to separate the grains from the stalks - yet another task of survival to feed the family. During the other times of the year, her hands were used to cultivate sugar cane, peanuts, corn, and cassava.  These were the hands that had nurtured and cared for eight children. Hands that cooked thousands of meals over open fires or charcoal fires.  With these hands the woman had made merit and prayed many times in her quest during this life for enlightenment.  With these hands the woman had sewed, repaired and laundered the clothing of her family during her lifetime.  The hands reflected a long and hard lifetime here in Isaan.  Now these hands were freed from their toil and released from suffering.

An assistant hands a container of fuel to the deceased's brother to prepare the cremation fire

When we returned home that night from the funeral, we received word that Duang's uncle had died.  His cremation will be tomorrow.  Personal reminders of the cycle of life and of death continue here.

Maaking or Marking Time In Isaan

An "Old Mama" Prepares to Chew Some Betel Nut In Isaan

In response to a recent post on Facebook, an old fraternity brother of mine, not that he is old, it is just that we last saw each other in 1971) asked me about betel nut chewing.  I was prepared to admonish him for either not reading all my blog posts or for not remembering the one that I wrote regarding the specifics of betel nut chewing.  I have written and posted over 380 blog entries over the past four years, and I was fairly certain that I had written one about the prevalence of betel nut chewing amongst the older generation women here in northeast Thailand.  I even remembered researching the practice and getting the Latin names for the components of betel nut chewing.  Since it was late here in Udonthani, I performed a quick search of my files and could not located either the blog entry or the research documents.  The next day I did a more extensive search both electronically and hard copy.  Well, as my late grandmother used to say about herself until she was 92 years old, "I am not crazy, yet".  Later the ravages of Alzheimer's made a mockery of that belief but mercifully, for her, she did not realize it.  I did not find the blog entry but I did find the hard copy of my research.

Betel nut chewing is popular in Southeast Asia and Pacific. The practise has been going on for thousands of years.  In Thailand there is evidence of it going back four thousand years. It is very complicated in that it is not what it would seem to be.  Most of the confusion stems from improper translation from native languages to western languages during the colonial era.

First of all the practise referred to in English as "betelnut chewing" or "betel nut chewing" does not even involve a nut.  There is no such thing as a "betelnut"  The "nut" used in the practise is actually a drupe of the Areca palm (Areca catechu).  A drupe is a fruit, often referred to as "stone fruit" that has a fleshy outside with a pit containing a seed.  Mango, plum, nectarines, peach, and cherry are examples of drupes.

An Elderly Lao Loum Grandmother Enjoying A Chew

Betelnut chewing referred to in Lao language as "Mark" or "Maak" involves chewing slices of the Areca palm "nut" wrapped up in Betel (Piper betle) vine leaves with some caustic lime added.  Sometimes shredded tobacco is added to the mix inside of the leaves.  Unlike the ads for Skoal which espouse "A pinch between the cheek and gum", betelnut chewing involves packing your mouth rather full.

A Lao Women In the Luang Namtha Area of LPDR Chewing Betel Nut

Sliced or shredded Areca "nuts" are readily available in the local markets throughout Isaan,  Situated next to the burlap bags of the "nuts" are trays filled with bunches of fresh Betel vine leaves.  Not all of the Betel leaves are chewed, some are used as offerings in religious rituals.

An "Old Mama" Holding Some Betel Vine Leaves

Why?  Why would people chew betelnut?  Apparently the practice provides mild stimulation to the user.  To me it sounds akin to chewing coca leaves in the high Andes.  The effects are said to be similar to drinking a cup of coffee.  I am not a coffee drinker but there is no doubt in my mind that if I were looking for stimulation, I would have a cup of coffee or more rather than to chew betelnut.

Elderly Lao Loum Women In Isaan Chewing Betel Nut

I also believe that the practise is also a social and cultural practice.  My mother-in-law who is 72 years old regularly chews betelnut.  I have seen some men and I have seen some people around 35 years old chew but the vast majority of the practitioners have been elderly rural women over 50 years old.  Just as some cultures have worry beads, chew tobacco, smoke to occupy their thoughts and to mark time, it seems to me that betelnut chewing serves a similar function.  The "Old Mamas" seem to like nothing more than to haul out their woven baskets containing the accouterments for betelnut chewing and while away the afternoon gossiping and chewing with their friends

Betel Nut Chewers At a Lao Loum Funeral in Isaan

Chewing betel nut produces copious amounts of red saliva that can either be spit out or swallowed.  Typically the women spit it into a small plastic pail that they have lined with a plastic bag.  You can tell a betel nut chewer by the stains on their gums and teeth.

A Betelnut Chewer Flashing the Ubiquitous Red Smile

Passing An Afternoon and Entertaining Visitors In Isaan

  The European colonial powers were neither appreciative or supportive of the practise.  People who chewed betel nut were looked down upon and were considered to be members of the lowest class.  Today there are not many young people who chew.  The practise is mostly limited to people in rural areas over 50 years old.

What Goes In, Eventually Comes Out - Elderly Woman Spits out Betlejuice

Scenes from a Lao Loum Funeral

Merit Making for Funeral Ritual In Baan Tahsang

Here in Isaan, I have written of the rhythm of time marked by the cycle of work in the fields surrounding my wife's home village, Baan Tahsang (Tahsang Village).  Time is also marked by the passage of life's milestones within the extended Lao Loum family as well as within the villages that dot the Korat Plateau of Northeast Thailand.

Since we have returned to Isaan approximately two months ago, we have been immersed in the joyous milestone of the birth of a baby.  We have also enjoyed meeting all the babies that have joined my wife's extended family during the past year and one-half.  But just as there is the sweet and the sour for food, the ying and the yang of philosophy, there is the life milestone of death that marks the passage of time.

On Friday, an elderly invalid woman of Tahsang Village died.  She was the sister of Duang's aunt, which over here made her Duang's aunt.  I have never fully understood or appreciated family ties beyond aunts, uncles, and first cousins so I am overwhelmed with the extended ties in the Lao Loum culture of my wife's family.  Rather than trying to fully understand the varied and myriad relationships, I just accept whatever I am told by my wife.

The woman, who Duang also referred to as "Grandmother" had nine children during her lifetime.  Apparently "Grandmother" is an endearing term for an elderly woman just as "Old Momma" is an informal term for older women.

One of the woman's children, her youngest daughter (Duang's "cousin") had returned from the Netherlands to pay her respects to her dying mother.  She was scheduled to return to Europe on Sunday but her mother's death on Friday changed those plans.  Typically there is a three day funeral ritual in the Lao Loum culture.  The three day period allows the family time to prepare for the cremation of the deceased.  I also suspect that the three day period also has connections and connotations to Buddhism.  In Buddhism the number, 3, is very special.  During rituals, people will bow their heads three times; and repeat certain words three times.  When making offerings people will burn three joss (incense) sticks, and light three small yellow candles.  When people place gold leaf on statues, it is three squares of gold.  "Three" is significant in that it represents "Buddha", "The Teachings of Buddha", and "The Buddhist Religious Community".

A Sister of the Deceased Prays In Front of Coffin

On the day of a person's death, the family cleans the body and places it in a disposable coffin.  The disposable coffin, which will be consumed in the cremation fire, is then placed inside of a rented refrigerated coffin.  Typically the refrigerated coffin is kept inside the home but for this funeral it was placed outside underneath a covered work space next to the house.  Offerings are placed on top of the coffin.  Plastic flowers, real flowers, and strings of blinking lights are strung along the length of the coffin.  On the floor in front of the coffin, a shrine assembly is set up where people can make offerings, burn incense, and light candles. In front of the coffin as well as above it, special memorial wreath like objects are placed.  To the side of the coffin, a large framed photograph of the deceased person is placed on an easel. Next to the photograph, there is an area where donations of rice are collected in the name of the deceased.  People when they come to pay their respects donate cash and/or rice to assist the family and to make merit.  The cash is used to help defray the costs of the funeral, offered to the Monks as part of merit making ritual for the deceased, and the rice is donated to the Monks who will provide it to people who are unable to afford food from local markets.

Donations of Rice Are Consolidated to be Offered to the Monks

A vigil is maintained for the three days that the coffin is in place at the home.  Each evening at 6:00 P.M. of the first two days of the ritual, Monks visit the home and chant.

Food Is prepared For All the Ritual Attendees

During the first two days, family and friends are busy making arrangements for the cremation on the third day.  A field kitchen is set up to prepare food for people who will be participating in the three day ritual.  Tables and plastic chairs are rented and set up.  Canopies are rented and set up to shelter people from the sun and the possibility of rain. Drinking water, Lao whiskey, soft drinks need to be purchased for each table for each day.  Beef and pork are purchased and chopped into a paste like consistency to make laap, a Lao Loum specialty dish.  Women are busy preparing papaya to make "Pauk Pauk" - spicy papaya salad, a staple of Isaan cuisine.

Under Papaya Trees, Women Prepare Papaya to Make Pauk Pauk

On the third day, the day of cremation, People started arriving around 9:00 A.M. After paying their respects to the deceased, they sat at tables and commenced to eat and drink. As often happens here in Isaan the men and women drifted off to segregated groups. The atmosphere was of a grand social gathering as if an affirmation that life goes on although death has taken away a person from the community.  Part of this may be attributable to the Buddhists preparing all their life for the moment of their death and the openness of the Lao Loum death rituals.  Death is not a dark secret to be ignored and hidden from view.

A Group of Women Socializing Prior to Start of Ritual

 Children witness and participate with the community in the death rituals of family, friends, and neighbors. Death is as much a life milestone for the Lao Loum community as birth, Monk ordination, and marriage. To a certain extent, while the ritual is solemn, respectful; it was also a sort of celebration in the sense it recognized that life is suffering and that the deceased person's suffering in this life had ceased.

Monks arrived around 11:00 A.M. for the start of the merit making ritual.  The merit making ritual is offering food to the Monks in the name of the deceased.  The Monks were from the Wat inside of Tahsang Village.  They were lead by the Monk that I have nicknamed "Rocketman" because of his knowledge and participation in building as well as launching homemade rockets.  One of the other Monks was Duang's uncle who became a Monk three months ago.  He has been a subject of many of my photographs and mentioned in several of my blogs.  His transformation and progress on this path have been both reassuring and a source of joy for us.

There is an interesting aspect of funerals here in Isaan.  There is no legal gambling here in Thailand other than in a national lottery.  However I have never been to a funeral here where there was not gambling going on. The gambling is conducted off to the side.  I understand that for approximately $30 to the "right" policeman, you can get a "permit" which ensures that your gambling operation will not be "interfered" with.  From what Duang tells me, gambling at a funeral can be good for you, something about having "good luck".  She also added that when there is gambling more people attend the ritual. I don't know but Duang did win 500 baht (about $14 USD)



Gambling at the Funeral

Prior to the Monk's arrival, a grandson had his hair cut and eyebrows shaved in preparation to be a Monk for the cremation ritual.  Typically the sons, nephews, and grandsons of the deceased will become Monks for the entire three day ritual.

An Uncle Cuts Young Man's Hair Surrounded By Papaya Trees

Electric Clippers Provide A Closer Cut

Straight Razor Is Used to Remove Eyebrows

After his had washed all the clippings from himself, the Grandson went to the shrine in front of his Grandmother's coffin and made an offering.  As part of the ritual, he was asked by a Brahmin - "Are you a human?" and other liturgical questions for the young man to be a Monk for a day.

Young Man Becoming Monk for the Day

After the brief ritual, the young man retired and returned in full Monk's clothing to take his position on the raised platform with the seven other Monks for the merit making ritual.

Monks Chanting As Part of Merit Making Ritual

Paying for a funeral is a financial burden for a family.  Many people purchase commercial life insurance for the expressed purpose of paying for the funeral and big party typically held one year after the death.  The woman who died did not have commercial life insurance but participated in a government insurance program.  People pay 50 baht, about $1.50 USD, a month and when they die the local government pays 12,000 baht ($400 USD).

Part of the funeral ritual was local government officials attending the funeral and paying off on the government insurance.  The money is publicly presented and counted prior to being made as an offering to the deceased.

Nongwha District Official Presents Government Insurance Benefit

"Book of the Dead" Is Updated By Local Government Officials

After completing the merit making at the home, the coffin was loaded on to a pick up truck for the procession to the Wat.

Monks Lead the Funeral Cortage On To Wat Grounds

As part of the ritual at the front of the crematorium oven, coconut water was poured over the corpse.  Unlike previous funerals that I have attended, the pouring of coconut water was limited to only participation by the Monks.

"Rocketman" Pours Coconut Water Over the Corpse



Family, Friends and Neighbors Place "Daht Mi Jon" On Coffin

Towards the end of the funeral ritual at the Wat, people climb the stairs of the crematorium to place good luck tokens, "Daht Mi Jon" on the coffin.  These tokens are purchased at a specialty store and are made from strips of bamboo and paper.

Great Granddaughter Leaves After Paying Last Respects

The daht mi jon were collected and placed on the corpse inside of the coffin.  A cane knife was used to punch drainage/ventilation holes inside of the coffin.  The holes allowed the coconut water to drain out and to assist in the combustion when the coffin was placed in the oven.

The Coffin Is Placed Upon A Charcoal Bed

The coffin was then lifted off of the metal saw horses and placed upon a bed of charcoal atop a metal wheeled carriage.  The sides of the coffin were doused with about a liter of hydrocarbon fluid - it was not diesel, it smelled very strong but I suspect that it was not gasoline.  It might have been naphtha since when it was ignited it was not as explosive as gasoline.  The carriage was rolled into the oven, the doors were closed and secured.  A Monk took a burning decoration and placed it inside of an ignition port on the oven door to start the cremation fire.

As the fire started, a string of very large firecrackers went off.  These firecrackers were balls about 2-1/2 inches in diameter. They were extremely loud, concussive and quickly filled the area with a dense grey smoke.  I, from my position at the doors to the oven, was somewhat shell shocked by the explosions.  I suspect that was a good sign.  The fireworks were set off to scare away any bad spirits that were in the area as the woman's spirit was released by the fire.  I doubt any spirits would hang around after such  fusillade.

As the fireworks were going off, a couple of the relatives started throwing handfuls of candy, coins, and other mementos from the crematorium steps to the awaiting children and adults below.  This act represents the renunciation of material goods by the deceased persons spirit as it commences it journey.


Children React to Fireworks and Tossed Mementos

Once again I was touched by the dignity, respect and love exhibited during the Lao Loum funeral ritual.  The Lao Loum funeral rituals demonstrate the strong sense of family and community that help bind the people together.  The social fabric of Lao Loum culture is colorful and tightly woven.

A Place Called Tahsang

Food carts, one beverage and one main dishes, serving Tahsang Village

On Friday, my D700 camera arrived from Bangkok where it had spent the past month for repair.  It arrived too late for the funeral ritual earlier in the day.  However I was able to bring it with us on Saturday when we drove out to Baan Tahsang, Tahsang Village, to visit the family.

You never know what or who you will come upon when driving the back roads of Isaan so I typically carry my camera gear when we travel about the countryside.

A street of Tahsang Village

The rice crop has been planted for almost two months and is well established.  We are in the rainy season now so we experience rain just about everyday; sometimes twice or three times a day.  The days are heavily overcast and very humid - great for growing rice but not so great for sufferers of prickly heat.  The rice paddies are a resplendent vibrant green.  The sugar cane is around 2-1/2 meters high, truly as high as an elephant's eye although we did not see any elephants on this trip.  Occasionally we see elephants walking along the country roads with their handlers.  With the restrictions on logging in Thailand, many elephants that were used in the forestry industry are now unemployed.  Since elephants live so long, eat so much, and are basically bonded to their handler and handler's family, the elephants are paraded about the countryside to help support themselves from donations of food and money. Elephants have even visited Tahsang Village.

The rice harvest will commence in Late-October and the sugar cane harvest will commence in late December.  As such, there is a lull in activities in the fields of Isaan.

With the monsoon rains, many people are busy now constructing or repairing their fishing platforms along water courses and on the floodplain where the water is already noticeably higher as well as rising.  People sit on the bamboo platforms and use dip nets to catch small; very small fish to feed their family.



Tahsang Village yard

Tahsang Village is Duang's home village and is located outside of Kumphawapi about 60 KM from our home in Udonthani.  Approximately 300 people, many of them related to Duang, live in the village.  The residents of the village are mostly subsistence farmers, their activities coinciding with the demand of the various crops during specific times during the year.  Local crops are the ubiquitous sticky rice (glutinous rice), sugar cane, peanuts, cassava, and corn.

Water Buffalo headed out Tahsang Village to graze on the surrounding floodplain

Some people raise water buffalo.  They are kept in small corrals in either back or side yards.  In the morning they are herded out of the village to graze on the surrounding fallow fields and flood plain.  In the late afternoon they return to the village.  This is a rhythm that is repeated every day; a measurement of the passing of time in a small village in Northeast Thailand.

Some others raise a few head of cattle, scrawny animals that forage about the countryside for nourishment. Many villagers have chickens which are free ranch in the sense that they do not have coops and roam all about.  Somehow the villagers are able to distinguish what chicken belongs to what household.

Recently the villagers have commenced a  cottage industry cultivating mushrooms.  Several yards and vacant lots in the village now have long rows of straw covered beds where mushrooms are being grown.  The mushrooms are mainly eaten by the family that raises them with any surplus sold to fellow villagers or friends.

Once in Tahsang Village, Duang retired into her mother's house to catch up on all the village and family news and gossip.  I chose to sit outside and watch life pass me by.  Sitting at the intersection of two village streets underneath a thatched roof, I was never bored.  There always seemed to be something going on and most of the time it was interesting.  Unlike current life in the United States the people of Tahsang Village spend a great deal of the daylight hours outside.  Unlike our life back in Groton, we see many children playing outside everyday.  It is entertaining to see children unencumbered by adults, inventing their own amusements, organizing their games, and resolving their disputes.  Now that he is three years old, our grandson Peelawat, is part of one the village groups.  He plays with 4 or 5 other children, boys and girls around 4 years old.



Tahsang Villagers buying drinks and food

Saturday, Duang's brother and his wife brought their food carts to the village.  Duang's brother's cart sells beverages.  He sell cups of soda and crushed ice.  The sodas are on display in glass bottles lined along the top of his cart.  The crushed ice is stored in a plastic cooler strapped to the back of the cart. A cup of soda goes for 20 baht ($0.60 USD).  In addition to carbonated beverages, he sells cups of Cha Menow (Lemon Ice Tea).  He does sell Lipton or Nestea ice teas.  He brews fresh tea over charcoal fire, adds sugar, and squeezes fresh lemon to produce each glass of Cha Menow which he sells for 20 Baht - delicious treat for the hot and muggy Isaan days.
Duang's sister-in-law's cart uses propane to deep fry hot dogs, pork balls, and pork.  The meat is served with a hot chili sauce that is like a chocolate sauce, cucumber chunks, and greens.  Everything that she needs is loaded on to her cart.

The villagers lined up and bought their food and drinks which they ate outside their homes and readily shared with people who passed by.  Although this type might be considered as "fast foods" in many locales, it is not here in Isaan.  It does not take long to cook the food but here in Isaan shopping in a market or off a food cart is a social event.  It is another exercise to get caught up on family and village life - time to be cherished as well as savoured.  It was amusing to observe the development of this attitude even in the children.


The Ice-Cream Man Cometh

There was also a treat Saturday morning - the ice cream man came to Tahsang Village.  In Baan Chonrada, where we live, we have two ice cream men.  One man, a young man, comes early in the afternoon.  The second man, an older man, was our original ice cream man comes at dinner time.  I am loyal to the original man and when I buy, I buy only from him.  Both men sell the same prepackaged ice cream novelties from an insulated sidecar to their motorbike.  The side car has an umbrella over the top of it to help shield it from the sun or to keep some of the rain off of it.  Each ice cart blares the same obnoxious tinny tune over and over to announce their arrival to the village.  I was surprised during our stay in America to see that some of the products sold here in Isaan, Walls Magnum, were available.


"Slicing and Dicing" Ice-Cream for customers

The ice cream man who came to Tahsang Village was an affable man with bright clothing, a bright motorbike and a brillant smile.  His products were kept in an insulated box strapped directly on the back of his seat.  His ice-cream was a more Thai product than the western novelties of the Baan Chonrada vendors.  His ice-cream was available in seven flavors - long blocks about 5 cm by 5 cm by 32 cm.  The customer selects the flavor that they want.  The vendor opens the insulated box, and removes a block of the selected flavor and cuts it into the proper portion with a knife, and thrusts a bamboo skewer through the portion.  An ice-cream costs $0.15 USD.  Peelawat and his 3 friends all enjoyed an ice-cream.

Peelawat enjoying his ice-cream

The confluence of food, beverage, and ice-cream vendors made for quite a busy time outside of my mother-in-law's house.  People from throughout the village showed up to buy things and to socialize.  It seems that just about every child has a bicycle in Tahsang Village.  When they get older, like 14 years old, they start driving motorbikes. The streets are always busy with combinations of toddlers, bicycles, dogs, chickens, motorbikes, farm wagons, and pick up trucks.  Saturday one of the villagers who can not walk came over using her tricycle.  Her tricycle is a special vehicle - it does not have pedals to propel it.  She propels the tricycle by moving a vertical lever back and forth.