Tuk-tukking along in Thailand
By scott.poniewaz | June 5, 2006
A picture from the Bang Fei celebration, please click the image for a picture gallery
The first days have been crazy already. I’ve been learning about traditional culture, not so traditional culture and at the highest level, the hospitability of the Thai people. From the moment I set foot in Thailand, I was welcome here. I can’t say that the 350 Baht (approx. $8) massage for 45 minutes in the airport between flights in the Bangkok airport had anything to do with it. Okay, so maybe it did. I found out the next day when I got my second massage for just 150 Baht in the village I am currently living in, things were getting even better.
I would like to make this long, but with my busy days thus far, I wanted to just get something up finally with a few photos and a brief synopsis of what I’ve been up to. To start out with for those of you that don’t know where Udon Thani is, it is in the northeast of Thailand and the village is part of the Issan area.
The day after we arrived we started to try and help out around the area. We helped carry buckets of cement for construction, pulled weeds in the organic garden (yes mom, those vaccinations were well worth it) and went for a run among the rice fields and Thailand countryside.
The next morning we were able to begin participating in the Bang Fei Festival (or Fai, or Phai. It all depends on the translation and transliteration of the name). The parade began around 9 a.m. and we quickly realized that most of the people in the village were already well on their way to intoxication. By 9:30 there were a few making sure our group had a good time, which meant cups of beer “on the rocks” (Greg…it is a real thing, sorry, inside joke).
After the parade, people dance and begin shooting off what can only be explained as bottle rockets on steroids. Oversized homemade bottle rocket engines are attached to bamboo, then shot off and timed. Bets are placed between people and the person whose bamboo stick falls the slowest wins. It is definitely a teenage boys paradise and when mixing alcohol, explosives and kids as young as 10 launching them off, you can only imagine how that went!
There is a purpose for it all though, much like their Songkran festival, or Thai new years, they are using it to pray for rain. The rockets are meant to awaken the rain gods to fill their fields. As I have heard, however, the rain has been good early and the fields are filled pretty well right now, though more rain is still needed. I also must say that it was beautiful blue skies and hot weather with killer humidity the day of the festival and even today, the day after.
Today we began job training, then later we were able to go on a motorcycle ride through the countryside and tonight saw a band. One of the people was what the Thai’s call a “ladyboy,” or cross-dresser, sometimes transvestite, and a man kept trying to get the couple males I was with to go shake his hand as he danced on stage. When we said no, he simply laughed and tried to pull us up there again. I must say though, the ladyboys are quite convincing and can be rather difficult to discern from the real women here. I also should add that unlike in the states, there has never been issue with it like there is in the states. It is not frowned upon, but the Thai’s do joke about it. In their minds, it doesn’t matter who you are, just as long as you have a big heart.
I need to get to sleep, but I wanted to send a quick update out to make sure everyone knew I made it safely. Don’t forget, as you’re going to take your lunch break, I’m stepping into a new day! With that in mind, I apologize in advance for any sloppy writing. Please contact me if you have any questions. On a final note however, in the short time that I have already been here, I must say, the Thai’s are some of the friendliest people I have ever met and while the language barrier is there, a smile truly does go a long way on both sides of the fence.
Topics: Travel, Photo Galleries, General, Thailand |
2 Responses to “Tuk-tukking along in Thailand”
Comments
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12:14 pm on June 6th, 2006
Scott,
We are so happy to hear that you got there safely!! We looked at your photo gallery, and the house in the picture hardly looks like you will be roughing-it much, but then again you said you don’t expect to spend much time there…
Bang Fei sounds like a good time, except for all the explosives. ‘hope you continue to enjoy your stay, and meet a lot of wonderful people… but try not to get yourself mixed up with a ladyboy (hee he).
Best wishes and love,
Aunt Mary
8:58 pm on June 13th, 2006
Scott,
It looks like you had quite the welcoming. I am really looking forward to seeing more of your photos and reading more of your blog. I wish you lots of luck, and have a wonderful time.
Ashley