Tag: buddhism

Bpai Tiao: Chaing Rai and Songkran in Chiang Mai

April 18, 2014

In Thailand, a bpai tiao is a trip of any length. I’ve written about some of my more significant bpai tiaos to tourist destinations here, to be used as travel ideas and tips.

After hanging out with my friends in Khao Koh, Petchabun, I made my way northwards. I had plans to meet with my friends Mamie, Sasha-Noel, Mayumi and Yee in Chiang Mai for Songkran, or the Thai New Year celebration. Last year, I spent Songkran in my village, honoring the elders and playing with the kids. But before heading to Chiang Mai, one of the biggest Songkran celebration spots in the country, I stopped over in Chiang Rai to explore the temples there.

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Bpai Tiao: the Natural Beauty of Khao Koh

April 15, 2014

One of my closest volunteer friends, Brandon, lives in a village that is a pretty well-known Thai tourist destination in Khao Koh, Petchabun. Last year, some of the teachers at my school were talking about taking a trip there at the end of bpit term, but it never happened for whatever number of reasons. However, I did get to make my way there this bpit term since Brandon invited to his house.

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Bpai Tiao Video: Sak Yant Tattoo Festival 2014

April 13, 2014

In Thailand, a bpai tiao is a trip of any length. I’ve written about some of my more significant bpai tiaos to tourist destinations here, to be used as travel ideas and tips.

Generally, tattoos are a taboo in Thailand, with the exception of sak yant. Sak yant are Buddhist protection charms that are tapped into the wearer’s skin by a monk. Each year, in Nakhon Pathom, there is an annual festival for people who have sak yant to get the magic of their charms “recharged” in a sense, and for people to get new ones. Check out the video!

Bpai Tiao: Sak Yant Tattoo Festival in Nakhon Pathom

March 18, 2014

In Thailand, a bpai tiao is a trip of any length. I’ve written about some of my more significant bpai tiaos to tourist destinations here, to be used as travel ideas and tips.

My last post was about festivals here in Thailand that I do not want to miss over this next year here, and I left one out. But that is because I tried to go to it this last weekend. Every year, at Wat Bang Phra in Nakhon Pathom, a couple hours outside of Bangkok, there is the Sak Yant Tattoo Festival. more “Bpai Tiao: Sak Yant Tattoo Festival in Nakhon Pathom” …

Peace Corps Week 2014 Video: Susan

March 9, 2014

In honor of Peace Corps Week this year, the team at headquarters in Washington is holding a video contest. The theme is “What I Wish Americans Knew.” My friend and fellow volunteer, Susan, created a really great video. Check it out!

Woman Monk’s Fight for Equality in Thailand

February 16, 2014

A group of Peace Corps volunteers recently held the first Girls Leading Our World (GLOW) camp in Thailand. One of the aims of this camp is to build the confidence and broaden the horizons of girls. The organizers invited a female monk to come and speak to the girls. In Thailand, only men are allowed to be monks, but these women are challenging the status quo. Check out this documentary about them!

A Closer Look at the Architectural Details of Wats

January 26, 2014

Wats, or Buddhist temples, are everywhere in Thailand. And for as many temples as there are, there are just as many different styles. However, many of them share similarities as well. Check out the video of some of the details of Thailand’s temples.

Bpai Tiao: One Day Must See Chiang Mai

January 21, 2014

In Thailand, a bpai tiao is a trip of any length. I’ve written about some of my more significant bpai tiaos to tourist destinations here, to be used as travel ideas and tips.

I finally made it up to the northern city of Chiang Mai, a place that other volunteers regularly rave about. But this wasn’t just any bpai tiao, I went to Chiang Mai to attend the 34th Annual Thailand TESOL International Conference along with two other Peace Corps volunteers, my counterpart Kruu Ning and five other counterparts. Kruu Ning had also never been to Chiang Mai, so we arrived early in the morning the day before the conference started to give us a chance to tour around to some of the highlights of the area.

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Making Merit at Phra That Phanom

December 22, 2013

Phra That Phanom is a temple located in Nakhon Phanom in Isaan (Northeastern Thailand). It is said that some relics of the Buddha are interred in the stupa there. Because of this, it is a pilgrimage site for many Thai Buddhists to come and make merit. Check it out!

The Importance of Appearance in Thailand

November 8, 2013

Appearance is everything in Thailand. There is a special emphasis on how you look and what you wear. Thai people have no problem with pointing out to you if you are looking fat lately or if there is a pimple on your face. Comments letting you know they don’t really like your curly, wavy hair and that they think you should wear it up more often are normal. Perhaps this is the reason why Thai people take so many pictures of themselves. Even beyond that, how you dress is also particularly important.

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