Tag: thailand

ASEAN Economic Community and Thailand

August 15, 2014

Thailand’s fiercely independent spirit and lack of colonization has benefitted the country in a variety of ways. Perhaps the most tangible and visible effect is the fact that Thailand has been the regional economic powerhouse for sometime. However, next year, the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economy Community (AEC) goes into effect, bringing a European Union style agreement for free movement of qualified workers among the 10 member nations with the lingua franca being English. This impending development for the region has had a rather significant impact on the work that I am asked to do here.

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Thai Nationalism and the National Anthem

August 12, 2014

In Thailand, there is a strong current of enforced nationalism which is most evident in the public playing of the national anthem, or pleng chat (เพลงชาติ) twice a day, and the required standing and observance. A friend said that she was asked recently by the kids she works with when we sing and hear the national anthem in America. All she could come up with was at sporting events and sometimes at school concerts. But here in Thailand, the national anthem is a constant part of my life, I overhear it coming from my neighbors’ televisions at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.. If I’m at the bus station it comes on, everyone stops and stands and the students sing it every morning. So I thought I would give you readers a taste of the anthem here and what the words mean.

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Heartwarming Thai Commercials Get Me Every Time

August 10, 2014

There’s quite the trend happening in Thai marketing right now. Lots of companies are making longer videos that are designed to really pull at your heartstrings. They tell these really beautiful and emotional stories, that often times aren’t really connected to what they are selling. This one was one of the first and has gone viral. Definitely got me to tear up!

Ethnicities of Thailand: Hilltribe Minority Groups

August 8, 2014

One thing that is interesting about Thailand, especially with the policies that the junta is pushing, is the concept of a “Thai identity.” Yet, there are between 70 and 75 ethnic groups, some of whom do not identify the Thai identity, and many of the hill tribes are legally barred from having an affiliation with Thai-ness, even if they wanted to. Who are some of these ethnic groups and hill tribes and what is their relation to Thailand?

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Ethnicities of Thailand: Thai Identity

August 5, 2014

I was born and raised in the United States, a place that is frequently referred to as a “melting pot,” due to the number and variety of immigrants that have moved there over the centuries. The diversity of the people of my home country is definitely something that I miss.

However, saying that belies the diversity of the people of Thailand, which is ignored and passively covered up by the dominant and “official” history of the country. The Thai identity is one that has been cobbled together from various peoples that have had an influence on the Siamese kingdoms, though has certainly been dominated by the Tai peoples (not the same as Thai).

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Thai Performing Arts: Thai Dancing

August 1, 2014

On thing that I really like about Thailand is how proud Thai people are of their culture. I’m always asked what I think of Thai food, I’m eagerly included in events at the wat (including funerals and weddings for people I have never met) and when I ask questions about things I don’t understand the explanations are free flowing. But there is one thing that I find especially impressive, and I’ve noticed it a lot more lately as I’ve attended more festivals: the pride in Thai traditional dancing.

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Thai Performing Arts: Nang Yaai, Shadow Plays

July 29, 2014

There is a specialized form of performing arts that is a bit of a dying breed in Thailand: the nang yai (หนังใหญ่) shadow puppet plays. A friend had told me about stuff he had read about this art form and we briefly talked about trying to go to a performance before he left, but it never materialized. However, as I’ve tried to soak up as much of the cultural as I can this year, I made a trip to Wat Khanon in Ratchaburi, one of the few places that has performances this last weekend.

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Bpai Tiao Video: Thai Nang Yaai Shadow Play

July 27, 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.

In the planning for this year’s Thai Youth Theatre Festival, we decided to do a workshop on shadow puppets. This was included because we learned about a traditional Thai performance art called nang yaai, which literally means “big skin.” Shadow puppets are created out of animal hides and used to perform traditional stories. After a quick search, I discovered Wat Khanon in Ratchaburi does weekly performances and I had to check it out.

Thai Performing Arts: the Khon, a masked play

July 25, 2014

Last year, during Pre-Service Training, my cohorts and I were treated to performance of the khon (โขน). The theater was absolutely freezing and the performance was around three hours with no intermission. We were told that it was something special, that it’s not a common thing to get to go see, but after a year and a half in Thailand, I’m realizing how special it is, especially for someone with an interest in theater and performing arts, because this performance is the one of the only strong traditions of theater arts in Thailand.

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