2013年5月29日星期三
2013年5月28日星期二
促进柬泰边境合作‧3省將增设关卡
促进柬泰边境合作‧3省將增设关卡
为促进柬埔寨木薯和农產品出及深化柬泰边境合作关係，柬埔寨建议开通另外三个边境关卡。
会议由副总理兼外交部长何南丰主持，財经部、商业部、工业部和农业部等多个部门官员、柬泰边境省市长、军区司令等参加会议，以深入討论制定柬泰两国发展规划，推动西部边境地区发展，尤其是在经济方面。
何南丰表示，洪森总理和泰国首相英叻会晤的共识是“开发边境经济区”，实现边境地区的发展和繁荣，促进边境地区的和平、稳定及边境人民的和睦相处。因此，本次会议，就是討论如何发展边境地区。
在会议上，何南丰听取各部门和省区长官对边境的发展情况和面临的问题，以制定有效的发展计划推动边境地区发展。
会议以闭门方式进行討论，会后，外交部国务秘书隆威沙罗向媒体表示，柬埔寨计划开通两国三个边界关卡，包括在柏威夏省、菩萨省和马德望省。他说，此次会议是为6月10日和11日在首都金边召开的柬泰边境发展会议，进行筹备。
他续说，柬埔寨希望深化与泰国的各方面关係，包括贸易往来、边界关卡的开通、卫生、排雷、波比铁路发展，尤其是闯进泰国边境非法砍伐的柬埔寨劳工，及木薯和玉米等农產品出口。“以往木薯和玉米出口存在很多问题，泰国买家想买，他们才来收购，如果他们不想买，就不会来或者降低价格......这个问题，我们必须深入討论，解决出口问题，尤其是农產品被压价的问题。”
他说，柬埔寨也將从泰国购买更多的电力，以满足整个奥多棉芷省电供。
（柬埔寨星洲日报）
为促进柬埔寨木薯和农產品出及深化柬泰边境合作关係，柬埔寨建议开通另外三个边境关卡。
会议由副总理兼外交部长何南丰主持，財经部、商业部、工业部和农业部等多个部门官员、柬泰边境省市长、军区司令等参加会议，以深入討论制定柬泰两国发展规划，推动西部边境地区发展，尤其是在经济方面。
何南丰表示，洪森总理和泰国首相英叻会晤的共识是“开发边境经济区”，实现边境地区的发展和繁荣，促进边境地区的和平、稳定及边境人民的和睦相处。因此，本次会议，就是討论如何发展边境地区。
在会议上，何南丰听取各部门和省区长官对边境的发展情况和面临的问题，以制定有效的发展计划推动边境地区发展。
会议以闭门方式进行討论，会后，外交部国务秘书隆威沙罗向媒体表示，柬埔寨计划开通两国三个边界关卡，包括在柏威夏省、菩萨省和马德望省。他说，此次会议是为6月10日和11日在首都金边召开的柬泰边境发展会议，进行筹备。
他续说，柬埔寨希望深化与泰国的各方面关係，包括贸易往来、边界关卡的开通、卫生、排雷、波比铁路发展，尤其是闯进泰国边境非法砍伐的柬埔寨劳工，及木薯和玉米等农產品出口。“以往木薯和玉米出口存在很多问题，泰国买家想买，他们才来收购，如果他们不想买，就不会来或者降低价格......这个问题，我们必须深入討论，解决出口问题，尤其是农產品被压价的问题。”
他说，柬埔寨也將从泰国购买更多的电力，以满足整个奥多棉芷省电供。
（柬埔寨星洲日报）
清迈动物园举办林冰之最展
清迈动物园举办林冰之最展
动物园管理委员会委员帕塔霖上将昨天（27日）在清迈动物园主持「神奇4年与熊猫林冰之最展览」开幕仪式，以此庆祝「林冰」4岁生日。活动展示了「熊猫宝宝林冰」 从出生到现在的相关情况。并指出大熊猫林冰回中国居住一年主要是为了适应自然界的生活，同时也是为了「林冰」寻找配偶以便繁殖后代。
动物园管理办主任讪猜表示，27日正好是「林冰」4岁生日，她从出生到现在一直居住在泰国，而为了延长「林冰」继续待在泰国15年所花费的1亿元人民币是值得的。
「神奇4年与林冰之最展」除了展示「林冰」从出生到现在的相关情况外，还列出熊猫「林冰」的「9项世界之最」 ，分别是出生最快、出生时最重、最初发出的声音最响、拥有护理人员最多、出生日期最多、拥有粉丝最多、占居报刊第一版时间最久、帮助朋友最多、帮助起名人数最多等。此次展览活动从27日开始在清迈动物园举办，并将持续到6月9日。
讪猜表示，「林冰」回国1年是为了去适应自然界生活和寻找佳偶，而不是永久性返回中国。因为「林冰」延长在泰国居住15年是当初与中国专家协商好的事情。 「林冰」10月分回中国除了训练在野外生活能力外，还将为「林冰」寻找配偶，目前中国方面已经寻找到6只年龄相符的大熊猫。而「林冰」回国1年之后就会再次返回泰国。
讪猜表示，至于「林冰」延长泰国居住花费1亿元人民币是否划算的问题，他相信这对动物园促进旅游业来说是非常划算的。动物园除了重视「林冰」外，对于其他动物也同样非常重视。比如大象，特别在素辇府成立了大象王国，负责大象的管理工作，包括流浪大象。
～以上新闻转载自世界日报～
动物园管理委员会委员帕塔霖上将昨天（27日）在清迈动物园主持「神奇4年与熊猫林冰之最展览」开幕仪式，以此庆祝「林冰」4岁生日。活动展示了「熊猫宝宝林冰」 从出生到现在的相关情况。并指出大熊猫林冰回中国居住一年主要是为了适应自然界的生活，同时也是为了「林冰」寻找配偶以便繁殖后代。
动物园管理办主任讪猜表示，27日正好是「林冰」4岁生日，她从出生到现在一直居住在泰国，而为了延长「林冰」继续待在泰国15年所花费的1亿元人民币是值得的。
「神奇4年与林冰之最展」除了展示「林冰」从出生到现在的相关情况外，还列出熊猫「林冰」的「9项世界之最」 ，分别是出生最快、出生时最重、最初发出的声音最响、拥有护理人员最多、出生日期最多、拥有粉丝最多、占居报刊第一版时间最久、帮助朋友最多、帮助起名人数最多等。此次展览活动从27日开始在清迈动物园举办，并将持续到6月9日。
讪猜表示，「林冰」回国1年是为了去适应自然界生活和寻找佳偶，而不是永久性返回中国。因为「林冰」延长在泰国居住15年是当初与中国专家协商好的事情。 「林冰」10月分回中国除了训练在野外生活能力外，还将为「林冰」寻找配偶，目前中国方面已经寻找到6只年龄相符的大熊猫。而「林冰」回国1年之后就会再次返回泰国。
讪猜表示，至于「林冰」延长泰国居住花费1亿元人民币是否划算的问题，他相信这对动物园促进旅游业来说是非常划算的。动物园除了重视「林冰」外，对于其他动物也同样非常重视。比如大象，特别在素辇府成立了大象王国，负责大象的管理工作，包括流浪大象。
～以上新闻转载自世界日报～
曼谷再当选世界最热门旅游地
曼谷再当选世界最热门旅游地
预计2013年将有1598万名来自世界各地的游客到访泰国首都曼谷，这一数字使曼谷成为本年度世界最热门旅游城市，美国信用卡「万事达卡」公司27日在曼谷发布了新一期世界热门旅行目的地指数报告，并向曼谷颁发冠军奖项。
「万事达卡」从2010年起每年发布世界热门旅行目的地指数，就到访游客数量和游客消费总额对世界热门旅行城市进行排行。去年到访游客数量最多的城市为英国伦敦，在今年的排行中，曼谷超过伦敦成为到访游客数量最多的城市，英国伦敦、法国巴黎则分别位列第二、三名。
曼谷市长素坤攀亲王当天接受了「万事达卡」颁发的奖杯并表示，希望曼谷市民和旅游工作者共同努力，使曼谷继续成为最受欢迎的旅游城市。泰国旅游局副局长他瓦猜说，曼谷受到外国游客的欢迎，这对这个城市的医疗业、交通工业以及食品工业都是一个发展契机。
「万事达卡」全球经济分析师王月魂说，曼谷的旅游业从去年起就保有增长的势头，而今年成为到访游客最多的城市，也代表了整个亚洲旅游市场的发展潜力。
报告显示，今年入选的132个热门旅游城市中，亚太地区城市占42个。中国香港、上海和台北分别入选前20名。 「万事达卡」公司国际市场部门负责人安•凯恩斯说，这一指数说明新兴市场经济增长使全球经济分布正在经历大规模调整，同时电子支付的使用使越来越多的人参与到全球经济增长中来。
～以上新闻转载自世界日报～
预计2013年将有1598万名来自世界各地的游客到访泰国首都曼谷，这一数字使曼谷成为本年度世界最热门旅游城市，美国信用卡「万事达卡」公司27日在曼谷发布了新一期世界热门旅行目的地指数报告，并向曼谷颁发冠军奖项。
「万事达卡」从2010年起每年发布世界热门旅行目的地指数，就到访游客数量和游客消费总额对世界热门旅行城市进行排行。去年到访游客数量最多的城市为英国伦敦，在今年的排行中，曼谷超过伦敦成为到访游客数量最多的城市，英国伦敦、法国巴黎则分别位列第二、三名。
曼谷市长素坤攀亲王当天接受了「万事达卡」颁发的奖杯并表示，希望曼谷市民和旅游工作者共同努力，使曼谷继续成为最受欢迎的旅游城市。泰国旅游局副局长他瓦猜说，曼谷受到外国游客的欢迎，这对这个城市的医疗业、交通工业以及食品工业都是一个发展契机。
「万事达卡」全球经济分析师王月魂说，曼谷的旅游业从去年起就保有增长的势头，而今年成为到访游客最多的城市，也代表了整个亚洲旅游市场的发展潜力。
报告显示，今年入选的132个热门旅游城市中，亚太地区城市占42个。中国香港、上海和台北分别入选前20名。 「万事达卡」公司国际市场部门负责人安•凯恩斯说，这一指数说明新兴市场经济增长使全球经济分布正在经历大规模调整，同时电子支付的使用使越来越多的人参与到全球经济增长中来。
～以上新闻转载自世界日报～
2013年5月24日星期五
Sangkhlaburi Travel Info
Travel Info
- Sangkhla Buri is in Kanchanaburi province and about 440km west of Bangkok. The distance from Muang Kanchanaburi to Sangkhla Buri is about 220km and it takes at least three hours to drive along the winding road.
- Public vans and buses to Sangkhla Buri are available at the bus terminal on Saeng Chuto Road in the town of Kanchanaburi. The van service runs from 7am to 4.30pm and vans leave every 20 minutes. The fare is 175 baht for a one-way trip. The bus service is available three times a day at 7.30am, 10am and 12.30pm. The fares are 168 and 216 baht for nonair conditioned and air conditioned buses respectively.
For more information, visit the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s website at www.tourismthailand.org or call the TAT office in Kanchanaburi at 034-511-200 and 034-512-500.
～Info courtesy of Bangkok Post～
Mists of mystique - Sangkhlaburi
Mists of mystique
Time seems to stand still while Sangkhla Buri's Mon community performs tradition rituals
Fog blankets the Mon community in Sangkhla Buri district, on the Thailand-Myanmar border in Kanchanaburi province, before dawn breaks. Visitors with cameras poised stand on the famous Mon Bridge, the longest hand-made wooden bridge in Thailand, all preparing to shoot the scenic moments of the sun rising over the Songkalia River.
Mon children sell flowers for visitors to pay respects to a Buddha image inside an ubosot of the old Wat Wang Wiwekaram, which is always submerged except during summer.
Fishermen ride their long-tail boats along the river, looking for an ideal location. You may hear the songs of birds and clucks of chickens while admiring the picturesque view of the river and the Mon community.
You are likely to see a Mon lady in traditional dress walking along the wooden bridge. She wears thanaka powder on her face and carries small bunches of flowers in her hands. Her name is Yen. She shows up every morning to ask visitors to come to her community. The flowers are for sale to those who want to make offerings.
"If you'd like to offer alms to monks, you may follow me. I'll lead the way," said Yen with broad smile.
Yen is very friendly, with a sweet smile. She does not mind if you do not want to buy her flowers.
If you follow her across the wooden bridge, you will be in the Mon village where people maintain their traditional way of living, speak their own language and the men wear longyi. You can find local food like dishes of fish curry with chopped banana stem and snacks called "nang paya" made of roti stuffed with salty boiled beans.
A short walk from the bridge, passing food stalls and souvenir shops, you will spot villagers of all ages waiting in the middle of the road to offer alms to monks. Women wear sarongs and cover their blouses with shawls.
When they see a line of monks walking in their direction, they squat on the concrete road and prostrate themselves to worship by facing down to the ground over their clasped palms. They take rice bowls, raising them up to their foreheads and stand to offer a spoonful of rice to each monk.
The practice is similar to the alms offerings of people in Luang Prabang in Laos and Chiang Khan district in Loei, where they offer only sticky rice to monks. In the Mon community, locals normally offer a spoonful of steamed rice to each monk.
"We later go to temples to offer other food to monks," said one villager.
Temples are at the centre of many activities for Mon people in Sangkhla Buri. For example, the recent Songkran festival was not only a time for fun, but for making merit. The whole village celebrated the festival together with a five-day ceremony in Wat Wang Wiwekaram, a famous temple which was built by the highly revered late abbot Luang Pho Uttama.
Monks walk on a human bridge, a way of making merit for the Mon community in Sangkhla Buri.
The original temple was built in 1968 and was inundated 16 years later because of the construction of Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand's Vajiralongkorn Dam. The temple was relocated to its present location on a hill.
Wat Wang Wiwekaram has a large Mon-style ordination hall which houses a wax figure of the late abbot, a large wooden prayer hall which can accommodate hundreds of people, a golden coloured Buddhakaya-style pagoda which houses Buddha relics, and accommodation for lay men and women.
''During the first three days of the Songkran festival, a large group of people stay in the temple to observe the precepts,'' said Phra Ajarn Maha Suchat Siripanyo, the present abbot. These people are normally the elderly.
''It is our tradition that younger family members will bring boiled rice to serve their parents in the morning for the whole three days while their parents stay in the temple.
''The young will also return in the late afternoon to bathe their parents and later they can have fun and throw water at each other at the temple grounds.''
Meanwhile, a group of villagers helped build a five-tier sand pagoda in the temple. They normally build the pagoda during Songkran on the belief that once a year they should replace the grains of sand unintentionally carried away from the temple. It is another way of making merit.
Locals pay respect at the sand pagoda by offering flowers, pinning colourful flags, lighting candles and praying with three incense sticks. Some bring their own sand. They put a bag of sand on their heads, pray, and disperse the contents over the pagoda.
The first three days of the Songkran festival were busy for another group of men who went into the forest to cut long pieces bamboo. They carefully split the bamboo and created a complicated network of water pipes for the fourth day of Songkran.
''The late abbot told villagers to keep our tradition and use only bamboo as a material instead of using PVC pipes. It is the wisdom of Luang Pho Uttama to make villagers work together in order to get the job done. The activity helps unite us,'' said Phra Ajarn Suchat.
Bit by bit, the split bamboo pieces were tied together into a network structure water could flow through. This network can serve hundreds of Buddhists who wish to join the water pouring ceremony at the same time.
Offerings are laid in a large prayer hall.
The event started about 4pm of the fourth Songkran day, which this year fell on April 17. It seemed as if the whole village was waiting for the ceremony because the temple ground was full of people. Women donned their beautiful traditional dress while some men wore red longyi. Each villager brought with them a large bowl filled with fragrant water and small flowers. They each took their place at the end of a bamboo pipe, clasping the bowls in their hands and waiting for a signal.
A village leader brought a highly respected seated Buddha image from the temple hall to the grounds. He placed the Buddha image under the tip of a pipe at the end of the bamboo network, through which the residents would later pour water.
Before that process could begin, another ritual, reserved only for men, took place. About 50 devotees lay face down on a concrete floor to form a human path.
According to the present abbot, the action started in the time of Luang Pho Uttama. It came about because villagers had such strong faith in the late abbot they wanted him to step on their backs as a blessing. Since then, it has become a tradition.
''I believe this ritual can take away my bad luck,'' said Boonchuay Ongsasatitwong, a local man who has joined the procession for the past two years. He persuaded two of his friends to join the ceremony this year.
About 15 monks were invited to walk over the men. Every monk was accompanied by either one or two helpers who held their hands to maintain balance. Each monk stepped onto the middle of the back of those devotees. No cries of pain were heard.
''When the monks stepped on my back, I didn't feel much weight. It was quite light,'' said Boonchuay. When asked if he felt the floor was too hot to bear, he quickly answered: ''Not at all. I am very happy.''
Then it was time to pour water over the Buddha image and the monks. A man showed up with two flags in hand, one green and one red. He waved the green flag and shouted in Mon: ''Jao! Jao!'' People started pouring water from their bowls into the bamboo pipes. The water quickly flowed together, carrying the small flowers with it, toward the other end, falling over the seated Buddha image. The red flag was waved. ''Taidae! Taidae!'' People stopped pouring water.
Next was the moment for watering the monks, one by one. The green flag was waved again, and soon all the monks were soaked. The participants threw the leftover water at each other. The fourth day of Songkran ends only when everyone gets wet.
On the fifth day, after offering alms to monks, villagers gathered at a ground near the market to join a parade. The process is called the Thod Phapa ceremony, and residents decorated artificial trees or large paper swans with banknotes or items such as spoons, plates or notebooks to offer to monks. A marching band started playing before 8am as a signal for people to show up. Many carried cooked or dried food along with what they wanted to offer to monks.
They danced and slowly walked to the temple. Some had candies and coins and threw them into the air for children to collect and to have fun. The parade was about a kilometre long and it took about an hour to walk from the market to the temple.
''We normally have this kind of parade twice a year. The first ceremony is this Phapa procession which we always do on the last day of the Songkran festival,'' said Prapan, a villager. The other time is the krathin ceremony which is held shortly after the final day of Buddhist Lent which is around October.
''Come and visit us again. We are always pleased to see visitors,'' he said.
The Mon community in Sangkhla Buri still keep their traditional way of living, culture and strong faith in Buddhism. Although the world seems to be moving fast nowadays, when you cross the Mon Bridge, you will feel like time stands still.
~Info courtesy of Bangkok Post~
Time seems to stand still while Sangkhla Buri's Mon community performs tradition rituals
Fog blankets the Mon community in Sangkhla Buri district, on the Thailand-Myanmar border in Kanchanaburi province, before dawn breaks. Visitors with cameras poised stand on the famous Mon Bridge, the longest hand-made wooden bridge in Thailand, all preparing to shoot the scenic moments of the sun rising over the Songkalia River.
Mon children sell flowers for visitors to pay respects to a Buddha image inside an ubosot of the old Wat Wang Wiwekaram, which is always submerged except during summer.
Fishermen ride their long-tail boats along the river, looking for an ideal location. You may hear the songs of birds and clucks of chickens while admiring the picturesque view of the river and the Mon community.
You are likely to see a Mon lady in traditional dress walking along the wooden bridge. She wears thanaka powder on her face and carries small bunches of flowers in her hands. Her name is Yen. She shows up every morning to ask visitors to come to her community. The flowers are for sale to those who want to make offerings.
"If you'd like to offer alms to monks, you may follow me. I'll lead the way," said Yen with broad smile.
Yen is very friendly, with a sweet smile. She does not mind if you do not want to buy her flowers.
If you follow her across the wooden bridge, you will be in the Mon village where people maintain their traditional way of living, speak their own language and the men wear longyi. You can find local food like dishes of fish curry with chopped banana stem and snacks called "nang paya" made of roti stuffed with salty boiled beans.
A short walk from the bridge, passing food stalls and souvenir shops, you will spot villagers of all ages waiting in the middle of the road to offer alms to monks. Women wear sarongs and cover their blouses with shawls.
When they see a line of monks walking in their direction, they squat on the concrete road and prostrate themselves to worship by facing down to the ground over their clasped palms. They take rice bowls, raising them up to their foreheads and stand to offer a spoonful of rice to each monk.
The practice is similar to the alms offerings of people in Luang Prabang in Laos and Chiang Khan district in Loei, where they offer only sticky rice to monks. In the Mon community, locals normally offer a spoonful of steamed rice to each monk.
"We later go to temples to offer other food to monks," said one villager.
Temples are at the centre of many activities for Mon people in Sangkhla Buri. For example, the recent Songkran festival was not only a time for fun, but for making merit. The whole village celebrated the festival together with a five-day ceremony in Wat Wang Wiwekaram, a famous temple which was built by the highly revered late abbot Luang Pho Uttama.
Monks walk on a human bridge, a way of making merit for the Mon community in Sangkhla Buri.
The original temple was built in 1968 and was inundated 16 years later because of the construction of Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand's Vajiralongkorn Dam. The temple was relocated to its present location on a hill.
Wat Wang Wiwekaram has a large Mon-style ordination hall which houses a wax figure of the late abbot, a large wooden prayer hall which can accommodate hundreds of people, a golden coloured Buddhakaya-style pagoda which houses Buddha relics, and accommodation for lay men and women.
''During the first three days of the Songkran festival, a large group of people stay in the temple to observe the precepts,'' said Phra Ajarn Maha Suchat Siripanyo, the present abbot. These people are normally the elderly.
''It is our tradition that younger family members will bring boiled rice to serve their parents in the morning for the whole three days while their parents stay in the temple.
''The young will also return in the late afternoon to bathe their parents and later they can have fun and throw water at each other at the temple grounds.''
Meanwhile, a group of villagers helped build a five-tier sand pagoda in the temple. They normally build the pagoda during Songkran on the belief that once a year they should replace the grains of sand unintentionally carried away from the temple. It is another way of making merit.
Locals pay respect at the sand pagoda by offering flowers, pinning colourful flags, lighting candles and praying with three incense sticks. Some bring their own sand. They put a bag of sand on their heads, pray, and disperse the contents over the pagoda.
The first three days of the Songkran festival were busy for another group of men who went into the forest to cut long pieces bamboo. They carefully split the bamboo and created a complicated network of water pipes for the fourth day of Songkran.
''The late abbot told villagers to keep our tradition and use only bamboo as a material instead of using PVC pipes. It is the wisdom of Luang Pho Uttama to make villagers work together in order to get the job done. The activity helps unite us,'' said Phra Ajarn Suchat.
Bit by bit, the split bamboo pieces were tied together into a network structure water could flow through. This network can serve hundreds of Buddhists who wish to join the water pouring ceremony at the same time.
Offerings are laid in a large prayer hall.
The event started about 4pm of the fourth Songkran day, which this year fell on April 17. It seemed as if the whole village was waiting for the ceremony because the temple ground was full of people. Women donned their beautiful traditional dress while some men wore red longyi. Each villager brought with them a large bowl filled with fragrant water and small flowers. They each took their place at the end of a bamboo pipe, clasping the bowls in their hands and waiting for a signal.
A village leader brought a highly respected seated Buddha image from the temple hall to the grounds. He placed the Buddha image under the tip of a pipe at the end of the bamboo network, through which the residents would later pour water.
Before that process could begin, another ritual, reserved only for men, took place. About 50 devotees lay face down on a concrete floor to form a human path.
According to the present abbot, the action started in the time of Luang Pho Uttama. It came about because villagers had such strong faith in the late abbot they wanted him to step on their backs as a blessing. Since then, it has become a tradition.
''I believe this ritual can take away my bad luck,'' said Boonchuay Ongsasatitwong, a local man who has joined the procession for the past two years. He persuaded two of his friends to join the ceremony this year.
About 15 monks were invited to walk over the men. Every monk was accompanied by either one or two helpers who held their hands to maintain balance. Each monk stepped onto the middle of the back of those devotees. No cries of pain were heard.
''When the monks stepped on my back, I didn't feel much weight. It was quite light,'' said Boonchuay. When asked if he felt the floor was too hot to bear, he quickly answered: ''Not at all. I am very happy.''
Then it was time to pour water over the Buddha image and the monks. A man showed up with two flags in hand, one green and one red. He waved the green flag and shouted in Mon: ''Jao! Jao!'' People started pouring water from their bowls into the bamboo pipes. The water quickly flowed together, carrying the small flowers with it, toward the other end, falling over the seated Buddha image. The red flag was waved. ''Taidae! Taidae!'' People stopped pouring water.
Next was the moment for watering the monks, one by one. The green flag was waved again, and soon all the monks were soaked. The participants threw the leftover water at each other. The fourth day of Songkran ends only when everyone gets wet.
On the fifth day, after offering alms to monks, villagers gathered at a ground near the market to join a parade. The process is called the Thod Phapa ceremony, and residents decorated artificial trees or large paper swans with banknotes or items such as spoons, plates or notebooks to offer to monks. A marching band started playing before 8am as a signal for people to show up. Many carried cooked or dried food along with what they wanted to offer to monks.
They danced and slowly walked to the temple. Some had candies and coins and threw them into the air for children to collect and to have fun. The parade was about a kilometre long and it took about an hour to walk from the market to the temple.
''We normally have this kind of parade twice a year. The first ceremony is this Phapa procession which we always do on the last day of the Songkran festival,'' said Prapan, a villager. The other time is the krathin ceremony which is held shortly after the final day of Buddhist Lent which is around October.
''Come and visit us again. We are always pleased to see visitors,'' he said.
The Mon community in Sangkhla Buri still keep their traditional way of living, culture and strong faith in Buddhism. Although the world seems to be moving fast nowadays, when you cross the Mon Bridge, you will feel like time stands still.
~Info courtesy of Bangkok Post~
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