Taking part in a Thai-Yai Procession to the Temple
Some background before I explain how the evening and night progressed.
My neighbour. Yung-Shu, owns two factories and a large house, all are next to my land. There is no noise and there are no unpleasant odours. He is Taiwanese from a rich family in Taiwan and now lives permanently in Thailand. His Thai wife, Sengdeuan, technically owns all the properties as foreigners cannot own land in Thailand.
They are a friendly couple and are my close friends, but our Thai neighbours are a little jealous of their wealth and business success. When Yung-Shu first arrived here, several Thais threw bricks onto his factory roof. He climbed to the roof and threw them back. There was no trouble after that, but tensions remain frayed.
Yung-Shu runs the businesses very efficiently. His business acumen is the prime reason for their success. Sengdeuan, who is his partner and not legally married to him, runs the administrative side of the enterprise. All their workers are Thai-Yai; Yung-Shu won’t employ Thais. Not only because of past events, but also because they are more productive and competent at their jobs.
Yung-Shu’s workers live on site with their families and Sengdeuan allows them to grow their own vegetables in the garden. She regularly takes them out for a barbeque meal and gets involved in their social activities.
Yung-Shu’s workers are buying land.
Yung-Shu employs about 30 Tai-Yai. As their accommodation, food and board, are free, they have been able to buy land and self-build houses. It’s not a problem that they are in Sengdeuan’s name. They trust each other.
The Procession to the Temple
Over the last two days, there has been a tambon at one of the workers houses. A lot of partying and drinking. I now realise it was a prelude to the merit-making ceremony.
On the evening of the ceremony, the procession passed my house around 5.30pm. I started to follow it. Some men and women were dancing to the music being played, some carrying their young children on their shoulders, most just walking in line. None of the Thais living in the neighbourhood attended.
The procession circled the wat before stopping outside the main gate. This was when the dancing really got going. Everyone was moving rhythmically to the music, following the elaborate set of steps of the traditional Tai-Yai dance. Even I, with my notorious two left feet, raised some appreciative smiles at my attempt.
We all then entered the wat, made the customary wai, three times, to the Buddha image, and awaited the arrival of the Abbot. A senior lay person read out the prayers which the congregation must make, and the abbot replied, reading from the talapatr, a fan which he holds in front of him and on which his responses are written.
I noticed that Sengdeuan was organising the proceedings too. Telling people when to present the gifts to the abbot, and where to take the flowers and decorated floats they had brought with them.
The abbot then blessed each member of the congregation, the men moving forward first, then the women. You wai to the abbot, he gives you a blessing and a small gift of a Buddha replica, which you can wear around your neck. The abbot also gave each adult a cotton bag.
Yung-Shu and Sengdeuan had financed the purchase of the replicas and bags, and had given a hefty contribution to wat funds.
More detailed stories and images can be found on my website, www.MattOwensRees.com
Some professional photos on Thailand and the Thais are available on https://www.LodeEngelen.be
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