Loy Krathong Festival in Thailand

This morning I couldn't help smiling when I logged in my Facebook page. I saw a lot of pictures of my family and friends, dressing up their children in Thai costumes, and bringing them to "Loy Krathong". My little nephew looked so smart in his traditional costume. What is Loy Krathong??? The words don't give any hints, eh?

Loy Krathong is a festival celebrated annually throughout Thailand in the evening of the full moon of the 12th month in the Thai lunar calendar. It usually takes place in November in the western calendar. The word "Loy" means "to float" and "Krathong" refers to a lotus-shaped floating container, usually made of the trunk and the leaves of banana trees. A candle, 3 incenses and some flowers are inserted inside this container. They also produce krathong in styrofoam but people are invited to perfer the biodegradable ones. I'm thinking back in the old time when I and classmates created krathong in the class and we brought our krathong to float in a river with family in the evening. The atmosphere was always beautiful and enjoyable. Many locations or villages give out prizes for the most beautiful Kragthong and/or organise Beauty Contests too.

Source: http://loykrathong-sukhothiai.blogspot.it/

The picture above shows the stunning atmosphere of various beautiful Krathong in the Chao-phraya river, in front of the most important temple of Bangkok: "Wat Pra Kaew".

Source: http://www.thaihealth.or.th/node/11748

Why we float the krathong? It has been told to be an ancient ritual to pay respect to the river spirits and to thank the Goddess of water (as water is essential to our life). People also claimed that floating the krathong symbolizes letting go of all one's hatred and anger. Some of them cut the fingernails or hair and place the clippings on the krathong as a symbol of letting go of negative thoughts.

Source: http://travel.kapook.com/view49972.html

Thai ladies in traditional costumes are floating their krathong in a canal. Fireworks are used in many cities to make a spectacular celebration too. Go visit Thailand in the month of November and you will be able to enjoy this experience ;)

Christmas in Thailand

Christmas is intensely in the air! Yesterday, I and my two great friends met up in the centre of the city. It was full of people and "lives". The atmosphere of the greeting seasons was perceived and I love this feeling very much. It was such a cold day but I somehow felt warm and embraced by all people around. We had so many conversations and some good laughs.

I've always been in touch with all my family and friends in Thailand for nowadays we've so many rapid ways to contact people around the world. Thanks to the hi-technologies the world's getting smaller. You can reach the other side of the world in a second! Certainly at the moment everyone of us talks about the up-coming holidays. Although the majority of Thai people is Buddhist, Christmas is very celebrated! We love every joyous celebration. Thai people have accepted various foreign cultures and we sometimes go crazy about them! You won't have too much difficulty if you want to have success in my native country because people are mostly open-minded. They welcome new things quite eagerly.

Christmas celebration in Thailand is however different from its original tradition where the birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated and the family get united as the most special moment. For us it's a joyful moment when you can see lighting decorations everywhere (especially in big cities). We love to exchange gifts among family, colleagues and friends. At school, a male teacher is dressed up as Father Christmas and give away candies to children. I still remember how I and classmates enjoyed Christmas together. We didn't have lessons but played a lot of games. Some families began to buy a Christmas tree for their home. Why not enjoying things at most?

I attach here a picture of a big shopping hall at Bangkok (my favorite place!). I got it from a Thai website (hoping the owner won't mind!). Oh...how I miss this place. My husband and my son love it too and they can stay therein all the day.

The origin of the picture: http://www.2how.com/board/28814.html

Merry Christmas to everybody! 

Wishing you a great time with all your beloved ones ;)

Thailand's Father's Day - The unconditional love for our Royal father

Tomorrow is father's day in Thailand. Many foreigners may not know that our father's day is the birthday of His Majesty King Rama IX, the King of Thailand since 1950, and he's cited as the Greatest King of all time. The thing foreigners don't know and won't ever know is why Thai people love the king this much. You must be born Thai to perceive it. We call HM King Rama IX (King Bhumibol) "our Royal father" because he does have the role of father of all people, and people give him the unconditional love unquestionably.

The King Bhumibol has such a great wisdom. He's always been looking after his people. He's gone everywhere, even in the poorest places and among poorest people, to see the problems with his eyes and make projects to resolve them himselves. I strongly believe that no other kings in the world has worked hard as King Bhumibol. His heart is greater than his wisdom, this's why Thai people love him with all their heart. He has no real power in ruling the country but many times he gives speech to the government and people to calm down the country's disorder. People believe in him, not for his power but for his great heart.

I had such a great experience standing in front of my king in my graduation ceremony. I was so lucky because the year after the king quited assigning the degree to the graduates because of his health problems. My university was one of the few where the king attended the ceremonies and assigned himself the degree. I'm very proud until today and I've my picture receiving the degree from the king hung on my room's wall. My Venetian friend once visited me and when she saw that picture she was amazed saying that in Thailand it was a serious ceremony, but in Italy it's not so. When I transferred to live in Italy, my mom said, handing me that picture: "Bring it with you, it's yours." Later, I found that she was right. I feel very proud every time I look at it. I've known the meaning of experiencing once being in front of the king, the Royal father.

I'm attaching here a beautiful and meaningful video. The song is dedicated to our beloved "Father". In the video, a rural teacher is describing to his students what our Royal Father has done for his people. The author compared the country to a tree and His Majesty King to the curator of the tree who has been watering and nourishing it until it has become big and strong. Our duty is to save the tree together, so that it can last long.

Best wishes to every father who gives an unconditional love to his children.
Long Live The King, who gives an unconditional love to his people.

Real bravehearts

Sorry if this post isn't so cheerful. In this tough period of flood crisis in Thailand, the Thais do need much encouragement. Thank God my family is fine, they're handling things in the best way. My parents' home is still safe but who knows when water comes! Until now, people have learnt to help themselves.

In such a hard time, we've known the heroes. They're all normal people who just have such a great heart. Among them, who never leaves the people are soldiers. Yesterday, I've learnt a very sad piece of news. A soldier died when saving a life, other 2 were seriously injured. I just felt I couldn't ignore it, so I'd like to dedicate this post to all the Thai soldiers who are doing more than the best. Thank you for not leaving Thai people...and Rest In Peace, the brave heart.

ทหารกล้าช่วยปชช.น้ำท่วมจนตัวเองตาย - ดูวิดีโอทั้งหมด กดที่นี่

Flooding disaster at Bangkok in the eyes of the world

http://cnn.com/video/?/video/world/2011/10/20/ireporter-thailand-disaster-aid.cnn

Living with the flood (as 2nd-handed experience)

The most serious crisis at the moment in my native nation; that's Thailand, isn't only the economic one but also the continuos flooding in many provinces and today people in the capital is preparing themselves as water is arriving. In these years, we the Thai people have been through so many hard situations: the great earthquake that caused tsunami in 2004, outstanding political conflicts, the so-called red-shirts that set fire to the centre of Bangkok...and so on...and so on. Right in this moment, the nature is that cruel to send unceasing water that knocked out many provinces in the North. Disasters after disasters...what Thai people is saying right now is: "This too shall pass!" In my opinion, no other people in the world is as optimistic as the Thais. We've such a great capacity to face problems and to adapt ourselves in order to live with them. We're always able to smile in the dullest period. In the picture above (which was taken from a Thai on-line newspaper), an amount of residents in a hit area is helping each other to pass on bags of sand to be formed as a water block.

Yesterday, the flood was reaching Northern Bangkok. I called my mom and she said they're all fine. Water alrady entered my brother's house and he now has to sleep in the hospital where he works. (He's a medical doctor.) My parents' house was still safe, and so as my sister's one. They piled up the sand bags in front of the gates and stocked drinking water and food in case of necessity. My mom's words were: "The typhoons are crossing the ocean and they're directing to Europe, so just take care!" And Rome was flooded indeed!

Keeping in touch with my family and friends make me feel as if I was living the experience too. Nature is never kind to anyone. The big problems may be the incompetent gorvernment, the nature or what else, in this hard period my family and friends are trying to get relieved in some ways. Somebody bought a paddle boat, some take this occasion of staying home to read books or to watch movies as desired but never found time, others posted pictures commenting that they just had a luck to try life at Venice.

I, who is so far away from them, am sending much moral to everyone of them and certainly "This too shall pass!!!"