White Pagoda on the street

Whenever people are talking about Buddhism's pagodas, I'm sure that everyone will think about temples. It is believed that Pagodas should be seen only in the temple. If you are one of tourists ever visited to Chiangmai, you might have a chance to see a pagoda stands on the street near fruits market and Ping River and wonder why it was built on the street, not a temple? 

In ancient times, it was said that once a Burma King led the troops to Chiangmai City, challenged Chiangmai people finding the best diver to compete a diving with the Burmese. The deal was if the best Chiangmai diver could stay under water longer than the Burmese, he and the army would return home. 

An old man named "Piang" volunteered to compete this diving. The competition was held near where the white pagoda is situated now. Two poles had been posted in the river at a distance and the divers were waiting there for a signal to start diving.

The divers started diving at the time that the signal was given... People started to feel uncomfortable and excited as so much time passed. Eventually the first diver emerged among extremely excited people. It appeared the Burmese. All Chiangmai people were very delighted and waited for their hero. Time passed so long that it was clear in this victory of Chiangmai so they sent a man to tell their the old man. The men returned and reported that their hero could not return because he had sacrificed himself for the city. He tied himself to the pole and was drowned in the river. The white pagoda was built at the Ping River bank as a monument for his bravery.

Loi Krathong; the festival of appreciation

Loi Krathong Festival is traditionally cerebrated nationwide in Thailand on the full moon night of 12th lunar month to thank and show respect with gratefulness to the water spirits or the goddess of river called Phra Mae Khongkha by floating Krathongs into the river they used and drink.

Loi is a Thai word stands for "float". Krathong is an object made from banana tree trunk and banana leaves, and decorated with flowers, candles and joss-sticks.

Before floating Krathongs, we will put a coin in the Krathong and say thank Pha Mae Khongkha then make a wish. It is believed that the coin will take evils with it. 

After loi Krathongs, we will floating Lanterns, small hot air balloons made of papers, or called Khom Loi in Thai. We do this activity in the same meaning with putting a coin in our Krathong - to push our bad luck off. 

For this year, I went to visit Tudongkasatan Lanna where a great number of lanterns are floated to the sky in the Loi Krathong nights and too many people went there both Thais and foriegners every year. The sky were fulled with millions lanterns! 

I have not written for quite a long time since I was very busy with my new work, have to learn many things in very short time. I went to visit a few places in Loi Krathong Festival this year and could take just a few photos. So crowded people that I could not imagin that how much money were spent by foriegners. :p Thank you all of tourists who chose to travel to Chiangmai. 

Finally, thank you all for comments. I appreciate them :D and thanks my friends for beautiful pictures.

Stand for what I believe ...

Firstly, I want to thank you all for visitting my blog. All of comments are most welcome, I appreciate. :) 

I really love Chiangmai and I'm very happy to share all stories to you guys. I do this blog with a passion in writing and photography. My grammar and vocabulary usage might not be proper, and my photography may not be beautiful because I'm a beginner. :p Just do whatever I like, follow other dreams of mine. 

Next month will be the beginning of my life's next step. I'm going to work for a new company in a new position with more challeanging. I know I have to work harder. I really thank myself for studying and working hard. There are many things and many dreams I want to do in my life and I believe anything can be possible if we work hard.

Just never lose hope ... when the sun goes down, the stars come up.

Thank you again and please keep reading :)

Small Buddha images collecting, a hobby with faith and passion

Thai people are engaged with Buddhism since we were born. A first born baby would be brought to a temple for naming. When we build a house and getting marrige, we need monks for blessing us. Even when people are dead, we need monks' praying bring us to the heaven. 

In past, poor people couldn't afford for school so they sent their male kids to ordain. Most of poor people didn't study, they couldn't even read or write but monks could. Also Thai women had no right to study, they were taught to be housewives. 

All Thai Buddhists believe in heaven and hell, doing good things and karma. We make merit for our better future lives and pray for our peaceful lives. In a war, all Thai combatants had holy tattoos which were believed that can protect them from weapons and they hung small buddha images for missing of any hazard.

The old small buddha images descended from ancestors are very valuable, an old one can cost you millions baht! The price depends on its ages, popularity, beauty and fondness of the buyer. Small buddha images collecting is a very popular hobby for all kinds of people from politicians, businessmen, policemen, farmers or even students. Some people collect them for protecting hazards and getting lucky. Other people take them as goods. They are so priceless that can bring murder to the owners. The old small buddha images are kept in a safe as if they were diamonds.

 ( Three of priceless small buddha images kinds) 

As their price are really high so the small buddha images lovers are always copied but that makes the copied images' price reduced because the experts know which one is real. 

 ( a small magnifying glass which the small buddha images lovers use for gazing at the images to appraise them )

     ( A small buddha images lover's gazing at the images. )

If you overlook at the credulity, you would find that a small buddha image is a kind of art. Anything could be valuable depending on one's fondness.

**There was a comment from an American that a small buddha image called Amulet in English. Thank you so much for your advice. ^_____^ 

Ordained Yang trees on Chiangmai-Lamphun Rd.

Over 1,000 Yang trees (Disterocapus Alatus) standing along both sides of Chiangmai-Lamphun road bacame a sign and attraction of Amphur Sarapi - a small peace district in Chiangmai. 

Any time, I and my friends drove along this road, we always looked up to see the trees with gigantic trunks and wondered how old they are? 

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipterocarpus_alatus

They may be a hundred year old approximately. They were planted along the street for travelors and localors' shady covering. 

From the pictures, you will see they are wearing orange cloth. Not only foreigners but also some thai people don't know yet about this. As you can see the huge trunks of them and the timbers' price are costly so it's not strange if many people want to log them. The way to prevent logging is ordaination of trees - to tie the orange robes of a forest monk around the trunks. This cerymony can discourage loggers who might not want to make the bad kama because the trees  are already engaged to buddhism.

This ceremony is also done for the large and old trees in the forest. 

http://www.calpeacepower.org/0302/ordainingtrees.htm

The caremony is traditionally held every year on January 1st. Moreover, the Yang trees are also the border between Chiangmai and Lamphun areas. You would know you are already in Lamphun when you see the Cassia trees along both sides of the street instead.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senna_siamea

                

                

If you like how cheap it is!

If you like how cheap is it to live in Thailand, now I will make you more surprised by how cheaper it is. For the foreigners in Chiangmai, they may feel things including living costs here are so cheap that they can live their lives as kings.

I offer you new choice for the places to buy cheaper things but if you are already happy with your existing cost, well, it's

alright. You can take this as your amazing information.

Begin with where to buy appliances, the cheaper appliances with the same quality to the things bought from supermarket. :O 

     ( It's 20฿ hahaha :p)

As the vendors are no need to pay for high rent and employees, the things they sell are cheaper than supermarket. They buy things from the same factory and sell them with a bit higher price than their costs. When you come into their shop, you will see things arranged are not  nice and tidy like in supermarket because they don't hire employees to arrange them. They do every step themselves from buying to calculating. It's well-known for the localors.

    ( 119 ฿ for a tape measure)

     ( I paid only 10 ฿ for this cute basket.)

    (It's only 20 ฿ for a bear key ring but I did't take one.)

Next, where to buy the foodstuff, cheapest foodstuff I can say. It's a big wholesale market. You can buy tropical fruits and vegetables with very cheap price. 

This market open all day and night but I feel like it's vigorous in the evening. If you want to buy the freshest foodstuff, you can come around 10 pm. - 1 am. when farmers transport their fruits, vegetable and herbs from their farms. All the middlemans and cooks come at the time to buy fresh food.

    ( I got 5 kg. of Lanzones with paying only 100฿)

 

What I show you is just your other choice or your new information. You would prefer buying cheaper things, wouldn't you? Thailand is developing country. We were taught not to spend a lot of money that why we prefer to buy cheaper things. If your life are already quality and happy, able to afford luxury, don't forget sharing. Many people still starve.