A belief of Northern Thai & A Chinese Thai traditon (2)

The following day (21/8/2556), I got up late since I went to Upagutta temple last night. (just my excuse :p) I arrived office almost 9 a.m. I was in hurry and heading to office's kitchen in order to drink some Ovantine. I tried many times to drink some coffee but I couldn't feel good with it, it always makes me have a headache and palpitation. 

In the kitchen, I saw a housekeeper's preparing some food like boiled chicken and duck, oranges, apples, grapes, dragon fruits and basket-shaped Chinese puddings. After that she separated them on plates. An interesting point was the amount of friuts and Chinese puddings - it's put on 8 or 9 pieces which are the lucky numbers. Even more the name of fruits are propitious. I asked her about this and she answered me that our boss's husband  is Chinese Thai. (75% Chinese blood) He always makes a sacrifice to his gods. It's Ghost Festival for Chinese people.

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

I didn't really understand what it is so I asked my colleague. She said that Chinese people take Ghost Festival as an important day that they can show respect and grateful to their deceased ancestors by ritualitic food offering, burning incense and burning joss paper.

      (Joss house in the office)

     ( All food put in front of Joss house)

The housekeeper brought all food, fruits and Chinese puddings outside and put them in front of the Joss house at exactly 9 a.m., and then burnt incenses. We had waited until all incenses burnt, went to burn joss papers outside the office. 

     (burning joss papers)

I'm 100% Thai and most of my colleagues are also. We don't know their culture but we respect their tradition and feel happy with them. What I realise is people come from different places, have different Nationalities and languages but we always have our believes and reasons to do things.