A beautiful birthday
Each year, on December 5th, Thailand celebrates the King’s birthday.
This day is also celebrated as Father’s Day across Thailand. Thai people may give a dok Buddha ruksa (also known as a canna flower) to their fathers and grandfathers on this day.
Many people also wear yellow, which is the king’s color. But this year, on December 5th, people were wearing black as a sign of mourning.
This date is also celebrated as National Day.
Countless people will gather throughout the country to feed monks early in the morning.
On the following day, December 6th, celebrations will continue with a huge practice session for Friday's Bike for Dad procession.
On the 5th of December, a lot of meals were offered everywhere and throughout the country to honor the King.
In the small city of Chiang Rai, no less than fifty-two restaurants and markets offered meals and deserts to anyone who wanted.
A friend of mine who owns a small and very nice Café invited me to join her and volunteer in one of the restaurants on her street involved in that activity.
I happily accepted and followed her to a huge barbecue place named Meangluang on Sankong Luang. It belongs and is run by a very young Thai woman and is one of the largest around. It does not open before two PM on and offers nothing but barbecues. It is a very popular place and can accept hundreds of clients.
On this day, the owner named Ann would serve meals for free. And according to the Thai culture, solidarity gathers a lot of people to help and volunteer.
When my friend and I reached her place, a lot of young people were already there and actively giving a helpful help to the restaurant’s team.
The wind was blowing peace and happiness into the place. A little girl nicknamed Cartoon, as thin as a twig, was volunteering to be the taster.
She began with the juice and the fabulous coconut ice-cream. I must confess that I began my meal with desert and I admit that I have never enjoyed better ice-cream in my whole life. It was simply out-of-this-world and heavenly.
When everything was ready and set up and before the meals would be served, I saw everyone gather around the young lady who owns the place : her mother, the Meangluang’s team and all the volunteers. They helped themselves to candles and incense and followed the owner and her mother to the house of spirit sitting on the side of the garden. They offered flowers and incense to the protection spirits and respectfully prayed.
When traveling around Thailand, I had noticed these little houses in homes gardens or in front of a business building. Curious about what they were I was told that they were "house for the spirit of the land" , a shrine to the protective spirit of the place that is found in the Southeast Asian countries of Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand.
Most houses and businesses have a spirit house placed in a propitious spot, conducive to success, most often in a corner of the property. The location may be chosen after consultation with a Brahmin priest.
The spirit house is normally in the form of a miniature house or temple and is mounted on a pillar or on a dais.
The house is intended to provide a shelter for spirits that could cause problems for the people if not appeased. The shrines often include images of people and animals. Votives, candles and incense are left at the house to propitiate the spirits. More elaborate installations include an altar for this purpose.
Spirit worship is as old as mankind itself. In Thailand, the phenomenon goes back to the ancient days when the Tai’s were beginning their slow migration from the Red River Delta in northern Vietnam to all parts of the Southeast Asian region. Spirit worship or Animism, was a religion by which the entire world lived at one time, and when Buddhism came to Southeast Asia, it developed side by side with the ancient spirit religion. Today, many of the old animistic beliefs are intertwined with Buddhism and some animistic practices still exist in Thailand. One of these which is practiced by every Thai is the Spirit House.
Now, everyone was ready to welcome and serve people who would come and eat for free. Around noon, they began to arrive. Some would help themselves to the buffet and sit down to eat. Others would take their meal back home to share with their family.
On that day a lot of families travel across the country to be reunited with the father of the house and honor him. It is a time of rejoicing and love.
Thailand also celebrates fathers’ day on this same date.
Father’s Day celebrates fatherhood and male parenting on different dates worldwide. But Thailand honors fathers of the country on the King’s birth date.
For Father’s Day, families usually go eat out together. Many restaurants will be specially packed on this day. Special discounts may be offered for a family who bring their fathers along. Children will make cards for their daddies, take him shopping, visit a temple, and spend as much time as they can together.
But a lot of people choose to prepare a meal at home, in the house where the father lives.
It seems that the tradition and the beautiful father image given by the beloved King contribute to strenghten families traditions of unity and solidarity. This particular solidarity extends to the people and to the country at different times and occasions throughout the year. Many reasons will bring people to help each other and make each other’s life a little easier on a particular moment. « It is a way of life, it is our culture » was I told.
When everything was ready and set up and before the meals would be served, I saw everyone gather around the young lady who owns the place : her mother, the Meangluang’s team and all the volunteers. They helped themselves to candles and incense and followed the owner and her mother to the house of spirit sitting on the side of the garden. They offered flowers and incense to the protection spirits and respectfully prayed.
Most houses and businesses have a spirit house placed in a propitious spot, conducive to success, most often in a corner of the property. The location may be chosen after consultation with a Brahmin priest.
The spirit house is normally in the form of a miniature house or temple and is mounted on a pillar or on a dais.
The house is intended to provide a shelter for spirits that could cause problems for the people if not appeased. The shrines often include images of people and animals. Votives, candles and incense are left at the house to propitiate the spirits. More elaborate installations include an altar for this purpose.
Spirit worship is as old as mankind itself. In Thailand, the phenomenon goes back to the ancient days when the Tai’s were beginning their slow migration from the Red River Delta in northern Vietnam to all parts of the Southeast Asian region. Spirit worship or Animism, was a religion by which the entire world lived at one time, and when Buddhism came to Southeast Asia, it developed side by side with the ancient spirit religion. Today, many of the old animistic beliefs are intertwined with Buddhism and some animistic practices still exist in Thailand. One of these which is practiced by every Thai is the Spirit House.
Now, everyone was ready to welcome and serve people who would come and eat for free. Around noon, they began to arrive. Some would help themselves to the buffet and sit down to eat. Others would take their meal back home to share with their family.
On that day a lot of families travel across the country to be reunited with the father of the house and honor him. It is a time of rejoicing and love.
Thailand also celebrates fathers’ day on this same date.
Father’s Day celebrates fatherhood and male parenting on different dates worldwide. But Thailand honors fathers of the country on the King’s birth date.
For Father’s Day, families usually go eat out together. Many restaurants will be specially packed on this day. Special discounts may be offered for a family who bring their fathers along. Children will make cards for their daddies, take him shopping, visit a temple, and spend as much time as they can together.
But a lot of people choose to prepare a meal at home, in the house where the father lives.
It seems that the tradition and the beautiful father image given by the beloved King contribute to strenghten families traditions of unity and solidarity. This particular solidarity extends to the people and to the country at different times and occasions throughout the year. Many reasons will bring people to help each other and make each other’s life a little easier on a particular moment. « It is a way of life, it is our culture » was I told.
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