Buddhism

Vessantara Jataka Murals at Wat Nong Wang

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Vessantara Jataka mural of gods caring for Prince Vessantara's children while Jujaka sleeps in a tree

The third-floor murals inside Phra Mahathat Kaen Nakhon stupa at Wat Nong Wang temple tell the story of Prince Vessantara (Phra Wetsandon in Thai). It’s the last of the 547 Jataka tales, a collection of birth stories from the Pali Canon (the Buddhist equivalent of the Bible) recounting some of the Buddha-to-be’s pre-enlightenment lives. The Jataka tales are, for the most part, morality stories in which the Buddha-to-be somehow overcomes… Read More

Khmer Ruins

Prang Sra Pleng Khmer Ruin

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Prang Sra Pleng Khmer ruin

Not much of Prang Sra Pleng (ปรางค์สระเพลง), now sitting in a small grove of trees surrounded by rice paddies, remains standing, though there is just enough to give visitors an impression of how this Khmer ruin used to be. Based mostly on the style of the sandstone doorframe, Prang Sra Pleng appears to have been a Hindu shrine from the 11th or 12th centuries. It’s built mostly of laterite and… Read More

Khmer Ruins

Prang Ban Prang Khmer Ruin

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piece of pediment at Prang Ban Prang Khmer ruin

The ruins of Prang Ban Prang (ปรางค์บ้านปรางค์) are in an inconspicuous grove of trees in the middle of a little village. Driving past you’d pay it no mind if it weren’t for the two large signs marking it as a historic site. The temple had a single prang built of sandstone and brick on a laterite base. While most of it lies buried in dirt, many pieces (mostly sandstone, but… Read More

Khmer Ruins

Prasat Nong Phak Rai Khmer Ruin

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sandstone statue base at Prasat Nong Phak Rai Khmer ruin

Almost nothing is known about Prasat Nong Phak Rai (ปราสาทหนองผักไร). There’s nothing visible that reveals the history (Perhaps an excavation would shed some light – but not necessarily because holes dug by looters have been reported.) and it isn’t even registered by the Fine Arts Department. Prasat Nong Phak Rai is in a small grove of trees on a low mound amidst rice paddies. It isn’t truly remote, but it… Read More

Khmer Ruins

Ku Kaew Chaiyaram Khmer Ruin

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two yoni and lotus bud top at Ku Kaew Chaiyaram Khmer ruin

Ku Kaew Chaiyaram (กู่แก้วชัยราม) was once a single prang with a mandapa at the front, but it collapsed completely and the remains now lie almost entirely buried under a large concrete base. The ruins sit on an east-west axis and so the temple almost certainly faced east. Someday this base will hold an ubosot, but for now there are twin shrines on top. In front is an ordinary Buddha shrine and behind… Read More

Food

Flowering Trees of Thailand – Siamese Senna

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Siamese Senna flowers and seed pods

Thai Name – Kee-lek (ขี้เหล็ก)Scientific Name – Senna siameaFamily Name – Fabaceae (Leguminosae)Other English Names – kassod tree, cassod tree, Siamese cassia, Thai cassia, yellow cassiaFlowering Season – Year-roundNative to Thailand – YesTypical Height – 10-20 meters Siamese senna has beautiful bright yellow flowers with five scoop-shaped petals that burst out of a pea-sized bud. When viewed from up close, the long (15-25cm) flat seed pods stand out almost as… Read More

Culture

Boon Khao Sak Photo Essay

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woman wrapping fish in a banana leaf

These photos are from the Boon Khao Sak (บุญข้าวสาก) celebration in Ban Khok Sawang, Waeng Yai district, Khon Kaen province on September 24, 2018. Special thanks to Yai Lune and Mae Saithip for taking such good care of us in the village. For more information, there’s an explanation of Boon Khao Sak and an overview of heet sip-song, the twelve Isan merit-making traditions. Early morning activities at the temple were no different than those… Read More

Culture

Boon Khao Pradap Din Photo Essay

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taking food to the temple at night for Boon Khao Pradap Din

These photos are from the Boon Khao Pradap Din (บุญข้าวประดับดิน) celebration in the little village of Ban Kham Pia, Khon Kaen province, on September 8 and 9, 2018. Locals here call it Boon Khao Noi (“Little Food”) and the similar Boon Khao Sak ceremony that follows two weeks later is called Boon Khao Yai (“A Lot of Food) since more food is given at the latter. Thanks to Mae Teem and her… Read More

Nature

Flowering Trees of Thailand – Lanete

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lanete tree flower

Thai Name – Mok man (โมกมัน)Scientific Name – Wrightia arboreaFamily Name – ApocynaceaeOther English Names – Ivory, tree, dhudhi, woolly dyeing rosebayFlowering Season – April-AugustNative to Thailand – YesTypical Height – 8-20 meters Not a showy tree, lanetes have small (4-6cm) white widely spaced flowers; subtle but beautiful. It begins with five simple outer petals curving backwards and then later a small yellow-ish or pink-ish inner flower emerges. The flowers… Read More

Folktales

Nang Phom Hom, “The Fragrant-Haired Lady” (Long Version)

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Nang Phom Hom story painted on window shutters at Wat Nong Wang

This version of the Nang Phom Hom folktale is based on the paintings on the third-floor window shutters and doors of Phra Mahathat Kaen Nakhon stupa at Wat Nong Wang temple in Khon Kaen city. (The lead painter was Uthaitong Jantagon from Kalasin.) It’s much longer than the story as it’s normally told, but overall the plot is the same. And though I wrote it following the outline provided by… Read More

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Culture

Boon Khao Phansa Photo Essay

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monk walking on front of a Khao Phansa candle parade float with the Thao Suranari Monument and Chumphon Gate on it

These photos are from the Boon Khao Phansa (บุญเข้าพรรษา) celebration in Khorat city on July 27 and 28, 2018. Most of the parade float-making photos were taken on July 19. Thanks to Ajahn Mai at Wat Nong Bua Rong for answering so many questions. For more information, there’s an explanation of Boon Khao Phansa and an overview of heet sip-song, the twelve Isan merit-making traditions. Boon Khao Phansa, the first day of the Buddhist… Read More

Culture

Ground-Floor Isan Culture Murals at Wat Nong Wang

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mural of fifth khong

This is the second of two pages explaining the ground-floor murals inside Wat Nong Wang‘s Phra Mahathat Kaen Nakhon stupa. These murals are all about Isan culture. Murals #1-23, about Khon Kaen history and the general introduction about the murals are on the first page. อ่านภาษาไทยที่นี่ (Click here to read a Thai version.) Northeastern Way of Life (24) Land of the Kaen.Khon Kaen is known to some as the land… Read More

History

Ground-Floor Khon Kaen History Murals at Wat Nong Wang

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mural of bueng bon lake

The ground-floor murals inside Wat Nong Wang‘s Phra Mahathat Kaen Nakhon stupa show both Khon Kaen history and Isan culture. This twin theme was suggested by the abbot, Luang Paw Koon Kantigo, and the murals were painted by local artist Kru Thammarong Kaewboran. My thanks to Kru Thammarong for discussing the meanings of the pictures, and pointing out some of the specific things depicted in them – many have fun… Read More

Culture

Boon Kathin

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mural of Boon Kathin tradition

Boon Kathin (บุญกฐิน) is Month #12 of Heet Sip-Song – The Twelve Isan Merit-Making Traditions. Kathin is a robe-offering ceremony celebrated nationwide, not just in Isan. Communities lead processions to their local temple to give the monks complete three-part robe sets (trai jeewawn), as well as other necessities like sandals and soap. In the past, before ready-made robes were sold in shops, people made their own using a wooden frame… Read More

Culture

Boon Ok Phansa

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mural of Boon Ok Phansa tradition

Boon Ok Phansa (บุญออกพรรษา) is Month #11 of Heet Sip-Song – The Twelve Isan Merit-Making Traditions. Ok Phansa (“Leaving the Rains Retreat”) is the final day of the three-month Buddhist Rains Retreat, which is fully explained with Boon Khao Phansa, the retreat’s first day. Monks have special meetings with their abbot to confess any rules they broke during the Phansa period, while for lay people it’s a day for making… Read More

Culture

Boon Khao Sak

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mural of Boon Khao Sak tradition

Boon Khao Sak (บุญข้าวสาก) is Month #10 of Heet Sip-Song – The Twelve Isan Merit-Making Traditions. Boon Khao Sak is the follow-up to Khao Pradap Din from the previous month, and the two are very similar. Boon Khao Sak is also a ceremony for the ancestors, but this time it’s a farewell since it is time for them to return to the spirit world. In the morning, good food, such as… Read More

Culture

Boon Khao Pradap Din

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mural of Boon Khao Pradip Din tradition

Boon Khao Pradap Din (บุญข้าวประดับดิน) is Month #9 of Heet Sip-Song – The Twelve Isan Merit-Making Traditions. Khao Pradap Din means “food placed on the ground” and it’s a ceremony to honor people’s ancestors. Before dawn (usually, though some places do it in the daytime), people take foods like sticky rice, fruit, fish, and sweets, plus betel and cigarettes, all served on or wrapped in banana leaves, to the temple.… Read More

Culture

Boon Khao Phansa

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mural of Boon Khao Phansa tradition

Boon Khao Phansa (บุญเข้าพรรษา) is Month #8 of Heet Sip-Song – The Twelve Isan Merit-Making Traditions. In the Buddha’s time, most monks did not stay in monasteries for long periods, they traveled town to town spreading his teaching. During the rainy season in India, travel was very difficult, so monks (of all religions, not just Buddhists) tended to stay in one place during this time. This was also appreciated by… Read More

Culture

Boon Samha

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mural of Boon Samha tradition

Boon Samha (บุญซำฮะ) is Month #7 of Heet Sip-Song – The Twelve Isan Merit-Making Traditions. Samha means “washing,” and this tradition is the Isan version of spring cleaning, but on a spiritual as well as physical level. Sometimes called Boon Berk Bahn (“Opening the Home”) people not only clean out their houses, but also temples and shrines. Ceremonies are done to bless the good spirits and drive out any bad… Read More

Culture

Boon Bang Fai

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mural of Boon Bang Fai rocket festival tradition

Boon Bang Fai (บุญบั้งไฟ) is Month #6 of Heet Sip-Song – The Twelve Isan Merit-Making Traditions. Known as the Rocket Festival in English, Boon Bang Fai (literally “fiery tube”) is one of the iconic elements of Isan culture. The largest rockets are four meters long (plus a longer tail section), hold 120 kilograms of gunpowder and climb several kilometers high (an airplane pilot once claimed to have seen one at… Read More

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