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Melting pot: Luk kreung people in history and popular culture
Melting pot: Luk kreung people in history and popular culture
It’s been a while since I’ve explored the influence of luk kreung (i.e. half-Thai people) on popular cul­ture. Today it seems that a great number of part-Thai people are prominent in Thai popular cul­ture. However, this phenomenon is not new considering that the first luk kreung actors appeared in the 1940s to 1960s. This, nevertheless, is not widely known nowadays.
Hindu statues, Buddhist temples: How and why Indian gods feature in Thai culture
Hindu statues, Buddhist temples: How and why Indian gods feature in Thai culture
You may certainly have noticed that Hindu gods are very prominent in Thai culture. Thus, there are often images of these gods in Thai temples and at Thai shrines. In fact, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are the three most important Hindu gods representing the recurring and continual cycles of birth, life, death and rebirth.
The myth of Mae Phosop, rice goddess of Thailand
The myth of Mae Phosop, rice goddess of Thailand
Worshipping goddesses like Mae Phosop, the rice goddess, has been part of Thai culture and tradition since prehistoric times.
The masked dance of The Khon, Thailand’s National Epic Drama.
The masked dance of The Khon, Thailand’s National Epic Drama.
The Khon is a traditional Thai dance drama which includes part masked dance and part play. Originally the Khon was only performed at the royal court. Traditionally, similar to Shakespearean dramas, the roles were played merely by men wearing masks and by narrators who told the Ramakien story on which the Khon is mainly based.
Sirinya’s World: Taking life in a stance
Sirinya’s World: Taking life in a stance
Representations of the Buddha can be found throughout Thai temple compounds. The Buddha is represented as either a statue or in mural painting as an idealized image of the Great Buddha who lived in northeast India in the 6th century BC. He is commonly shown in either of the following four positions: seated, standing, walking, and reclining. The Buddha’s hand gesture and posture refer to important events in his life.
Sri Thanonchai: The clever trickster
Sri Thanonchai: The clever trickster
Sri Thanonchai is a clever trickster who appears in ancient Thai folktales and is popular to this today. The first printed version of these stories was published in around 1890.
Vipassana meditation: Experience reality as it truly is
Vipassana meditation: Experience reality as it truly is
Today I would like to introduce you to Vipassana meditation (or Buddhist insight meditation) in the tradition of Ajarn Tong Sirimangalo, which I discovered for myself a few months ago. In the past, I had not been great at meditation and the techniques that I tried before had not really captured or convinced me. However, since practising Vipassana, I meditate daily for some hours at home – doing both sitting and walking meditation.
The concept of ‘siwalai’ emerged as Western styles mingled with Thai
The concept of ‘siwalai’ emerged as Western styles mingled with Thai
You may have come across the term siwalai in some way or other during your time in Thailand.