After killing a girl in a hit-and-run while driving back from a party, Jane and her photographer boyfriend Tun begin to see mysterious white shadows in their photos. Later on in “Shutter” (2004), it reveals that the spirit is Tun’s ex, Natre. Natre’s shadows in the photos led Jane to a set of films hidden behind a bookcase, where she discoverd what Natre was trying…
First of all, tipping is not customary in Thailand. There is absolutely no mandatory requirement to tip anyone who gives you service in Thailand. If you notice you will rarely see any Thai service staff waiting for a tip. However, small gratuities for great service are very much appreciated as service staff in Thailand are often not paid very well. At cheaper restaurants, it is…
Worshipping goddesses like Mae Phosop (โพสพ), the rice goddess, has been a part of Thai culture and tradition since prehistoric times. Even though the role of female deities became subservient since the introduction of male-dominated faiths such as Hinduism, Brahmanism and the official religion Buddhism, the power of the matriarchal spirit has always played an important role in Thailand. She is also known as Mae…
Woodcarving can be regarded as a characteristic decorative Thai art form. It reflects the fertility and vitality of nature in technique and subject matter. Wood has been primarily used for furniture and religious objects, and thus not so much for creating Buddha statues. Hence, woodcarvers have sought their inspiration primarily in nature and mythology since they have been free of restrictive iconography. Thai Woodcarving Carved wooden facade at…
6-7 minutes When the plane finally landed, we exited into the steamy, humid air. My droopy eyes could tell this experience would be something totally new. My sister and I had travelled from our small hometown in Colorado, where the air is too thick to breathe and the mountains rise high around each crack of the town. After thirty hours in airports and planes, we…
Steamed Cattle’s Fetus With Galangal Chilli Paste Aborted cattle’s fetus in local market (picture credited to จาปาตี) This menu is not advisable for everyone to eat! Be sure that the meat is well cooked. In Northern Thailand there is one menu that some would say “is to die for”. This is aborted cattle fetus as a main ingredient, this delicious food’s name in Thai is…
If you have lived in Chiang Rai long enough, you probably already know lots about the province, but here are some random facts about Chiang Rai that you might not have known. Ok, not all items are facts. I add some of the most famous phrases local people say about something in Chiang Rai, mostly in a funny way. As for the “saying” items, some…
I’ve recently come across TAT’s (Tourism Authority of Thailand) activity ‘DiscoverThainess’ which is a contest that invites non-Thai people to engage in five different categories of activities related to ‘Thainess’. These categories are ‘Thai Boxing’, ‘Thai Cooking’, ‘Thai Dancing’, ‘Making Thai Style Garlands’ and ‘Speaking Thai’. In fact, competitors are asked to do things that are considered to be typical Thai, i.e. characteristic of Thai culture. Hence,…
I have always believed, and I still believe, that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value (Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha) The story of Buddhism begins with a man who became enlightened, thus gaining abiding insight into the nature of the world and its reality. Hence, the word ‘Buddha’ means the ‘Enlightened’…
In my view, one of the most impressive and majestic animal is the elephant, in particular the white elephant. Hence, in Thai culture the white elephant is called ‘chang samkhan’ which means ‘auspicious elephant’. Whiteness is regarded as an sign of purity in this context. The white elephant has an important meaning in both Hinduism and Buddhism. In Hindu thought, the white elephant is related…