Daily Archives: August 4, 2005

Temple Gables on Stamps

(left) Gable of the Scripture Library at Wat Phra Sing Woramahawihan
(right) Gable of the Uposatha Hall at Wat Khao Bandai It

Date of Issue: 4th August 2005
Designs: Illustrates ancient Thai styled gables

These stamps that were released today are the first in Thailand that are shaped like a triangle. Not long ago we had round stamps with pandas on them. I buy these stamps for the students to buy at the Stamp Club meetings. Sometimes we have stamps left over. If you are buying books from us at thaihypermarket.com and would like us to stick any of these stamps on the envelopes, then please let us know when you place your order.

(left) Gable of Phra Prang at Wat Phra Phai Luang
(right) Gable of Prasat Phanom Rung

Gables are a beautiful and distinctive architectural feature, even when viewed from afar. They are the triangular parts on either end of the roofs of important buildings, such as the Phra Ubosot Hall, the study rooms for monks, and royal palaces. A gable can be carved in wood, covered with gold leaf, made from cement, or decorated with glass and glazed pottery according to the structure and design of the roof and building.

Gable at Prasat Phanom Rung, Buriram

The styles of gables differ between each era. The stamps feature four different style: (1) pictures of cashew orchards, (2) pictures of a Garuda tugging at the wavy tail of Piyana, (3) pictures of the Buddha seated under the Bodhi tree surrounded by his disciples with their palms together, and (4) pictures of Phra Narai Banthom Sindhu (see picture above).

Once in Ni-Hong!

“…wakarimasuka??”
“Wakarimasen – -” ” or sometimes “Wakaranai” and even “Wakaraheng” were always my replies when I was there in Japan, one of the top countries people want to visit!

Last September, I took a test (First, paper then interview and interview again together with the speech on random topic) that AFS organization set up. I wasn’t so excited or that proud when I passed the paper exam because there were only 3 people taking it! I got the highest scores but still, only one mark ahead another girl so we both were interviewed by the teacher in our school and .. that was the start when I became tickled pink.. I was chosen.

But that was not it, I still had to compete with more 80 students from all around the country to be really chosen as Thailand’s representatives. I did OK. during the interview part but then time to make a speech ..

Pick the card.. 5 minutes to prepare then go for it for half an hour ~ look at what I got; How to protect corruption in Thailand! I never even corrupt even such a little thing in my life before so it was quite hard for me :p but I used that point of me to buid up the speech.. don’t ask me what I said, it went pretty ‘not good’ but I was still glad that at least I already did my best that time that moment..that day 🙂

A week later, “Successful candidates are…
1. Peeyanut
2. Nattarika
3…

“Wait, the name I just passed seemed to be a bit familiar..It might be somebody I’ve know..” so I came back to that name on the 2nd;
2. Nattarika Chaiyadaecha, full scholarship to join ASEAN 2 program

Now that it’s so clear..that somebody’s name seemed to be the name involved with me —

Exactly, it was me! I never felt any happier in my life. I mean, I could get it..at last.. after having efforts for like 5 years in order to go abroad..and this time, it was free ~ Whoa, all I could say and thought was just, “YES!”

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Thai Moods

Occasionally, after a long day slugging it out in the American corporate rat race fending off my hard won share of the cheese, I want to really relax at home and I know just the way to do it..Thai Style!

I suck at math. I know this. Some days working in a bank I just can’t avoid math though. Days like today for example when I have to deal with heavy math calculations and it stresses me out. So once I am home and have showered off the sweat and city grime I really need to unwind and just chill. Not always easy on this side of the planet when a good Thai massage is nowhere to be found unfortunately, but I do have something just as good. Almost.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about my favorite Thai music but mostly I talked about my tastes in pop and rock. Another favorite of mine when I am in a mellower mood is Thai ‘Green Music’ or New Age music with a distinctive ‘Thai Flavor’. Two of my favorite artists for this style of music are Chamras Saewataporn, considered one of the greatest composers in Thailand and Tanis Sriglindee, master of the Thai Flute.

Very nice and relaxing to just chill and listen as their music and evocative sounds strip away the walls of my room, the miles and years fade to a simpler time as I imagine in Thailand floating on the Chao Phraya. Enveloped in a time long journeyed into the past.

Sometimes, like now as I write this, I put several CD’s of Chamras and Tanis in my multi-deck stereo, select ‘random play’ and let it all go. The hot summer night outside makes me forget my air conditioned room and the cricket and night sounds I hear on CD sound like they really come from the jungles and forests in Thailand singing to me outside my window.

My favorite thing to do when I really need to relax is to light all the candles in my room and burn some nice incense then I shut everything off, lights, computer, mobile phone, everything except the music and just lie back and float away. Sometimes, like tonight, I’ll set everything up just before I go to bed, turn the volume down just enough so the music whispers in the background. Of course burning the candles all night is risky so I just burn incense instead.

It’s nice to meditate or relax or just think about nothing and let the time slip away. People don’t do that enough they think time is a commodity you can buy and sell like air or rain when it’s free for all you just have to slow down for it. Anyway that’s what I like to do sometimes when I really need relaxing.

It would also, I admit, be quite romantic to share a quiet time like this with someone special but I have yet to try it and see. My last three แฟน (all Thai of course) were ‘serious relationships’ but I never met any of them. Gotta love the Internet 🙁

Maybe someday though, here or more likely in Thailand, I’ll get to try out a ‘Thai Mood for two’ and maybe even a Thai Massage to boot 😉

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Thai (language) Animal Farm

The Love Raccoon

“Hey, Oaks. How do you say ‘I love you’ in Thai?”

My in-laws love to learn about cultures and languages, especially my father-in-law Vernie. Taped to the passenger side dashboard in both of the cars are words and phrases in Spanish that dad and mom are learning. Peppered on it are a few phrases in Thai I have taught them before. Like Sawaddee and Kob Khun, and the proper use of Krup/Kaa addition.

“For you, being a guy, you would say Pomm Rak Khun. Pomm is ‘I’ for a guy. Rak is love. And of course, Khun is you.”

“Pomm…?”

“Rak. Khun.”

“Rak. Koon? Sort of like ‘raccoon’?”

“Yeah. Sort of like that.”

“Pom Raccoon! Wow. That’s 2 animals in my Thai vocabulary now.”

“What’s the other one?”

“Water cat. What was it again? Meow Now?”

My mom taught him that after he pointed at the sculpture of seals on Redondo Beach Pier.

“It’s maew naam, dad.”

“Right! Maew Naam!”

Everyone has his/her own system to learn and memorize things. Dad is very good with association, a trait Brandon also inherited.

But for Brandon, he is very keen to make the word association usually for comical purposes. If it ain’t funny, it doesn’t seem to stick. Took him a while to properly say krup like “cup” with an R, and not “crap”.

“So what do I call this barbeque pork noodle thing?”

Ba-meeh Mhoo Daeng. Egg noodles – BBQ pork.”

“Moo Dang?”

“Yeah. Literally means red pork for the color, you know.”

“Moo is pork?”

“And pig.”

“If pigs moo, then what do Thai cows sound like?”

*sigh*

But I’d rather look on the bright side. At least now he can order his own noodles and politely say thank you properly.