Thai people is not that easy-going people, we are super drama king/queen. We could seriously fight for someone (go google for the name "Taksin" for more information) even make a civil war! I could notice something like the relationship issue, which seem to be much more free in western world but super strict in Thailand, and over 80% of Thai song lyric are about love. As the contrary, thing seems to be less serious in Thailand, when we have a civil war (sort of) a year ago, people from one side wear red shirts and another side wear yellow shirts, later we have blue shirts and multi-color shirts group. And, to be proud of, Thailand has relatively low rate of devote.
 |
| Red shirts group and Mr.Taksin |
Seem like from the movie? No, it is real in THAILAND. When we have a civil war and people give a rose as a present to the soldiers.
However, Thailand is called as "Land of Smile" for long long time. Long long times ago, I could say, Thai people is very easy-going and we won't deal with serious issue as much as what we are now. That is one of the reason that Thailand is very welcome for the foreigners as well as their cultures. We have good relationship with China for hundreds years, even I have Chinese blood in myself. We solidly immerse the western culture into our culture around a hundred year ago related to the first globalization period (western colonization) and Japanese around 50 years ago around the second world war, later on the United State (as the winner for WW2, laugh).
That's way it is very normal to see white guys working in Thailand, or Japanese elders in black is hurry to go to work. I read Japanese comics (manga), watch drama Korean series (yeah! more Drama), and I could speak English pretty well.
Besides, even we already have the holidays for Father (national, king's birthday's) day, mother day, children day, teacher's day, Labor's day, New Year day (1st of January), Thai's new year holidays (13rd-15th of April), another five days from Buddhism religion, cultivation's day, King Rama1's commemoration day, King Rama5's commemoration day, Suntorn Pu's birthday (ancient writer), etcetera.
The days listed above are the official holiday, mean that the days that the government offices are closed.
But basically, we also celebrate:
Chinese New Year: I love this day, when we have some sacrifice for our ancestors and god. We meet whole of family (30ish of people) and have some gamble for forecast the luck for incoming year.
Valentine's Day: teenagers always looking forward to this day! When boyfriend and girlfriend go out and exchange the gift, or a guy give a red rose to a girl to present his love. I usually make chocolate (last year, brownie, this year is sweet chocolate) and give it to my close friends and ex. Thanks for my friends from the same major who also brought rose and gave it to "single" lady in our major so I've got two roses this year.
I was born in November, no wondering nine month before November is Valentine's Day. (laugh)
White Day: I think it is Japanese culture (ホワイトデー, Howaito dē) when a boy or girl who receive gifts in Valentine's Day should give his/her back with the gift which is three times more expensive than that, or sometimes it is a month for a person to consider what they should respond for the relationship request. It is rarely to be found in Thailand, but I could see it sometimes.
XMAS: we won't celebrate Ester's day (even I've receive a huge Ester egg made from chocolate once year), but we seriously celebrate Christmas, in term of having a decoration around the department store or the office and house. We won't eat turkey, but some new generation parents give a cute gift for their children.
Do you know Lunar's day? It is in Chinese culture that is the day we celebrate the princess of the moon (and her rabbit). In China, there might be lantern's festival, every place is decorated with lanterns, but in Thailand, we just have a mooncake.
We also celebrate Loi-kratong day around November, this is Thai culture that we do the sacrifice to the godness of river by making the kratong and float it in the river and fire lantern to the sky.
Lantern's festival in Chieng Mai, Thailand
And we give importance for each person's birthday as well. I always buy cake for my family's members' birthday and my dad tell me to call my uncles or grandparents for their birthday. I prefer to make a gift by my own but sometimes it is just a handmade card.
So now you know why it seem like to be that I celebrate every single ceremonies in this little world.
Ps. Hey! California guys, I'm waiting for my gift for White day!. :D
No comments:
Post a Comment