I was invited on a unique trip to Thailand to experience the culture and life and to meet the local people of Loei province.
Bangkok
We had a one day lay-over in Bangkok on our arrival and before flying home, so I had to go explore right after we checked-In to our Hotel.
Bangkok was awesome and I need to come back to see it all!
First stop
Our first stop in the Loei province was at the Phi Ta Khon Museum/temple.
While the others was following the tour, I slowly faded back and took a look around.
The venue of the Phi Ta Khon Festival, which is annually held in the 7th lunar month (June), well-known for the procession of people dressed up with ghost masks and colourful costumes. At the end of the procession, the Phi Ta Khon costumes and masks will be thrown into the Man River as people believe that this means to get rid of bad luck and misfortune.
After that, we visited the Wat Neramit Wipatsana to pay respect to the Phra Phuttha Chinnarat Buddha image, enshrined in the laterite ordination hall.
The next day we went to the Dansai Crown Prince Hospital, where we went on a Dan Sai Cycling Club. We had our own police escort it was kinda hilarious seeing 50 western on bikes and police stopping traffic, so we would get safe to our destinations:-D
We got to see a bit of the local life and again I went on to say hi to the locals at different houses, so I could photograph without having 50 others taking the same shot.
Organic
Everyday had a new adventure and here we went to the Ruea Ruean Mai Resort.
We spend the morning at the Outdoor Nature Classroom, which is based on the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy in an area of 15 Rai within the resort. We learned about rice growing techniques, and saw how organic farming was done. The owner of the resort was only 25 years old and have a close work relation to the Prince of Thailand to make Thailand farming more organic.
Chiang Khan
In Chiang Khan we learned how to make a Pha Sat, a floating decoration made from the leaf of a banana tree and decorated with bee wax in a flower-like shape. Before going to the Me Kong river A holy Brahmin rite had to bless it.
We were invited to join the locals at 06 am the next day to experience the real Chiang Khan daily life by starting the day very early to wait for the monks and offer them rice. The Chiang Khan people only scoop a portion of sticky rice in a small bamboo package by hand and put it in the monk’s bowl. Others will come to their tepmle where they will prep other kind of food. In return the monks will bless them.
We also visited this old lady who handmaded quilted blankets in Dai-Heng.
