During our latest road trip Larry and I went up to Tham Phuang as I wanted to find out if one of the monks I know up there might have any information to help our search fore Seri Thai, Vietnam era or Communist activity in the area. Unfortunatky Ajahn Jitt Jai spent most of his life in Roi Et and had more questions for me about the area. Anyway, I showed Larry around, and around as I got a bit disoriented driving and talking at the same time. On the way down the hill we stopped at a series of replicas of important Indian Buddhist sites. Sarnath is the deer park where Buddha first taught the Dhamma and The Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya are along the road. We then stopped at the Phu Lek Headquarters and back down the hill. There are 2 caves in the area to visit, but we were on a mission so moved on>

I think the Tourism Authority of Thailand listed the Indian Buddhist sites some time ago, but for some reason (I guess too many people were interested)dropped it. As a matter of fact looking around it seems everyone has dropped it. The trip to Wat Tham Phuang, the cave, the temple grounds, The Indian Replicas, Phu Lek, and the Wetsandon Monument are well worth the Visit if you are in the area and one of the many places to stop between Udon and Sakon Nakhon.

View 20130508phulek in a larger map

I think,just as once a week there is an Upposatha Day, once a week it’s a good idea to set aside a post to the Teaching. And a Dhammapada quote and narrative by Ajahn Munindo along with a look at the life of Ajahn Chah by way of Ajahn Jayasaro is the best way I can think of…..
Self-mastery is the supreme victory –
much more to be valued
than winning control over others.
It is a victory that no other being whatsoever
can distort or take away.
v. 104–5

Unshakably established in the centre of our lives, nothing can unsettle us or generate causes for suffering. This is fearlessness. The Buddha’steachings point to that which hinders fearlessness: habitual self-seeking, deluded desire. Shining the light of awareness on this very activity of desire – not judging or interfering with it in any way –we learn to see that each small moment of selfmastery

leads towards the victory of selflessness.

Having lost his love Ajahn Chah enters the monkhood

I have been aware of the 70s and  the Communist Party of Thailand for years. I know both westerners and Thais who experienced the events of that period. I spent time with General Surayud some years ago and am familiar with his and his family’s role in that period. I am also aware that when he became prime Minister he finally made good on some of the government promises from more than 30 years before. The rise and fall of the Communist Party of Thailand tells some of the story. Recently I read about  Khrong Chandawong and Thongphan Suthimat and their execution in  in  Sawang Daendin district of Sakon Nakhonin the article Khrong Chandawong Remembered in New Mandela. So while Larry and I were in town chasing Seri Thai sites

I started to search for the site. Visits to the police station, district office, school and back to the police station led us to the post in the photograph another downgrade so it seems. Due to the need to press on we did not have time for further investigation at the time. But I do plan on stopping back and chatting with Khrong’ son Vichit who I understand still lives nearby and getting what more information about the time, people and places of that era in Northeast Thailand,Isaan

Kud Kwaang Soi Museum And Archeological Site is located along road 2146 in Khon Kaennear the  Nong Bua Lam Phu border.
I just love signs like this one. Is there anything really there? Will I , actually find it? and and on and on. A semi- quick chat with the folks at the hardware store confirmed that these places did exist and were just down the respective roads, a bit. As the truck was pointed toward Kud Kwang Soi I headed off in what I hoped was the right direction. At the 1st Tee junction there was a small sign that appeared to have the correct name pointing straight up to the sky. While scratching my head a fella in his 50s cycled up and said to me in perfect English, “Looking for the museum are you”?

People seem to forget that many Isaan men work overseas if they can get a real job and this gent was a veteran of 10 years construction in the middle east. He’s the one that told  me about the spelling (Kud or Kut, Kwaang or Kwang), hence like many transcriptions he did not favor the sign’s. Anyhow I was off again, a couple kilometers, a couple turns till I felt I should be getting close, so stopped at the village mini-mart, restaurant bar and asked for the museum Kud Kwaang Soi and was told I had arrived. Tee nee asks me, tee nan answers one of the local drinkers pointing to a new building about 50 meters away. After politely declining offer of food and beverage I pulled up in the shade of the carpark and turned to watch the manager of the museum pull up on her bicycle. Opening the door she led me in to a small well kept exhibit of the atrifacts that were found at the site. Lighting was not optimum , but what the heck I was in Kud Kwaang Soi. After the usual, How the hell did I manage to find this place chat, she offered to show me the site and recently found skeletons, so off we went 500 meters around the corner and down the lane. This building while not as posh as the museum protects the excavation and skeletons and pottery in situ?
Also there to greet me was the fellow who discovered the skeletons about a year ago, while the artifacts in the museum have been in the museum for more than 5 years.
After this delightful visit it was off to the other site which was never found, but that’s a story for another day

 In Thailand Pulp Fiction goes under the names Bangkok Post and The Nation> Thailand’s Nearly English Language Dailies Daily regurgitate what the drem weavers in the Thai government tell them or babble on about what they call BREAKING NEWS, when in fact the news is already broken in Thailand. Todays post is not about anything earthshaking ,not about high speed trains,tablets for children, education or healthcare this on is about just a bit more proof that people are just about totally out of touch with all reality. The Nation one of Thailand’s Nearly English Language Dailies ran the story Rocket tradition being spoiled, critics say, without a clue about what has been happening for years. First of all who are the critics? and where have they been for the past,10,15,20,50 years…….

Gambling is a Thai obsession! Why do you think Thais love to watch sports? They do not really care about the teams. THEY LOVE TO GAMBLE! Gambling puts people in debt and the loan sharks love debt, and the police and government officials who get their tea money from the loan sharks love gambling even more. In the villages of Isaan for years rocket making was an art, wats sponsored rockets a bit of gambling and drinking went on as it had for years. Borrowing money is the only way to afford the BIG rockets, more money to the money lenders and those who protect them. I have posted picures of rocket festival rades and rocket festivals for years. I the one below you can see the size of the rockets and see gambling going on, this was taken in 2006.
Sure like anything Tourism Authority of Thailandgets their grubby hands on things get blown out of proportion and Yasothon is no exeption. Just like the Songran laws, Road fatality reports, and on and on it is all just Pulp Fiction..

Isaan,Isan, Northeast Thailand, Past and Present

Present in this case being nearly 13 years ago in this paper that was authored by Doctor Boonsom Yodmalee, of The Research Institute of Northeastern Art and Culture at M hasarakham University. I have…Continue reading

Pottery in Isaan Northeast Thailand

Over the years I have visited many of the pottery villages in the region. I got a lot of information from Leedom Lefferts of the Sackler Gallery at the Smithsonian to include a study done by Samruat…Continue reading

Pottery Village Mahasarakham Thailand 04.05.12

Ban Mor or ban maw in Mahasarakham is known as the pottery village. I find many n khon kaen and nong khai much more interesting, but this is the one that tourism authority of thailand promotes in the…Continue reading

I am not sure how many times I have driven past this park without stopping, but it must be in the 100s by now. So many of the parks in  Sakon Nakhon seem to have been good ideas that have gone to seed over time so I thought it would just be another one of those. Returning to town with time to spare I finally stopped and  was I surprised! Nong Han (Harn) Chalermphrakiat Park I managed by Kasetsart University in Sakon Nakhon the park is a research center for the study of freshwater plants especially the lotus and it’s many species. Along with the alligator pond is is a popular place to come to relax. Says the sign. Not quite sure why Nong Han suddenl became Nong Harn on a number of signs at the site.

Nicely laid out ponds full of lotuse, shady places to sit and relax, an administrative center with pot after pot of different types and an alligator? or crocodile enclosure. There is a restaurant on the left as you enter the park, but no information about opening times was available. There are also food stalls as you enter. I did a search for the park and was amazed to see that Tourism Authority of Thailand listed Chalermphrakiat Park, but it was one in Loei. I did find Academic Abstract The Development of Nong Harn Chalermphrakiat Park for Lotus Species Collection, Ecological Tourist Attraction and Local Economic Development that is about as useful as most I have found in Thailand. Unfortunately it was an overcast gray day so the photos do not do the park justice, but will give you some idea of the volume of plants to enjoy at the park

This 7 kilometer stretch of road into Sakon Nakhon is a dual carriage way with plenty of dangerous  U-turn spots and feeder roads with merges and exits. Thais tend to drive too fast for conditions, I am working on the understatement cf the century award. People jump in and out from the feeder roads, U-turn without checking oncoming traffic and generally pray to the plastic Buddha sitting on the dashboard of their car that some thief in robes blessed, sold them an amulet and go ahead and put the pedal to the medal. These culprits along with the government officials who sell drivers licenses should be charged with negligent homicide at the least.
The person flew past me at about 150kmh a few kilometers back. Lucky she had a child in the car otherwise she might have been driving faster, In Thailand always remember, the darker the windows the worse the driver.

This Buddha image is in Wat Phuttha Nimit.This ancient reclining Buddha image was carved under a cliff, and is unusual in that it is leaning on its left hand rather than on its right hand. It was built in 1692Do an image search for reclining Buddha images and you will find photo after photo of imahes with the head resting on the right hand. On Phu Khao, is the Wat named Phuttha Nimit in which is the image of Buddha Saiyat, head resting on left hand.This Buddha image is in Wat Phuttha Nimit.This ancient reclining Buddha image was carved under a cliff, and is unusual in that it is leaning on its left hand rather than on its right hand. It was built in 1692. Is the tale I have read numerous places and is what I have experienced for years.In the Book “Forest Recollections” Tiyavanich mentions Ajahn Fan in about 1946…

he ran into Fan, who was leaving the wat of Weng Field Stupa with four other thudong monks on their journey to Daen Cliff Cave. Daen  Hill Cave is now Wat Tham Pa Daen and we drove up to have a look.
Sadly all sorts of flashy artwork and glitz is getting installed Thai style with little or no regard for the teaching of Ajahns Mun, Fan and the other Forest Tradition monks. That aside, but more on it later, as usual I shot photos and was qeotagging the location, not being particualarily mindful of what I was looking at, just trying not to vomit.I later realized the the two huge Buddha images being carved into the rock are both on their left side. I have been trying to find out why for only a week now and most people do not have a clue. A buddhist would recognize the difference rather quickly, but here in Thailand they are difficult to find. I will continue to try to get an answer to this question and will continue to locate the locations that are part of the history of the Forest Monks in Isaan, Northeast Thailand. I know what is unusual quite often becomes the usual in Thailand and that is not a cpmpilment

Khu Khat Khmer Site, Mahasarakham, Isaan

First of all “Thank You” to Asger Mollerup who does know things Khmer and Pheu Thai. More here: Khu Khat Khmer Site, Mahasarakham, Isaan…Continue reading

Buddhism and ThaiBuddhism in Isaan

There is a lot I like about Buddhism. There is nothing to believe, there are no commandments and there is no “Rome” or hierarchy Read the original: Buddhism and thaibuddhism in Isaan…Continue reading

a walk around the lake in Kalasin Isaan at the silk festival

If you decide to visit Kalasin for the silk festival you might stroll or jog around Kuut Nam Gin in Kalasin town. Exersize, Art and of course food are all available Continue reading here: a walk…Continue reading

Driving in the Phu Phan Mountains from Sakon Nakhon to Kalasin,Thailand

The roads in Northeast Thailand are dangerous night and day, but driving through the Phu Phan Mountains in Isaan presents even more dangers, you might say one around every corner. Blind left hand…Continue reading

Where not to Stay in Sakon Nakhon, Thailand an Opinion 29.06.12

We were going to a wedding reception at the M.J. Hotel in town an decided to stay there so that I could have a few drinks and relax, as I do not drink and drive. continued here: Where not to Stay in…Continue reading