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D Eric | profile | all galleries >> Eric's Trip to South East Asia -2008 >> Thai New Year Celebration with my Thai family tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Thai New Year Celebration with my Thai family

I decided to take a side trip back to Thailand to visit my brother's wife and her family over the Thai New Year, called the Sangkran festival. The holiday is traditionally celebrated as one big waterfight! It is the hottest time of the year, the crops are all in, so everybody parties in the streets and tries to get everyone as wet as possible. Pen (my sister in law) and her family have been wonderful to me- feeding me, introducing me to everybody and showing me around (and showing me off!) It has been a wonderful time!
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On the Thai side of the border crossing
On the Thai side of the border crossing		 My greeting committee- I was surprised when six people showed up to greet me- they drove about 5 hours to get me!
My greeting committee- I was surprised when six people showed up to greet me- they drove about 5 hours to get me!		 My bike in the truck
My bike in the truck
Yum- the fried bug special for lunch (no, I didn't try it!)
Yum- the fried bug special for lunch (no, I didn't try it!)		 More bugs...
More bugs...		 Automated prayer machine- pick the day of the week you were born, put in the coin, and the recorded monk gives you a blessing!
Automated prayer machine- pick the day of the week you were born, put in the coin, and the recorded monk gives you a blessing!
Meeting the inlaws
Meeting the inlaws		 Pens mother is in the back in blue, and the other two ladies are neighbors- it's a very tight-knit community
Pens mother is in the back in blue, and the other two ladies are neighbors- it's a very tight-knit community		 Another neighbor- Tim (after a beer or three)
Another neighbor- Tim (after a beer or three)
Pen's mother's house near Maha Sarakham, Thailand
Pen's mother's house near Maha Sarakham, Thailand		 Walking to the neighborhood temple for a New Year's ceremony
Walking to the neighborhood temple for a New Year's ceremony		 At the temple
At the temple
Me and Pen (Scott's wife) and two of her friends
Me and Pen (Scott's wife) and two of her friends		 Making the rounds of friends and neighbors, and getting friendship bracelets for good luck
Making the rounds of friends and neighbors, and getting friendship bracelets for good luck		 First of many posed pictures with Pen's single friends
First of many posed pictures with Pen's single friends
Neighbor family
Neighbor family		 Celebrating the New Year by drinking, eating, and waterfighting on the street near Pen's house
Celebrating the New Year by drinking, eating, and waterfighting on the street near Pen's house		 Water and talcum powder are the 'weapons' of choice during the celebration
Water and talcum powder are the 'weapons' of choice during the celebration
Pen's brother Atip, and his girlfriend Kae- they were great hosts while I visited
Pen's brother Atip, and his girlfriend Kae- they were great hosts while I visited		 Partying!
Partying!		 Waterfights!
Waterfights!
Scooter drivers were common targets for splashing
Scooter drivers were common targets for splashing		 Wrong place at the wrong time...
Wrong place at the wrong time...		 Sangkran_025.JPG
Sangkran_025.JPG
Sangkran_026.JPG
Sangkran_026.JPG		 Me and one of the two 'adopted' teenagers at Pen's mother's house
Me and one of the two 'adopted' teenagers at Pen's mother's house		 Me and the other one- my 'fan club'!
Me and the other one- my 'fan club'!
Pen (middle) and her friends
Pen (middle) and her friends		 Me and another neighbor
Me and another neighbor		 I get my share too!
I get my share too!
Loading up the truck with people and water to drive around and get in waterfights
Loading up the truck with people and water to drive around and get in waterfights		 Kids on the street throwing water
Kids on the street throwing water		 Adults on the street throwing water
Adults on the street throwing water
Sangkran_035.JPG
Sangkran_035.JPG		 Passing truck on the street throwing water
Passing truck on the street throwing water		 g3/57/393457/3/95975870.YpPTi3ql.jpg
At the river thowing water
At the river thowing water		 River crossing/car wash/party scene
River crossing/car wash/party scene		 Me and my new friends
Me and my new friends
Everyone getting wet
Everyone getting wet		 Very wet!
Very wet!		 Hiding from the sun and drinking beer
Hiding from the sun and drinking beer
Smile!
Smile!		 You're not wet enough!
You're not wet enough!		 Sangkran_046.JPG
Sangkran_046.JPG
I'm not wet enough
I'm not wet enough		 Pen and I in the river
Pen and I in the river		 g3/57/393457/3/95976085.TizQaZpQ.jpg
Me, Pen, Pen's Aunt, and her adopted son
Me, Pen, Pen's Aunt, and her adopted son		 Storm coming
Storm coming		 Storm here
Storm here
A round of 'chicken boxing' across the street
A round of 'chicken boxing' across the street		 Yep- chicken fighting in all it's gory
Yep- chicken fighting in all it's gory		 Proud owner of a beautiful cock
Proud owner of a beautiful cock
Going to a neighbors for a pary
Going to a neighbors for a pary		 Very fresh chicken- still kicking when I got there...
Very fresh chicken- still kicking when I got there...		 Boiling the chicken
Boiling the chicken
Plucking the chicken
Plucking the chicken		 Butchering the chicken
Butchering the chicken		 Yum- chicken dinner!
Yum- chicken dinner!
Fish too on the BBQ
Fish too on the BBQ		 And fresh eels for the soup
And fresh eels for the soup		 No one is safe from getting wet!
No one is safe from getting wet!
A neighbor stops by
A neighbor stops by		 Local gambling establishment on the streetcorner
Local gambling establishment on the streetcorner		 Place your bets and roll the dice!
Place your bets and roll the dice!
Driving to a concert/party
Driving to a concert/party		 Sangkran_069.JPG
Sangkran_069.JPG		 A popular local band
A popular local band
Sangkran_071.JPG
Sangkran_071.JPG		 Going for a swim- it's HOT out
Going for a swim- it's HOT out		 In the river
In the river
Throwing water again...
Throwing water again...		 Sangkran_075.JPG
Sangkran_075.JPG		 Our crew in the back of the pickup truck- can you spot the falang (foreigner)?
Our crew in the back of the pickup truck- can you spot the falang (foreigner)?
Me, Pen, and friends
Me, Pen, and friends		 Hanging out in Pen's mother's living room
Hanging out in Pen's mother's living room		 Eating on the front 'porch', which serves as dining table, social gathering point, work space, everything.
Eating on the front 'porch', which serves as dining table, social gathering point, work space, everything.
The formal Songkran ceremony honoring Pen's mother
The formal Songkran ceremony honoring Pen's mother		 Pen and her mother splashing each other
Pen and her mother splashing each other		 Pen's mother and her brother
Pen's mother and her brother
Giving and getting
Giving and getting		 Sangkran_084.JPG
Sangkran_084.JPG		 My turn!
My turn!
Sangkran_086.JPG
Sangkran_086.JPG		 Sangkran_087.JPG
Sangkran_087.JPG		 Everybody gets it!
Everybody gets it!
The family, friends, neighbors
The family, friends, neighbors		 Pen and I
Pen and I		 More water fighting
More water fighting
Lunch at a friends house- all meals were eaten cross-legged on the floor
Lunch at a friends house- all meals were eaten cross-legged on the floor		 Kae, Atip, and their friends
Kae, Atip, and their friends		 Me and a single friend...
Me and a single friend...
Me and another single friend...
Me and another single friend...		 Me and the gang
Me and the gang		 Hmmm... maybe I'm a natural.
Hmmm... maybe I'm a natural.
Me and Pen's Aunt
Me and Pen's Aunt		 More friends and family
More friends and family		 Typical transportation, although they could fit a couple more people on there.
Typical transportation, although they could fit a couple more people on there.
Atypical transportation
Atypical transportation		 Atip tries my ride...
Atip tries my ride...		 Fixing my shoes- about 60 cents and about 60 seconds
Fixing my shoes- about 60 cents and about 60 seconds
Trip to the beach, Thai syle
Trip to the beach, Thai syle		 Complete with baby elephants!
Complete with baby elephants!		 Sangkran_106.JPG
Sangkran_106.JPG
Sangkran_107.JPG
Sangkran_107.JPG		 Playing in the water, again!
Playing in the water, again!		 Sangkran_109.JPG
Sangkran_109.JPG
Sangkran_110.JPG
Sangkran_110.JPG		 Spot the falang...
Spot the falang...		 Inside of Pen's mother's house
Inside of Pen's mother's house
Two neighbor guys crashed out on the porch
Two neighbor guys crashed out on the porch		 Sightseeing around the area- an asian deer
Sightseeing around the area- an asian deer		 Sanitized Thai village at the local museum
Sanitized Thai village at the local museum
The local monkey park
The local monkey park		 Sangkran_117.JPG
Sangkran_117.JPG		 Monks feeding the monkeys
Monks feeding the monkeys
Momma and her baby
Momma and her baby		 Posing with local Thai's- they would often ask to take a picture with me
Posing with local Thai's- they would often ask to take a picture with me		 Feeding the monkeys
Feeding the monkeys
Feeding me- the food was amazing!
Feeding me- the food was amazing!		 One of Pen's single friends...
One of Pen's single friends...		 Lccal market- can you recognize any of the fruit?
Lccal market- can you recognize any of the fruit?
Yum, rambutan!
Yum, rambutan!		 Dinner at Atip and Kae's shop
Dinner at Atip and Kae's shop		 Squid soup- very yummy
Squid soup- very yummy
At Atip and Kae's phone shop- Atip is an ace at fixing cell phones.
At Atip and Kae's phone shop- Atip is an ace at fixing cell phones.
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