Tours

Thailand

Thai Loy Krathong Tour November 11-20, 2005.

There are few pleasures in life more enjoyable than rolling along the Thai countryside in a comfortable bus, high above the other traffic on the road, and savouring the splendid passing scenes. Twenty-two members of the OCS enjoyed such a memory-making tour from 11-20 November. Those members joining the tour were Helen Anderson (Tour organizer), Malcolm Barnett (OCS President), Jan Beards, Chris Hall (OCS Honorary Treasurer), Lana and Jim Kinoshita, Elaine Koo, Nina and Ian Lansdown, Helen and Joseph Lee, Susie Liang, Marina Lo, Grace Luk, Jacqueline Muller, Barbara Park (OCS Honorary Secretary), Peter Gray, Josephine Shaw, Maisie and Henry Wong, and Virginia and Wellington Yee.

Our tour began on a high note. Dawn Rooney, OCS member and Bangkok resident introduced Professor William Klausner who was our speaker of the evening. He regaled us with incidents he has experienced in his everyday dealings with the Thais. He also knew Jim Thompson well and was able to add something of interest about the legendary American.

We were up early the next morning for one of many busy and rewarding days. We visited the 14th-18th century Thai capital of Ayutthaya, and learned much about Thai wat architecture from the brilliant talks by Khun Euayporn Kerdchouay, our accompanying lecturer. He explained some early Chinese influences found there, notably wall paintings with Chinese characteristics and amulets with Chinese inscriptions found among the jewels.

In the late afternoon we visited the new Museum of southeastern ceramics at Bangkok University where we were met by Dawn Rooney who showed us some of the masterpieces of the collection; and an impressive one it is. Not yet officially opened, the Museum Curator welcomed us as special guests in the absence of Dr. Roxanna Brown who has catalogued the collection.

The next day we drove south along the Gulf of Thailand to Chantaburi to visit the Museum of underwater archaeology. Housed in the remains of an old 19th century fort, it shows an interesting assortment of ceramics excavated from the surrounding waters since 1975. Of special interest were the many Chinese ceramics found. They are of 2 major types: firstly the so-called Kraak porcelain which was made in the kilns at Jingdezhen; and secondly the coarser ware known as Swatow ware made in kilns near the Chinese city of that name. The day ended with a night at a comfortable hotel on the beach at Rayong, a small town set amid orchards and tall palm trees.

Charming Chiang Mai produced some beautiful memories of its own. Here are found strong Burmese influences on architecture, dress and foods. We were treated to a dinner of Northern Thai specialities at the home of John and Pat Shaw. John, a renowned collector of Thai ceramics, shared his extensive collection with us as well as some interesting anecdotes about the perils of collecting antiques today. We enjoyed the company of several expats, including the American consul and her husband. These interesting people added to our contemporary knowledge of the city and its resident hill tribe community.

None of us will ever forget the spectacle of Loy Krathong in old Sukhothai, the place where Thailand became an entity in the 13th century.  We launched our Krathongs in the lotus pond under a full moon and in the shadows of the Buddhist temple spires and then watched a spectacular sound and light show which dramatized the historical development of the kingdom. The fairytale airport in the city certainly produced a lingering sense of delight. One member was heard to wish she could just stay there instead of in the hotel!

Also never to be forgotten are the majestic old Khmer ruins on the Korat plain. We visited Phnom Rung, Muang Tam and Pmai, each very different and memorable, reflecting, as they did, strong elements of Angkor with which they were contemporaneous. Built between the 9th and 13th centuries, they show both Hindu and Buddhist influences. Pimai is the only Buddhist temple while both Phnom Rung and Muang Tam were dedicated to the Hindu god, Shiva.

Back in Bangkok, we were treated to other pleasures. We dined at the Siam Society and enjoyed meeting with its President and his wife as well as members of the Council. Exciting plans for future relations between the two organizations were formulated.

On the last morning, Dawn Rooney accompanied many of the group to the bustling Jatujak weekend market, which provided the final memory of the tour.She is certainly a star in our crown. Our warmest thanks to Khun Euayporn Kerdchouay who patiently explained so much of the exciting art world of Thailand and to Helen Anderson, our creative and intrepid organizer without whom the tour would not have been possible.