National Thai Language Day---July 29

King Ramkhamhaeng,the third king of the Sukhothai period

Well after reading the post by Talen entitled I learned to speak Thai fluently and you can too, and reading the story in the Phuket Gazette, concerning today being NATIONAL THAI LANGUAGE DAY. I thought it would be a good thing to give my take on learning to speak the Thai language fluently,as for me it will never happen ,I have been able to master the colors and my body parts (most) and enough words to not starve to death when it's my time to do the shopping at the market, (think god for thoses little plastic bags sitting on all those tables on the sides of the road and at the market ) I walk up to them and point and act like I know whats inside, and to be on the safe side and make sure I have something to eat I always buy a hot dog on a stick, and I get a big smile and thank you , again ,think god for sign language. My hat goes off to those that are able to master a full converstation with a Thai national,and Me ,I am glad that one of the first Thai words that Ciejay taught me was" Sawadee Kop" what a life saver that few words have been time and time again.

I really enjoyed the story in the Gazette and thought I would share a little of it with you ,I learned a couple of things I didn't know and you might too .

Today ,July 29, is marked by Thais as National Thai Language Day,and was celebrated in Phuket earlier this week , the event was attended by students ,historians, and scholars. The celebration,included,a writing contest,Thai folk singing.traditional dancing and lots of speeches about the importance of preserving the nation's written language.

National Thai Language Day is in remembrance of a debate on the preservation of the nation's language between His Majesty King Bhumipol Adulyadej and professors at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Arts on July 29,1962.

In 1999, the Thai government officially made July 29 a day of national importance to mark the King's 1962 speech and his commitment to preserving the Thai language.

The Thai alphabet was originally conceived by King Ramkhamhaeng, the third king of the Sukhothai period,726 years ago.

According to Thai educator Ajarn Jarin Ngunjun,Thai is one of only 100 languages with an official alphabet.

Story written by Thanasorn Chookate in the Phuket Gazette in Phuket ,Thailand July 29, 2009

Hope you enjoyed the story and Our Thailand King's commentment and the determination of the Thai people to perserve the Thai language and alphabet is a real blessing to me . I am part Cherokee Indian, and our language in America has been all but lost , when the white man took all the children from the villages long ago, to teach them the white man's ways, in their white mans schools, on the reservations , the Indians children were forbidden to speak their own lanuage and today many Cherokee Indians can not speak their native tongue, my family included, My great grand-mother was a full bloodied Cherokee Indian ( the real americans), I would be proud if me or my kids and gran-kids could speak our native tongue,BUT they did not make it a National Cherokee Language Day. "Thank you" to the King and Thai Government for knowing how important it is to preserve their language and placing such great importance as to celebrate it and make it a National Thai Language Day. Malcolm

THE SIGNS ARE EVERYWHERE

Now this is great art work

Real cheap too

Give me a beer

LONG LIVE THE KING

This sign directed Ciejay and I to a most enjoyable day

I once rode in this winer truck when I was 18 years old almost 50,years ago

I did a double take the first time I saw this one

There ain't no free lunch ha ha

This sign sends cold chills up my spin everyting I see it

Does anyone out there remember Clove Salve? I sold it as a boy

When I was growing up in my teen years, I worked part-time for a friend of the family ,that had a sign painting and advertising, business, not like today when almost all the signs are made on a computor and then transfered to whatever for a sign.Almost all the signs he made were either cut out of wood and nailed to a sheet of ply wood ,or a wide plank and mounted between two post and painted ,are they were hand painted ,on the sides of cars and trucks ,and also painted on billboards ,sides of buildings and sometimes even on a farm barn in the country , therefore I have always been fascinated with the art and words and of course the talent it took to transfer ones thoughts and ideas to a sign for all to see and read. Signs are everywhere you look.I saw some of my favorite signs as a child growing up with a truck driving Dad and getting to go along on a lot of trips with him in the truck during the summers . By the time I was fourteen years old I had spent a day or two ,or at least drove thru at least half of the states in the good ole USA. My geography teacher in school, said I knew more about US geography than she did .I said all that to say, that one of the things I loved most about traveling all over the country ,growing up, and still love today, was and is, to see all the signs that folks put up and post to advertise their place of business or signs that give directions , or informational signs . My all time favorites were the Burma Shave ones. Did you ever see a Burma Shave sign??
Here in Thailand signs are everywhere ,in all shapes and sizes (some of the largest billboards ) and everything that you can imagine is advertised on billboards and signs posted along the sides of the roads, and like everywhere else in the world,on cars,trucks,buildings,and yes even a few barns too.
I was surprised in talking with folks about signs and poster ,that a great number of folks collect signs and advertising posters for the great art work and the novelity of some of the sayings , myself ,I love the art work, and , I am always surprised where you find a real good sign. If you have run across any real unusual ones maybe you could share them with the rest of us. I hope the next time you see a real good sign that you will look it at as just not words , but, take a look at the style and the art and talent ,that goes into making it jump out and grab you attention.
My friend always said "A BUSINESS WITHOUT A GOOD SIGN, IS A SIGN OF ,, NO BUSINESS"

THE BAMBOO SCHOOL

THIS IS THE LITTLE CLINIC,BUILT BY THE KIDS AND VOLUNTEERS

SOME OF THE KIDS AND VISTORS WHO CAME FOR THE DEDICATION

MY FRIEND B-BIE AND I VISTING WITH THE KIDS

THATS KAT IN THE BLUE OUTFIT WITH FLOWER WHO WAS ABANDON BY HER MOM HOURS AFTER HER BIRTH AND GIVEN TO KAT TO CARE FOR AND RAISE,NO PAPERS AT ALL AND NOT ADOPTABLE OR CIEJAY AND I WOULD HAVE A DAUGHTER.

KAT WITH FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS VISTING TO SEE THE FRUIT OF THEIR LABOR TOO

INSIDE THE HUMBLE LITTLE CLINIC. THE SIX HOSPITAL WERE DONATED BY THE MISSION HOSPITAL IN BKK

MEDS BOUGHT WITH DONATIONS AND SOME ARE SENT FROM OTHER COUNTRIES FROM FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS, TO KAT FOR THE SMALL PHARMACY AND SUPPLY OF MEDS SHE KEEPS ON HAND ,FOR THE VARIOUS ILLNESSES .

WHAT A NEED THERE WAS FOR A CLINIC FOR THE LOCAL AND JUNGLE FOLKS , MANY ADULTS AND BABIES, DIED, BECAUSE NO GOVERNMENT MEDICAL HOSPITALS WILL TREAT THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT THAI.

A LADY FROM NZ MADE TWO QUILTS (HANDMADE) FOR EACH OF THE BEDS AND A BUSINESS MAN IN BKK DONATED THE NETS FOR EACH BED

KAT IS A NURSE ALSO AND A NURSE'S TRAINER AND IS A MIDWIFE TOO , AND I'M SURE LOTS OF BABIES WILL BE BORN IN THE CLINIC , IMPROVING THEIR CHANCES OF BEING BORN HEALTHY , BOTH FOR THE BABIES AND THE MOMS.

THE TRUCK ABOVE WAS DONATED BY A FOUNDATION IN KANCHANABURI, TO TRANSPORT THE SERIOUS ILL TO THE LARGER AND MORE EQUIPTED HOSPITALS WHEN NECESSARY ---FREE OF CHARGE

I was taking a drive up to the village called Bong-ti the other day, I had been invited to help dedicate a little clinic, that was build and will be staffed with volunteers from the Bamboo School, located a few miles from the Burma border.The School was started eight years ago by a lady called Kat,from NZ.Her and a few kids, and a few volunteers built the school and dormitory from bamboo, cut from the forest,thats why they call it the Bamboo School.It has grown over the years and now houses about 65 full time kids(ages one week to 16 years old) plus volunteers that come and stay and help out, at one time last year she had 92 kids there, some orphans,disabled,homeless crippled,blind,deaf ,unwanted kids along with a few ladies that live there and help out with the kids . Kat teaches ,preaches ,and loves them all for free. The school is not government funded and funds to operate and keep it going come from indivduals and folks who know Kat and her heart and they see what a need there is for these kids most who would be without hope if not for the Bamboo School and Kats love.

The clinic will be open to all who need help and is equipped to handle emergencys if needs be, and also has transportation to carry those they can't help to another hospital, all this she does for free and with love and compassion, she a real modern day Good Samaritan.She has folks from all over the world who come and stay a week , a month and some for several months ,( some of these helped with the construction of the clinic), who see the need and the dedication of Kat and the kids and help out where they are needed,and do what they can to provide , help and love, and support, to enable Kat to be able to continue to provide for those that have nowhere else to go.Many folks from Burma and folks from the Karen community who cannot get medical treatment in the Thai hospitals come ,some walking thru the jungle for days ,bringing their sick ,dying, babies and and family for Kat to help them.The web site for the school and orphanage is http://www.bambooschool.org/ , if you want to read a story that will touch your hearts take a look at this site . I personally can say that I have never meet a person as dedicated to providing ,love and housing and training,and medical treatment, and of course three meals a day to unwanted kids as Kat.You almost have to see it for yourselves to believe all the work that she does and all in the name of human kindness and love . Take my word for it.

Malcolm

THE HOT NEW MASSAGE (THAI TRADITIONAL MASSAGE)

I GOT THESE PICTURES OFF THE WWW

One of the many joys about living in Thailand for me is my discovery of the famous Thai massage . Monday is the highlight of my week as I have a lady who comes to the house at 10 o'clock am every Monday and gives me a massage that always gets me started on my week with a" spring in my step and a song on my lips" as the old saying goes. I use to just go with a two hour classic Thai massage, but now that I am really into it for my health and since of well being ,I have started to have a one hour traditional Thai massage ,and I told her from the start not to jerk me apart and I want no pain, and after that I have a cup of coffee and then I'm ready for my wonderful one hour herbal oil massage , and I can say that it is to kill for , her hands are like Angel wings gliding over my body and and the strengh from her hands seem to be absorbed by my body as it is rejuvenated and when it is all over ,rather than "feeling like a wet noodle" so to speak, I feel like a dead battery that has been hooked up to a quick charger and I ready to take on whatever up's and downs life has to throw at me for the rest of the week.

The Thai massage uses both the palm and thumb,to concentrate on the pressure points of your whole body. This type of massage includes some streching,to reduce fatigue and to relax tired and tight muscles, and also to improve the blood circulation,this type of massage can be very helpful and relaxing for those older folks like myself and and also for anyone that is having trouble with poor circulation of blood to their legs and feet.

"Thai Massage ,one of the hot "new" massages offered by most spas,was actually developed by the Buddhist monks in thailand as a healing modality 2,500 years ago.It uses passive streching and gentlepressure along the body's lines to increase flexibilty,relive muscle and joint tension and balance the body's energy systems.It is both deeply relaxing and energizing."( quote from a article by Anitra Brown,about .com )

Thai massage has its roots and beginnings in a spiritual tradition, and its puropse is to heal a person physically,emotionally and spiritually.It should not be confused with sensual, and Swedish massage.

Hope you enjoyed this post and that if you have never tryed a traditional Thai massage before that you give it a try, I think you will be pleasantly surprise at they way your body will feel afterward, and remember ,if you want,that you tell the therapist that you want no pain ,at least not the first couple of times , thats the way I did it and loved it .Just a side note ,I had a friend who went for a Thai massage and he laid down on the mat and just went with the flow, the next day he ,was so sore he couldn't hardly get out of bed . ha ha . Malcolm

THE QUEEN of FRUITS

LIQUOR MADE FROM MANGOSTEEN FRUIT

RED AND WHITE WINE MADE FROM MANGOSTEEN FRUIT

AND THE QUEEN OF FRUITS or as some call it THE FRUIT OF THE GODS

Mid-Summer is my favorite time of the year in Thailand as it the time of the year when some of the best fruit in the whole world is available , and many times you can just pick it off the trees or off the vines right in your own backyards or in a neighboring field and even sometimes , just growing wild along the sides of the road if you live in the country side like Ciejay and me, for yourself, and if you don't have them growing near, then get out to one of the small local farmers markets that come to our villages about twice a week , there are so many varities of fruit avaliable that you don't know which ones to choose.

That use to be a difficult decision for me too until I discovered the great taste and the wonderful health benefits of the Queen of fruits or as some folks call it the Fruit of the Gods,MANGOSTEEN.Never in all my life have I tasted a fruit that I enjoyed eating so much. I was also amazed at all the health benefits from , not only eating the fruit , but from drinking it's juice and all the uses of the purple skin that surrounds the fruit inside.

Ciejay and me both love to eat the mangosteen fruit as often as possible without getting burned out on it , so we rotate it with other greats , the likes of papaya, rose apples,rambutan, mangos and of course when Ciejay is not looking a Durian(called the King of Fruits ) in most parts of Thailand is a all time favorite for me and one that my Doctor tells me to stay away from, WHY are all the good stuff bad for you .

Me and Ciejay are also the local dealers for Hanuman Winery Co. The vinyard and gardens and the winery are located in Chantaburi. They make an award winning Red and White wine from the Queen of Fruits,Mangosteen and a great Liquor , all chemical free and all the fruit grown in orchards that are 100 % organic in nature and growth , some of the trees are 100 years old.

And the big selling point time and time again aside from the great taste of the wine is it's medicinal value. Their fantastic red wines and white liquors have recieved "THE BEST OF WINE AND LIQUOR AWARDS"recognition from the IFHS Food and Beverage Thailand in the year of 2006. If you have never tried mangosteen wine before, come on over to Whang Pho and I'll chill a bottle just for you .

In this post I want to share with you a few facts I have gleamed from the net and a lot of info from a web site http://www.mangosteenfruitinfo.com/ . and I hope you enjoy all the info and fascinating health benefits from a fruit, that are found here in this amazing place we call Thailand.

WHAT IS MANGOSTEEN?

The mangosteen ,is a small purple fruit about the size of a tangerine,with a rind similar to that of a pomegranate.In Thailand it is known as the "queen of fruits" and is prized for its taste and medicinal value.

In India,Thailand and China preparations made from the rind are used as antimicrobial and anti-parasitic treatments for dysentery and other forms of infectious diarrhea. The plants astringent qualities are also useful in preventing dehydration and the loss of essential nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract of diarrhea suffers.The Thai people take advanatage of the mangosteen's antimicrobial properties to treat infected wounds,tuberculosis,malaria,urinary tract infections,syphlis, and gonorrhea.

It has long been recognized in Asia that the mangosteen has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and is therefore effective in treating eczema,and other skin conditions , other countries use it as a tea for fatigue and one country even uses it as a de-worming agent , in Venezuela, parasitic skin infections are treated with a poultice made from the rind of the mangosteen , and the Filipinos use a fruit preparation to control a fever. knowledge of the mangosteen is spreading quickly ,and it is becoming known in countries far removed from where it is grown.

DID YOU KNOW THAT THE MANGOSTEEN.....

. IS A TROPICAL FRUIT OF ASIA

. IS THE NATIONAL FRUIT OF THAILAND

.CONTAINS 43 OF THE MORE THAN 200 XANTHONES FOUND IN NATURE

.IS NOT A MANGO

.IT IS IN THE SAME FAMILY AS ST. JOHN'S WART

.HAS A RIND THAT IS USED FOR TANNING AND DYEING

.IS MENTIONED IN CHINESE MEDICAL ACCOUNTS DATING BACK TO THE MING DYNASTY (1368 A.D.-1644 A.D.)

.TWIGS FRON THE TREE ARE USED FOR "CHEW STICKS" IN GHANA

.THE TREE CAN GROW TO THE HEIGHT OF 75 FEET

. IS CLAIMED BY SOME TO BE THE BEST TASTING FRUIT IN THE WORLD

.HAS BEEN SAID TO BE QUEEN VICTORIA'S FAVORITE FRUIT

Now I found all this info to be very interesting to me since I personally had never even heard of the mangosteen fruit or it's great taste and health benefits till I came to Thailand , I think that maybe some of you are like me as well , I hope that this post has alerted you to the healthy benefits of the fruit, mangosteen for your life and like me that you will see this wonderful fruit in a whole new perspective , the next time you buy it at the market. Here's to your good health. Malcolm

ME AND THE LADYBOYS

LA LA AND A COUPLE OF HER TEACHER FRIENDS

SAI YOK NOI WATERFALLS CLOSE TO THE ROAD NO WALKING AND HIKING AND VERY BEAUTIFUL

HAVING FUN AND RELAXING ,AND ENJOYING A LITTLE TIME AWAY FROM THE BIG CITY LIFE

GUESS WHO ???????

A VERY SWEET AND HAPPY GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE ,ENJOYING LIFE TO IT'S FULLEST

Well, this is my Blog about being Retired in Thailand and my experiences while living here in this place call the "Land of Smiles and Gentle People."This is one of my stories of recent.

La La our dear friends from the Philipines, and a teacher in our local high school told me the other day that a few of her Filipino teacher friends from Bangkok wanted to come to Whang Pho for a few days visit, as they have a couple of days off and wanted to get out of the Big City for a little while, and she wanted to know if we would accomodate a couple of them because , her place was very small, of course I said yes, with no questions ask ,trusting La La that all would be ok.

Well the time came for them to show up at our place for dinner ,a visit and a place to spend the night, for two of them.Well to my and Ciejay's surprise two of them were lady boys, never having any contact with a lady boy before and having my thoughts and ideas about them , I have to say at first I was a little stand offish, But ,as we talked , I came to understand that underneath all that stuff, and all the emotions and stress brought on by the stares and discrimination and misunderstandings of most folks, that there beat hearts just like mine and yours. I really enjoyed the time I got to spend with them and ,I think my eyes and heart and my mind,were opened to a group people that in times past I had tryed to avoid if at all possible, my whole life.Now I know (after all these years) what the Bible meant when it says that Love sees the good and does not look for the bad in people.

We had dinner , talked until early in the morning , I ask lots of questions about their lives as lady boys and the effect it had on them , for work , family , and friends and I believe, I got a lot of honest answers.The next day I took them to the Sai Yok Noi water falls down the road and we had a great time and I believe that for the first time in quite a while they really relaxed and let their hair down so to speak , Ha Ha .There was still the stares and finger pointing as only Thais can do , but we paid no attention at all. I learned a good new lesson in life , and it is a old one for the most part that YOU CAN'T JUDGE A BOOK BY IT'S COVER and the same holds true for people . Malcolm

NO PAIN NO GAIN

HOPEFULLY THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ME POOR GUY

EVERYTHING YOU COULD ASK FOR IN A GYM AND OUTDOORS IN THE FRESH AIR AND THE BEST PART IT'S FREE

IT TOOK A LOT OF WILL POWER TO GET THIS OLE BOY UP AND GOING

AND LOOK AT THE SMILE ON HIS FACE AFTER JUST A FEW DAYS

Well ,I took the Doctor's advice and got myself on a exercise program. The exercise wasn't to bad , the thing that was the hardest for me was the program. You see I'm so use to sleeping-in every day and staying up late at night and taking my famous afternoon naps in the ole hammock , that I just could not find the time to fit this thing called a program into my busy relaxed ,no stress ,do what I want or don't want to do ,day.Any of you out there have the same sort of problem? Now come on and be honest.Well,Ciejay had a long talk with me and ,I had a really long, hard talk with myself , and decided that I could do this thing . That was a month ago and I am happy to report that last week at my monthly doctors check-up I had lost two kilo, I know ,it was hard for me to believe too, and I even lost a inch in my waist line, It want be to long till they can't call me BIG PUNG anymore.

I took , a not to stressful approach, I start in the morning at 7:am with a brisk medium paced walk of about 2 kilo,come home and do 25 sit ups and 10 push-ups and 5 minutes of jumping jacks, and then jog about 1/2 kilo to the city exercise equipment and ride a few of the machines for 30 minutes and then walk home and take a shower and start my busy day, all that takes about 1 1/2 hours .After the first couple of days I felt like a new man (still look the same) and started to feel good about this thing called exercise and maybe it's a good thing , especially for us older folks.

Ciejay is real proud of me and the Doctor congratulated me for finally taking his advise serious.Even my neighbors are all waving at me as I pass by their homes and the lady at the market said to me yesterday YOU HANDSOME MAN.-----!!!!WOW. Think I'll keep it up for a few more weeks and, just maybe it will start to be part of my program. Malcolm