Thailand - Songkran in Thailand, traditional Thai New Year festival

In Thailand, Songkran refers to the sun’s annual passing into the Aries constellation, the first sign of the Zodiac, which marks the traditional start of the new year. Occurring in mid-April after the rice harvest, it is a time when people reunite with their families and pay their respects to older adults, ancestors and sacred Buddha images. Pouring water is a significant act during Songkran, symbolizing cleansing, reverence and good fortune. Other activities include bathing important Buddha images, splashing water on family and friends, folk plays, games, music and feasting. The tradition is passed on through participation in the festivities. Parents transmit the tradition to their children orally through regular social and family interactions. Educational institutes, government agencies, the media and Thai astrologers also play an important role in preserving, promoting and transmitting the astrological knowledge and wisdom related to Songkran. Songkran promotes community cooperation, unity and forgiveness. It is viewed as a time to symbolically wash away misfortunes, pray for prosperity for the coming year, reunite with family members, and honour ancestors and older adults. Furthermore, by emphasizing the importance of older adults and of family, Songkran helps to combat loneliness and social isolation.

Source: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage

Thailand - Tomyum Kung

"Tomyum Kung is a traditional prawn soup from Thailand. The prawns are boiled with herbs, including lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal root and shallots, then seasoned with local condiments. It has a recognizable aroma and vibrant colours, and combines many tastes, including sweet, sour, savoury, spicy, creamy and slightly bitter. The dish originated among the Buddhist riverside communities in the Central Plains of Thailand, a plentiful region that for centuries has been the main production area of the nation’s food. These communities traditionally avoided killing large animals, preferring to eat the naturally abundant freshwater prawns. This preference, combined with their local knowledge about medicinal herbs, led to the development of the dish, which is believed to promote energy and wellness, particularly during the monsoon season. The related knowledge and skills – including the cooking, the selection of herbs and other ingredients, and the conservation of the environment – are transmitted orally, within families and at social and cultural gatherings. As the dish’s popularity has grown nationally and internationally, it is now also transmitted through restaurants, organizations, schools and universities. Tomyum Kung is a reflection of Thai Buddhist values and the embodiment of traditional knowledge of the local environment and resources."

Source: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage

Thailand - Nora - dance drama in southern Thailand

"Nora is a lively and acrobatic form of dance theatre and improvisational singing from southern Thailand. Performances normally include a long oral invocation, followed by a presentation by a lead character who dances with vigorous and elaborate movements of the legs, arms and fingers. The performances are usually based on stories about the former lives of Buddha or about legendary heroes. An ensemble plays highly rhythmic and fast-paced music, with a traditional southern oboe providing the melody and strong rhythms produced by drums, gongs, cymbals and wooden clappers. The main Nora performers – whether male or female – wear colourful costumes with crowns or headdresses, beads, bird-like wings tied around the waist, ornate scarves, and swan tails that give them a bird-like appearance. Performers also wear long, metallic fingernails that curl out from the fingertips. Nora is a community-based practice with deep cultural and social significance for the people of southern Thailand. Performances use regional dialects, music and literature to reinforce cultural life and social bonds among local people. Over five hundred years old, Nora is performed in local community centres and at temple fairs and cultural events, and is passed on through training by masters in homes, community organizations and educational institutions."

Source: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage

Two Menorah (Nora) dancers in Nakhon Si Thammarat, southern Thailand. I bought this postcard during my first visit to Nakhon Si Thammrarat to buy postcards of its famouse Buddhist temple - not knowing that it will be a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage one day. I cancelled the Thai Asean cultural stamps at Sam Senai Philatelic Museum and Bangkok.

Thailand - Khon, masked dance drama in Thailand

"Khon, the Khon Masked Dance Drama in Thailand, is a performing art that combines musical, vocal, literary, dance, ritual and handicraft elements. Khon performances – which involve graceful dance movements, instrumental and vocal renditions and glittering costumes – depict the glory of Rama, the hero and incarnation of the god Vishnu, who brings order and justice to the world. The many episodes depict Rama’s life, including his journey in the forest, his army of monkeys, and his fights with the army of Thosakan, king of the giants. On one level, Khon represents high art cultivated by the Siamese/Thai courts over centuries, while at another level, as a dramatic performance, it can be interpreted and enjoyed by spectators from different social backgrounds. Khon has a strong didactic function, reinforcing respect for those of a higher age and status, mutual dependence between leaders and followers, the honour of rulers and the triumph of good over evil. Traditionally, Khon was transmitted in the royal or princely courts, and in dance masters’ households. Today, however, transmission occurs mostly in educational institutions, while still adhering largely to traditional methods. Concerted efforts are made to ensure the continuity of the practice, including through the establishment of training and performance clubs that help reach out to young people."

Source: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage



I bought this Khon dance prepaid postcard with a matching printed stamp at Bangkok General Post Office in October 2018.