|
"Happy Be Mi"
Happy New Year, I don't know why the Thais use the English word happy but that is generally what we foreigners hear.
Either that or the string of 500 exploding firecrackers let off in the car park of our apartment complex at 7am followed by yokels laughing, children screaming and dogs whimpering....
In an apartment complex that is 10 stories full of mainly night shift workers and us generally unemployed foreigners, most of whom keep late hours on the Internet (only time we get good international transfer speeds or keep working hours for the US for Internet workers). Either way at 7am nearly everyone WAS asleep.
Not to worry, just a slightly early wake up call for the gym.
Depending upon the ethnic mix in the area you live you will see different things for Chinese New Year in Thailand. In my current apartment most of hte people who live here are from the North East (Issan) region of Thailand and are therefore more likely to just have a typical country style party. Meaning newspaper spread over a large section of floor and a group of people sitting around with piles of different food dishes spread around and everyone drinking beer and Thai whisky.
Lots of laughing and talking, the Thais are a very social bunch and this would have to be their favourite form of entertainment.
The Chinese Thais celebrate differently. In my previous apartment the small soi (street) just down from where I lived was predominantly Chinese Thais. On Chinese New Year the street was blocked off for days with a huge 'display' or 'alter'. I am guessing that these are Chinese Buddhists.
This huge 'alter' had massive candles taller than me that were kept burning the whole time and food offerings were heaped high on the table, pigs heads, roast ducks and chickens, boiled eggs, sweet drinks, just about anything you can imagine. (I think these are cleared away each day to keep them fresh). And of course wads and wads of incense burning 24 hours a day.
Then on the actual Chinese New Years Night they blocked off the other end of the street with a screen going across the road and an old movie projector - street cinema!
The last time I saw street cinema was near Khao San Road back in 1998 when Khaos San Road had one2 story wooden 'hotel' with one western style sit down toilet, and all the side tracks were muddy with chickens running around... a far cry from the tourist mess that is now there.
Anyway where ever you are Happy Chinese New Year!
|
