His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great was born on December 5, 1927 to Prince Mahidol of Songkhla and Mom Sangwan. His Majesty is the ninth King of the Chakri Dynasty and the longest-reigning monarch in the history of Thailand.

His Majesty the King is well recognised as the heart and soul of the Thai nation. He is held in the high esteem not only by his own subjects, but His Majesty also commands enormous respect from people in all parts of the world.

Everywhere he goes, people turn up to greet him in hundreds of thousands. The manner in which His Majesty conducts himself, giving his whole heart and attention to the people, immediately linked the living symbol of the nation to the people in a bond of matual understanding and personal affection.

The main concern of His Majesty is for the uplifting of the general well-being of the people. Evidence of this can be drawn from His Majesty the King’s ceaseless efforts to visit his subjects in the rural areas. The aim of his Majesty’s visits is to learn at first hand about the needs of his subjects. (although in recent years deterioration in health has prevent HM from traveling as he used to)

To obtain such information, His Majesty has to travel many thousands of kilometers throughout the kingdom and, whenever possible, suggests ways to overcome the difficulties. These visits have led to the establishment of over 1,000 Royal and Royally-initiated projects. They are implemented by the relevant agencies of the government after having been given advice and assistance by His Majesty.

His Majesty is the first member of the Royal Family to be granted a patent for an invention. The registered patent is for one of His Majesty’s “Chai Pattana Machines” – the Chai Pattana Aerator Model RX 2. The patent rights call it an “apparatus for water treatment”, which is used for agricultural and industrial purposes and can be seen operating in many polluted waterways.

Buddhism is the national religion of Thailand and His Majesty can stantly shows himself to be a convinced and dedicated disciple of the Lord Buddha. To follow the tradition of young Buddhist men to go into the monastery for a period of time, His Majesty entered the Buddhist monkhood at Wat Bovornnives on 22 October 1956. The Constitution of Thailand, however, does not prescribe the King to be only the Defender of the Buddhist Faith, but also to be the upholder of all Religions. He gives equal attention to the protection of all forms of worship and also to the problems of other religious communities inThailand.

His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great came to the throne on June 9, 1946. The meaning of his name is “Strength of the Land, incomparable Power”. Since that date he has reigned over the Kingdom of Thailand as a constitutional monarch. At the Coronation Ceremony on May 5, 1950, His Majesty the King pronounced the traditional Oath of Accession which stated: “We will reign with righteousness for the benefit and happiness of the Siamese people”. His Majesty’s actions since then has thoroughly reflected those words and have always been directed towards increasing the welfare and prosperity of the Thai nation.

On his birthday, which is observed as a National Holiday, all his subjects rejoice in demonstrating once more their affection and loyalty to him. Religious rites are held, houses and buildings are decorated with flags, lights and his portraits. The whole nation prays to the Holy Triple Gem and all the sacred things in the universe to bless His Majesty with good health and happiness and the strength to carry on his onerous task.

This story comes from “Essays on Thailand” by Thanapol Chadchaidee. It is used here with his permission. The book contains 60 essays about Thailand written in Thai and English.
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Video courtesy of the Tourism Authority of Thailand – www.loikrathong.net

As you can see from the video above it really can be quite beautiful.  But, as we made our way through the massive crowds of people this year to get a few pictures of the local festivities (this was our first Loy Krathong here in Bangkok), the darkness began to creep into the cheerful scene.

Yes, the lanterns and floating krathongs are quite beautiful, but the people releasing them believe that in doing so also goes their bad luck and misfortune.  The people floating their krathongs are also doing so to ask for forgiveness from Phra Mae Khongkha (the goddess of water) for using and dirtying the water and to wash away their sins.

I’m frustrated with how complacent we have become sometimes.  Language learning is important.  Partnering with the local church is important.  But how in a year and a half have I come to the point that people believing that floating a banana leaf raft down the river will wash away their sins doesn’t just break my heart?

So much of Thailand and the Thai people is so beautiful.  The rich culture, festivals dating back 1,000+ years, etc.  But this culture and these Buddhist/Animist festivals go to further show just how far removed the Truth of Jesus Christ is from this place.  We’re excited to be a part of God’s work here in SE Asia, but sometimes I wonder how on earth the job will get done…

I guess we’ll just hang on for the ride and keep stepping out in faith…

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But, it doesn’t take an expert to soon see upon arrival in Thailand that Thai Buddhism isn’t clear-cut Buddhism by the books.  While the original teachings of Buddha don’t speak at all to the spirit realm, Thailand is engrossed in fear of and want to appease the spirits that surround them.

OMF recently published a short video showcasing how Folk Buddhism has taken over in Thailand and what that means for its people.  I’ll show the video below, but do be warned that it contains some graphic material…

The People’s Buddhism from OMF Media on Vimeo.

Please Pray…

Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara was born in 1932. Her parents were Mom Chao Nakkhatra Mangkala Kitiyakara and Mom Luang Bua Sanitvongse. Sirikit’s father was in the Diplomatic Corps and served in the Siam Royal Embassy in Washington DC, in London as Ambassador at the Court of St. James and in Paris as Ambassador to France. It was in Paris that Mom Rajawongse Sirikit was to first meet with the new King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej and their engagement was announced in 1949 on July 19th. Their wedding took place on April 28th 1950.

The Coronation of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej took place on May 5th 1950 and on that day, Mom Rajawongse Sirikit was honoured with the title Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand. H.M. Queen Sirikit has won a place in the hearts of all the Thai people because of her tireless work on many projects to improve the lives of the Thai people and is especially concerned about conservation issues and traditional Thai handicrafts.

But this day isn’t just limited to honoring HM the Queen.  It’s also used by the Thai people to honor their mothers, wives and grandmothers, thanking them for their unconditional love.  The day usually starts by giving alms to the monks.  Then, the children (no matter what age) will kneel before their mother to show their love and gratitude.  They present her with white jasmine flowers or garlands, in return, mothers shower their blessings on their kids. On this day, white jasmine flowers are a common sight in Thailand as they are the symbol of maternal love. The white color of the flower symbolizes purity of mother’s true love, which will never change.

While this holiday is similar in some ways to what we celebrate as Mother’s Day back in the U.S., it is very much different…  …And also a bit sad to think back to the families that we have left behind as we see our new neighbors gathering together as a family to spend the day together.

Ah, but such is life as new missionaries in Thailand…

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(Large portions of the historical side of Thai Mother’s Day was taken from here.)

Less than a split second later my wife, being as omnipotent as any human I have ever met, said, “That’s a dude.”

What!?

A dude!?

In my periphery she had a bust that said anything but “dude” and longer legs and a shorter skirt than I had ever witnessed…

…then I saw the Adam’s apple.  There’s not much you can do to hide that bad boy.  It just sticks out there and screams “I’m a dude!”

Sara didn’t have to do anything to make me regret my double take.  Indeed, it was a dude who turned into a dude-ette.

I’ve never felt so small.  So violated.  So hurt…

…than when my wife caught me double-taking on a transvestite…

The more we are in Thailand the better I get at deciphering the dude-turned-dude-ettes from the girls.  Sara has taught me well.  And women just seem to know the difference.  Adam’s Apple.  Shoulder structure.  Tone of voice.  All of these are a dead giveaway for any woman.  It’s the instinct they have. “One of these is not like the other.”  Women are probably better at “Where’s Waldo” than men also…  …it’s instinct.

Anyways, these are some random personal stories from our past in Thailand.  And, yes.  Those images above… …all dudes turned dude-ettes in the world renowned Miss Tiffany Universe pageant held in Pattaya, Thailand every year.  This year’s pageant just ended and Thailand prides themselves in being open to all sexual preferences, changes, and backgrounds…

Pray for Thailand and it’s mixed up views on sexuality and pride.  Pray for us as we minister in this context.

Your Thoughts?

(RSS readers click through to the website to watch the video)

I’ve seen videos of the possession that can come from these tattoos, the chants the Buddhist monks give during the process and the willing people lined up to receive these tattoos.

Thailand can be such a dark place.  Please pray!

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11 of the craziest Thai TV commercials this decade

Read more: 11 of the craziest Thai TV commercials this decade | CNNGo.com

Although most Thai TV commercials are only 30 seconds long, the talented, creative and, yes, sometimes mildly disturbed writers manage to come up with some very original stuff.

We’ve scoured Youtube.com looking for 10 of the best from the past decade but we’ve ended up with 11, as we couldn’t bear to leave any of these out. The range of emotions they cover is stunning, from goofy and tragic, to sexist and downright gross. These are the ones that made us laugh, spam our friends with them on Facebook and shake our heads with bemusement. Enjoy!

1. Politically incorrect toothpaste

Thailand generally lacks the fine lines that Western countries use to define political correctness, as this ad by brand Twin Lotus Herbal shows. It’s a noble message — appearances can be deceiving — but it would have made more sense had Terry Gilliam directed it.

2. High quality ceiling tiles

The ubiquitous gecko takes center stage as a lizard romance that is tragically interrupted by cheap ceiling tiles. The men at the end take their anger out on their friend as they choke him. “Why are you so cheap!?”

3. Sylvania lights

Thais are famously afraid of ghosts and can recognize several hundred different types of them to prove it. This brilliant ad for Sylvania lights shows that nothing’s really scary. As long as the lights are on.

4. Diet tuna

An oft-forwarded classic that plays with the legendary beauty of Thai females and, again, how appearances can be deceiving.

5. Thailand: Land of (painful) smiles

This ad takes aim at the famous Thai smile and how it brings in tourist dollars. But in order to offset how much oil Thailand burns, those smiles would need to get a whole lot bigger. A sweet ad with a macabre edge.

6. Staying healthy for the lads

Another example of Thailand’s refreshing lack of political correctness shows Thailand’s male/female demographics with a bit of visual flair. Too bad the ad is for fish strips, which smell bad enough to keep the boys away no matter what you look like.

7. Cheers Beer

Cheers Beer came out with a series of ads that showed how the little things in life can be cause for celebration. Not sure what that has to do with beer, but it’s well done.

8. Pay your bills!

A straightforward story with a slight Tarantino-esque edge, this is a good example of Thailand’s love affair with goofy visual humor.

9. My car! Eh, nevermind

A hotel valet gets a bit too excited behind the wheel of a nice car with disastrous results. Not to worry though, the car’s owner has some pretty good insurance.

10. Smartpurse Debit Card

A reliance on physical money can often be a liability, as this very funny but slightly distasteful ad shows.

11. Bad Eyesight

Possibly the most tasteless and/or funniest Thai commercial in history (depending on where you draw the line). A clearer example of the need for proper eyewear simply cannot be made. Best part – the look of ‘oh my God, they wouldn’t…’ on the guards’ faces at the 0:37 mark.

So, which one was your favorite/least favorite?

A young boy practices his Takraw footwork

Takraw is a sport native to Southeast Asia.  Earliest historical evidence dates the sport as early as the 15 Century and murals depicted in Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok (built in 1785) shows the Hindu god Hanuman playing takraw with a group of monkeys!

Takraw is a what I would consider to be a mixture of Hacky Sack, volleyball, badminton and some martial arts kicks thrown in as flavor.  Usually, a team consists of three players who attempt to score points by causing a woven ball to touch the opponents court in-bounds.  (Think volleyball).  The catch is that you can only use your feet, legs, head, chest… well, anything except your hands and arms. (Think Hacky Sack).  It’s played on a small court with a net.  (Think badminton).  And, since you can’t use your hands, you’ll have to spike the ball down with your feet…  which usually consists of aerobatic flips and kicks and a sure fire way for me to find myself in a hospital if tried…

In the evenings here in Thailand you’ll find your average Thai boy kicking around a soccer ball or a takraw ball.  Quite often you’ll see nets and makeshift courts set up in neighborhoods or across little back alleys where boyhood dreams of being a high-flying kick-spiker develop.

I’m sure the idea is confusing most of you, so here, watch this 1 minute video.  Some of the stuff these guys can do without breaking their faces is astounding!

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Today we are going to look at the Thai way of greeting each other called the “Wai” ( ไหว้ ).

A traditional Thai greeting

The wai is the Thai greeting and show of respect, indicated by pressing your palms together near your chest and bowing. Why wai? As a foreigner, you will show and receive respect by following this customary greeting, although many Thais will also (somewhat reluctantly) accept a handshake from you.

The wai is a unique, graceful action practiced throughout Thailand. It plays a very important part in showing respect and is central to Thai etiquette. For the most part Thais do not want to touch your sweaty, grubby little hands, so it’s a good idea to learn how to wai.  The wai can be very confusing, especially at large gatherings when you feel like you have been waiing, bowing and smiling a hundred times. However, the plus side is, when being wai-ed to by others you do start to feel quite important!

When being wai-ed to, you would be considered impolite if you didn’t return or at least acknowledge the wai – something especially difficult to do when you are carrying a lot of bags or in the middle of stuffing your face when someone sneaks up on you. At the very least, you can grunt and nod. Only monks and royalty do not need to return a wai.

As well as being a greeting, a wai is a show of respect. It can be difficult to determine when you should wai or when someone should wai you. As a foreigner, it’s just easiest to wai important people as soon as possible. If someone is going to wai you first, they probably already beat you to it.

However, if you really want to know when to wai, this depends on your relationship to the other person. The person of higher social status will be wai-ed to. You have only a few seconds to size up someone you meet and determine this, but it’s best to err on the side of waiing first if you are unsure.

Even Ronald McDonald knows how to greet politely!

One easy determination is age. If someone is older than you, then you should wai them unless they are someone whom you employ, such as a housekeeper. Additionally, you should never wai to anyone who you are paying for service, such as waiters, tailors, vendors, shopkeepers or taxi drivers. You also wouldn’t wai your peers and friends. Alternatively, when leaving a party or other such gathering, you should wai everyone, as this is the polite way to excuse yourself from the festivities.

You will also wai when receiving a gift from a superior, as a sign of thanks. Make your wai before you reach to take the object. While listening to a Buddhist sermon, it is also customary to hold a wai during the entire programme. You may even notice that as drivers of vehicles pass a sacred monument, they will wai – even taking their hands off the wheel!

If all that wasn’t confusing enough, there are different kinds of wais! The normal wai is with your hands pressed together at about chest level, presenting a slight bow with your body. The wai to a superior is with the tips of your fingers at nose level, still bowing your body. To convey the most respect and gratitude, you will wai with your fingertips at mouth level and present a deeper and longer bow.

So, what are your thoughts on the Thai way of saying “Yo, man, what’s crackin’?” with a huge chest bump?