Informal Northern Thai Group Bulletin 09 December 2018

1. LAST MEETING (440 th): Tuesday, 27 November 2018, 7:30 pm at the Alliance Française, Chiang Mai: “Re-enchantment of the Ganesha Cult: Action at a Distance through Social Media” - A talk by Arratee Ayutacorn (อารตี อยุทธคร).

2. Next MEETING (441st): Tuesday, 11 December 2018, 7:30 pm at the Alliance Française, Chiang Mai: “Rituals of allegiance, hierarchy, inclusiveness, change? The Vessantara Festival (Bun Phra Wet) in Isan and Laos” - A talk by Leedom Lefferts.

3. January 2019 Meeting (442nd): Tuesday, 29 January 2019, 7:30 pm at the Alliance Française, Chiang Mai: “Not just about money! Thai-Farang marriages and intimate relationships”. A talk by Patcharin Lapanun (พัชรินทร ์ลาภานันท์).

4. A MESSAGE from Margaret Bhadungzong. 5. FUTURE MEETINGS. 6. INTG CONTACTS: CONVENOR - SECRETARY - WEBSITE.

1. LAST MEETING (440 th) : Tuesday, 27 November 2018: “Re-enchantment of the Ganesha Cult: Action at a Distance through Social Media”

A talk by Arratee Ayutacorn (อารตี อยุทธคร)

1.1. PRESENT: Fran Baarle, Hans Bänziger, Sängdao Bänziger, Dianne Barber-Riley, Mark Barber-Riley, Stevie Burges, Amy D’Apice, Eric Eustache, Louis Gabaude, Brenda Joyce, Klemens Karlsson, Marty Knight, George McBride, Marie McBride, John Melton, Patrick Morel, Lorri Pimlott, Geoff Pimlott, DJ Robinson, Catherine Rousselle, David Shepherd, Suriya Smutkupt, Colin Stratford, Lennart Utterström, Rebecca Weldon, Annette Zaborowski. Signed: 26. 1.2. The Talk: “Re-enchantment of the Ganesha Cult: Action at a Distance through Social Media” - A talk by Arratee Ayutacorn (อารตี อยุทธคร) 1. Introduction

The diverse range of religious cults focusing on the sacred and supernatural power had been emerged in Thailand since the economic boom in 1990s. The followers believe that they would acquire a good fortune and wealth when they worship the spirit cults. These cults are called “prosperity religions” (Roberts, 1995:2) and

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become popular movements; their practices are oriented toward wealth and luck rather than salvation. Spiritual symbols and meanings have linked with wealth, and are attached to consumerism. The prosperity religions focus attention on ritual practices and incorporate some elements from other religions.

The flourishing of magical belief arises from the fact that rural people migrate to work in the city and they encounter with highly competitive life and anxiety (Jackson, 1999). Buddhism in Thailand have experienced a crisis, and could not spiritually support people. The morality and ethics of Buddhism cannot solve the problem of popular consumerism and materialism initiated by globalization. Therefore, people seek for new sacredness that would secure their lives. The spirit cults emphasizing on the sacred and supernatural power has been emerged, this form of spirit cults could response the needs of people's lives better than the old form of ritual practices in traditional Buddhism (Jackson 1989: 60-61; Pattana, 2005b: 465).

As we can see, nowadays religion is not limited only in temple sphere, but also extend to new media, market, and department store. In 1995, the expense for medium services were high as 20 billion baht per year1. Newspaper, magazine, publications, and television have distributed the stories of sacredness attached on amulet, sacred objects, magic monks, and medium. These medias motivate the attention of audiences who seek for prosperity, good fortune, good health, and happiness (Pattana, 2005b: 486). Religiosity is commercialized; its symbolic meanings are used mainly for worldly view rather than attain Dharma.

The study follows the notion of religious disenchantment postulated by Max Weber's (1958). He notes that scientific rationalism in modern era would diminish religious enchantment. However, the freedom and modern ideology create endless value-conflicts that could not be resolved through scientific rationality such as rights and law (Gane, 2002). Theravada Buddhism has been adapted to match modern western lifestyle with a democratic principle focusing on freedom of thought, spiritual values, and scientific orientation. Modern Buddhism has no space for magical power, sacredness, and deities worship (Mcmahan, 2008: 5). The rise of spirit cults that believe in sacredness reflects religion re-enchantment to respond the need of people in consumerism society. Modernity does not destroy the persistence of spirit cults but it helps in establishing and distributing a new cult through technology and new marketing.

The popularity of Ganesh cult is evident in Chiang Mai; the images of Ganesh are exhibited not only at the Hindu temple but also at Buddhism temple such as Wat Prathat Doi-suthep, Wat Chai-sriphum, Wat Nantharam (Jiwassa, 1988) and Wat Sri-suphan. There is the first Ganesh Museum of Thailand at Doi-lor district in Chiang Mai, an owner has collected various postures of Ganesh for more than 2,000 pieces. He has studied about Ganesh cult for more than 30 years. After its establishment in 2004, Ganesh museum is a learning center as well as sacred place.

During the year 2013, “Devalai house”, literally means deity house, has been opened on Suthep road. It collects handcrafts, paintings including the world's largest Ganesh sculpture made from wood. In addition, Ganesh shrine has been established in 2016 at bus station area. This place installs huge Ganesh statue as well as other Hindu gods. There are many shops around its compound selling sacred objects and sacrifices for followers. The Ganesh places in Chiang Mai are not only located in the city, but also in puri-urban area. A local handicraft shop “Tipmanee”, situated in Ban Tawai 25 km. from the city, produces variety of Ganesh statues made from resin, clay and wood. Tipmanee has been settled since 1994, later the owner started to produce Ganesh statues and realized the importance of sacralization. Then he has organized Ganesh Chaturthi since 2013.

Ganesh Museum, Devalai house, Ganesh shrine and Tipmanee host a large ceremony called “Ganesh Chaturthi”2 in August or September every year. At the event, the hosts organize dancing, musical performances

1 Matichon newspaper 23 Dec 1995 2 Ganesh Chaturthi is a ten-day festival that reveres Ganesh god starting on the fourth day and end on the 14th day of Hindu lunar-solar calendar month of Bhadrapada which typically falls in August or September. A festival celebrates the homecoming of Lord Ganesh as he leaves Mount Kailasha and enters the homes to bless people with happiness and prosperity. During the festival the colorful pandals (temporary shrines) are setup to worship Ganesh. And on the last day idols of Ganesh is immersed in a river to

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and variety of sacrifices to warship the Ganesh. The hosts also provide desert and fruits to the followers who join the rituals and they could bring dessert and fruits back home to share with family. At the end of ceremony, the followers are encouraged to buy Ganesh statues and other sacred objects that are consecrated through ritual practices.

In addition, the popularity of Ganesh cult is evidenced by the rise of particular Ganesh website3 for those who respect the Ganesh. It provides information about myths, chanting scripts, worship places of Ganesh throughout the country. This website advertises sacred objects for sale and related online business such as fortune teller services for business as well as solving lives’ problems.

Based on the research mentioned above, the study of the belief in Hindu gods including Ganesh in Thailand is un-emphasized. Therefore, this research aims to study the relationship between Ganesh cult with political, economic and cultural changes. The sacralization processes turn sacredness into a cultural commodity through symbolic practices such as ritual performances that add both economically and spiritually values to the crafts. This process is so-called symbolic economy. This research also investigates the construction of sacred discourse through various media that expand the beliefs into broader arena. This study focuses on the articulation between the cultural elements of old traditional Ganesh cult with modern society composed with technology and scientific knowledge. In addition, this study also investigates the creation of new identities of people to negotiate with power of state and globalization process. 2. The politics of syncretism of spirit cults

These new spirit cults do not conflict with Buddhism, but it incorporates through hybridization process which magic monks and mediums play crucial roles on bridging between Buddhism and spirit cults (Pattana, 2005a: 3). The ritualists have influenced on construction of beliefs as they have respectful practices in controlling their bodies and souls. Many of ritualists are mediums who could relieve people’s sufferings. The ritual practices produce a new religious feeling outside the temple space. Moreover, most ceremonies taken place in the city are beyond the control of the state and Buddhist Sangha. The emergence of spirit cult is not a failure of religion but a new symbolic meaning is constructed through the ritual practices (Pattana, 2005b: 486). These practices became the popular culture that open to the mass as they are practically simple. Everybody is free to express their own wishes with minimal restriction (Pattana, 2008: 129). The prosperity cults emerge out of fertile syncretic religious traditions, where Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism, Brahmanism, animism, supernaturalism, Chinese and Indian gods have co-existed for many hundred years. The syncretic of religious traditions have been demonstrated in Ganesh cult and its ceremony. In Ganesh museum, even though many postures of Ganesh and other Hindu god statues from many countries are shown, but venerable monk sculpture such as Loung-poh Toh, Thammathat Phikkhu are installed in its compound. Devalai house, another Ganesh place, exhibits not only the world biggest Ganesh and Kuan Yin statue, but also displays many deity paintings. Recently, the new Ganesh shrine at bus station places Ganesh, Trimurati, Brahma, Rahu, Myanmar deities and Cambodian magic teacher. This Ganesh place then could offer varieties of god’s ceremony for visitors in different occasions. For instance, sacrifice ceremony for Rahu is organized for followers who ask for lucky number every Wednesday, while the ritual for Trimurati, god of love, is performed on every Thursday. The prosperity cults emerge out of fertile syncretic religious traditions, where Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism, Brahmanism, animism, supernaturalism, Chinese and Indian gods have co-existed for many hundred years. The syncretic of religious traditions have been demonstrated in Ganesh cult and its ceremony. In Ganesh museum, even though many postures of Ganesh and other Hindu god statues from many countries are shown, but venerable monk sculpture such as Loung-poh Toh, Thammathat Phikkhu are installed in its compound. Devalai house, another Ganesh place, exhibits not only the world biggest Ganesh and Kuan Yin statue, but also signify his return to Mount Kailasha. (From https://www.ndtv.com/food/ganesha-chaturthi-2017-mahurat-prasad-pooja-rituals-of-ganeshas-isthapna-visarjan-1738230, accessed on 24 December 2017) 3 http://www.siamganesh.com/

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displays many deity paintings. Recently, the new Ganesh shrine at bus station places Ganesh, Trimurati, Brahma, Rahu, Myanmar deities and Cambodian magic teacher. This Ganesh place then could offer varieties of god’s ceremony for visitors in different occasions. For instance, sacrifice ceremony for Rahu is organized for followers who ask for lucky number every Wednesday, while the ritual for Trimurati, god of love, is performed on every Thursday. Ritual ceremonies in Ganesh cult reveal hybridity of religion cults. In Ganesh shrine anniversary ceremony, Brahmin officiates the ritual practices, and chants in Hindu traditions. However, Buddhist monks are invited to take part of ceremony, they pray in traditional Buddhism way after Brahmin finished the ritual process. The host makes merit by presenting donations to the monks. The traditional Thai band and Thai style dancing are performed in ritual performance. The sacred objects related to Ganesh and Hindu gods are consecrated through Hindu and Buddhism ritual practices. The Ganesh ceremony organized by Thipmanee handicraft shop integrates Hindu and Buddhist practices. The host invites five magic monks in the first day of Ganesh Chaturthi. These monks consecrate the hand crafts in the shop through Chai-ya-mongkol chanting, while Ganesh sculpture is sacralized through purification process performed by Hindu priest. Northern Thai band (Sa-lor-saw-sueng), lanna dance and Indian band are performed in the first night. The shop owner mentions that northern Thai band and dancers who work with Dara-dhevee hotel voluntary participate the ceremony every year because they are successful in their job and want to show their respect to Ganesh deity. In second day, Northern Thai Brahmin prays in northern style and he also gives the wrist tying for followers. The local craftsmen participate this activity as they believe that Ganesh would help them for creative great design and they could make beautiful, and perfect handcraft. Thipmanee combines Buddhism, Hindu and Brahms practices with Ganesh ritual. 3. Commoditization of sacredness

The commodification of sacredness, in this study, will be analyzed through ritual practices. The rituals have created the symbolical changes by singularized the object into the sacred sphere. Following Kopytoff (1986) "Cultural Biography of Things", singularization is the process which commodity is de-commoditized through ritual practices. The sacred objects acquire the power by cultural integration. This is a subtly marketing strategy that makes consumers to believe that it is not a general commodity, but it is sacred objects. This commodification process is tactfully hidden. However, singularity does not guarantee the sacredness of things, but consumers give meaning and make things sacred.

In Ganesh purification process, the Ganesh statue is washed by Pancha-amrit (a fluid of five things), which are milk, curd, honey, rose water, and sugar. Then, Hindu priest offers five different type of fruits, sweets, cloths, betel nut and leaf, and flowers to the Ganesh statue. Since many objects should be offered, along with Hindu chanting, ringing the bell, blowing the shell as a horn, this complicate ritual practices have singularized the Ganesh statue, at the same time, it strengthens the spiritual power of followers who join this ceremony. At the end of ceremony, the Ganesh sculpture and other sacred objects in the shop will be sold to the followers. Many followers reserve or buy Ganesh statue before ritual practices begin, and they are witness in the event and make sure that the statues are consecrated. The owner of Thipmanee notices that the followers buy handicrafts in a day of ceremony. They already bought first Ganesh statue and want to buy more statues. They would invite friends or relatives who are interested in the Ganesh to participate in ritual ceremony. They believe that the real Ganesh statue should be consecrated, and ritual is performed in Buddhist, Brahms, and Hindu traditions. When they bought first Ganesh and see it is good for their business, the story will be distributed among their friends and relatives. They would come back and buy more Ganesh statues and they also form a new network. They are real estate agent, car finance, and car dealers, if they could increase the sales, they will spread the Ganesh stories. An owner organizes the ceremony every year to accumulate the sacredness of Ganesh, even though he could not make good profit this year. He mentions that he does not only organize ritual for business, but also want to make merit. He distributes cloth with sacred pattern or “Yan” and small Ganesh statue in the day of ceremony, whenever people worship to the Ganesh and ask for help, and it is good for them. Later they would come back, and will buy the real Ganesh statue. He treats customers as friends, some customers reserve Ganesh statue for 2

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years and he must wait until they have enough money to buy. He also educates people about Ganesh poses which are different and suitable for specific person depending on their birthday. People come visit Tipmanee with different problems, but the economic issues are majority. An owner gave “Yan” to one businessman who works with logging company in Laos and got huge debt, and then he starts worshipping to the Ganesh and he could return the debt within 2 months. Many people ask for lucky number, baby, jobs, whenever their wishes are fulfilled, they would come back to buy the Ganesh statue. 4. Ganesh and Social Media The most effective channel for Ganesh cult advertisement is social network such as Facebook and Line. Ganesh shrine has very active Facebook. It keeps updating the event every day. For huge event, they post the story about the event almost every hour in that day. The video taken on ritual practices will be posted right after ritual ceremony has finished. Then the followers could update the schedule of event and participate the ceremony online. Ganesh shine advertises various kind of Ganesh statues, Hindu god statue and related goods and business on Facebook and Line; it has a detail about stories, prowess, material, size, and price. Other Ganesh places, Tipmanee and Dhevalai house use Facebook and Line as medium to connect with followers. However, Facebook is more effective than Line, the followers who work in the same line could have interaction and form a group to meet each at the Ganesh places.

The followers study about Ganesh story from the website before buying Ganesh statue. My respondent explores the story from Pantip, researches from the reviews or comments. The active website becomes reliable source for her since it provides new information as well as the price of Ganesh statue. After gathering enough information, she would travel to that place and buy the genuine Ganesh statue that is already consecrated through ritual ceremony.

Another respondent knows Ganesh museum from website and saw Dhevalai house from big poster near her office. She persuaded friends who believe in the Ganesh to visit Dhevalai house. She got strange feeling but were happy when worship Ganesh deity. She also notes that she would buy Ganesh statue from Ganesh museum because it is consecrated. In addition, it is convenient for her to download Ganesh chanting text from website.

Social media is very important in spreading the belief of spirit cults. Communication technology especially the website is not only a publishing tool but It is also a medium that people can interact freely without limitation. Spirit cults and religion use new media to strengthen faithfulness because members could communicate easily, they create identity and solidarity among members. In addition, the new media also serves to create an important agenda for the community, and to distribute the belief to the members. It is demonstrated that religion and ritual practices cannot be separated from everyday life. Religion has been more secularized than ever before; religious life has now entered private life (Han, 2014: 374-377). 5. Conclusion Ganesh cult and its ritual ceremony has demonstrated the syncretic of religious traditions. It combines Buddhism, Hindu and Brahms practices, Thai and Lanna traditions. Ganesh cult incorporates with other religion practices and it becomes politically simple for all people to minimize their cultural difference. Ganesh practice is redefined as a ritual for the mass, no particular religious significance, thus opening way for followers to adopt the Ganesh cult. However, it does not mean that the process of religious synthesis erases the authenticity originality of Ganesh cult. The syncretic traditions can be authentic if people claim that these traditions and their historical possession are unique; syncretic blends are more unique because historically unrepeatable (Shaw and Stewart, 2005:6). The Ganesh cult has constructed authentic identities and blurred the signs of such identities, thus it could include followers from different culture, and create a new form of identity.

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The commoditization of sacredness of spirit cult involves with discourse practices. The most effective channel for Ganesh cult advertisement is social network such as Facebook and Line. Spirit cults and religion use new media to strengthen faithfulness because members could communicate easily, they create identity and solidarity among members. Religion life has now entered private life; it has been more secularized than ever before. References Agarwal, Ruchi; Jones, William J. "Ganesa and His Cult in Contemporary Thailand". International Journal of

Asia-Pacific Studies, 14(2), July 2018, pp. 121-142. > https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326409636_Ganesa_and_His_Cult_in_Contemporary_Thailand

Arratee Ayuttacorn; Ferguson, Jane. "The sacred elephant in the room: Ganesha cults in Chiang Mai,

Thailand". Anthropology today, 34/5. > https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328008240_The_sacred_elephant_in_the_room_Ganesha_cults_in_Chiang_Mai_Thailand

Gane, Nicholas. Max Weber and postmodern theory: Rationalization versus re-enchantment. Springer, 2002. Jackson, Peter A. (1989). Buddhism, Legitimation, and Conflict: The Political Functions of Urban Thai

Buddhism, Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. Jackson, Peter A. (1999). ‘Royal Spirits, Chinese Gods, and Magic Monks: Thailand’s Boom-time Religions of

Prosperity’, South East Asia Research 7(3), pp. 245-320. Jiwassa Khachachewa (1988) The Ganesh, myth and form of Ganesh in Thailand [Thai version], Bangkok:

Secretary office, Fine Arts Department. Kopytoff, I. (1986). The Cultural Biography of Things: Commoditization as Process. In A. Appadurai (ed.) The

Social Life of Things: Commodities in Cultural Perspective, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. McMahan, David L. (2008). The Making of Buddhist Modernism, New York: Oxford University Press. Pattana Kitiarsa. (2005a). Magic Monks and Spirit Mediums in the Politics of Thai Popular Religion, Inter-Asia

Cultural Studies, 6:2, pp. 209-226, Pattana Kitiarsa. (2005b). Beyond Syncretism: Hybridization of Popular Religion in Contemporary Thailand,

Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, 36 (3), pp. 461-487

Pattana Kitiarsa. (2008). Buddha Phanit: Thailand’s Prosperity Religion and Its Commodifying Tactics, in Pattana Kitiarsa (ed), Religious Commodifications in Asia: Marketing Gods, London and New York: Routledge.

Reynolds, Craig J. (2016). "Magic and Buddhism." In John Powers (ed.), The Buddhist World, London and New York: Routledge.

Roberts, R. H. (1995). "Introduction: religion and capitalism – a new Convergence?". In Roberts, R. H., ed. Religion and the transformations of capitalism: comparative approaches. London and New York: Routledge, pp. 1-18.

Shaw, R and Stewart C. (2005) Introduction: problematizing syncretism, in Stewart C., & Shaw, R. (Eds.). Syncretism/anti-syncretism: the politics of religious synthesis. Psychology Press.

Weber, M. (1958). The Protestant ethic and the" spirit" of capitalism. New York: Scribner’s.

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2. Next MEETING (441st) Tuesday, 11 December 2018, 7:30 pm at the Alliance Française, Chiang Mai

“Rituals of allegiance, hierarchy, inclusiveness, change? The Vessantara Festival (Bun Phra Wet) in Isan and Laos”

A talk by Leedom Lefferts

The Talk: The Bun Phra Wet (the Festival Celebrating the Merit made by Prince Vessantara, that we make today) is the product of the distinctive evolution of Theravada Buddhism in Thai-Lao and Lao culture and these people’s places in their respective colonial, subaltern, social organizations. The ceremony expounds on some of the many meanings inherent in the epic Vessantara Jataka. A congregation, usually a community’s households, organizes a Bun Phra Wet to host visitors and returnees, of whom the exiled Prince and his family are foremost. Holding the Bun requires a community’s radical reconfiguration as a mueang, fit for royalty. It also involves a joyful procession welcoming Phra Wet and his wife, Matsi, back to their kingdom. Finally, the recitation ending the Bun includes the assurance that since we are alive today as The Buddha’s associates, we were then members of the Prince’s royal city and thus are assured of rebirth in the future time of Maitreya. Where does this ritual leave the people? Is this a religious ceremony, having nothing to do with “today’s world”? Or is it a statement of the rights of community members? Or a pledge of allegiance to monarchy? Does the ritual reinforce the necessary distinction between ruler and ruled, or does it provide a mechanism for redressing inequities? This presentation will attempt to explore these complexities and provide ways for understanding the epic and some of its implications.. The Speaker: Leedom Lefferts, PhD, University of Colorado, 1974; Professor of Anthropology, Emeritus, Drew University (New Jersey, USA); currently Research Collaborator, Carolina Asia Center, The University of North Carolina (USA). Research in Isan since 1970 (BE2515), Laos and Vietnam since, 1989, Cambodia since 1992. Research topics: village cultural ecology and social organization, material culture (Tai textiles with Dr. Mattiebelle Gittinger, Mainland SEA indigenous ceramics with Ms Louise Allison Cort), Thai-Lao & Lao Theravada Buddhism and the Bun Phra Wet (with Dr. Sandra Cate).

3. January 2019 MEETING (442nd) Tuesday, 29 January 2018, 7:30 pm at the Alliance Française, Chiang Mai

“Not Just About Money: Thai-Farang Marriages and Intimate Relationships”

A talk by Patcharin Lapanun (พัชรินทร ์ลาภานันท์)

The Talk: In locations around the world, transnational marriages and intimacies become a viable option of women and men. Patcharin Lapanun explores Thai women –farang men marriages and complicates the bimodal views about materiality and intimacy within global intimacies. The sentiments and life stories of

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women and men engaging in these transnational relationships highlight the complexities of the associa- tions that are shaped and reshaped by ‘love,’ money and gender obligations on the one hand and the dynamics of socio-cultural and historical contexts on the other. Transnational marriages also challenge gender relations, perception on sexuality, marriage and family as well as the existing class division in rural Thai communities. Focusing on the ‘local end’ of transnational connections, Lapanun states that women with farang husbands have created a new ‘class’ determined by their distinctive consumption patterns and life styles. This dynamic challenges the village hierarchical structure and puts the village elites in a vulnerable position. Her in-depth examination highlights the important of women’s agency and the strength and creativity of people seeking to forge meaningful lives in the processes of social transition in the face of local and global encounters. The Speaker: Dr. Patcharin Lapanun is a lecturer in Sociology and Anthropology and chair of the MA program in Sociology, Khon Kaen University (KKU). She earned her PhD in Anthropology from Vrije University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Her research interests include gender and development, migration and ‘the left-behind’; transnational marriage and migration, global care regime and cross-border studies. Patcharin’s forthcoming book is “Love, Money and Obligations: Transnational Marriage in a Northeastern Thai Village” (NUS Press); she is also a co-author of “Cross-Cultural Marriage: Stage of Knowledge” (2007-Thai Language) and “Village-based Silk Production in Transition, Northeast Thailand” (2012 - White Lotus Press). Her recent research articles in academic journals and book chapters include “Masculinity, Marriage and Migration: Farang Migrant Men in Thailand” (2018, Asian Journal of Social Science); Masculinity, Matrilineality and Transnational Marriage (2018, Journal of Mekong Society); “Mia farang: An Emergence of a New ‘Class’ in (Rural) Thai Society” (2015, a book chapter, Culture is Power, Chiang Mai University -Thai Language); “It’s Not Just about Money: Transnational Marriage of Isan Women” (2012, Journal of Mekong Society); “Social Relations and Tensions in Transnational Marriage for Rural Women in Isan Thailand” (2012, a book chapter: The Family in Flux in Southeast Asia: Institution, Ideology, Practice, Kyoto University and Silkworm Books). Note: The drawing illustrating our poster below is taken from: S. Tsow, Thai Lite 2, Bangkok: Bangkok Book House, 2005, p. 50.

4. A message from Margaret Bhadungzong A show at the Chiang Mai Dramatic Arts College

Dec 3rd to Dec 21st 2018 - Showtimes 9. am and 1 pm - Bt 200 per person [A message from Margaret Bhadungzong]

Margaret Bhadungzong draws our attention to a show set up by the students of the Chiang Mai College of Dramatic Arts (Witthayalai Natthasin Chiang Mai, 1 Suriyawong Rd., Soi 2 Haiya, Muang District, Chiang Mai). It starts with the tragic love legend of Doi Nang Non—the Reclining Lady Mountain— in Mae Sai District of Chiang Rai Province which has become famous since last June/July saga of the 12 "Wild Boars". The title is: "Khun Nang Non Khiri chakkri awatan" or "ขุนนางนอนคีร ีจักรีอวตาร". Showtimes 9. am and 1 pm. Bt 200 per person. No shows on Saturdays, Sundays or public Holidays. Booking in advance is a must: 081 112 2868, or, 062 259 7461 or, 081 280 1099 See: http://www.hedlomnews.com/?p=32039

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5. FUTURE MEETINGS

- 11 December 2018: (441st Meeting): “Rituals of allegiance, hierarchy, inclusiveness, change? The

Vessantara Festival (Bun Phra Wet) in Isan and Laos” - A talk by Leedom Lefferts. - 29 January 2019: (442nd Meeting): “Not Just About Money: Thai-Farang Marriages and Intimate

Relationships” - A talk by Patcharin Lapanun (พัชรินทร ์ลาภานันท์). - 12 February 2019: (443rd Meeting): “Life in Sansai Mahawong: Elders Reflect on Their Lives in the

Village and Young People Consider Options for the Future” - A talk by Kay and Mike Calavan. - To be scheduled: Talks by: Paul Carter, Michel Bauwens, Francis Engelmann, Vanina Bouté.

6. INTG CONTACTS: Convenor - Secretary - Website

1) Convenor: Rebecca Weldon: e-mail: rebecca.weldon@gmail.com. Mobile: 087 193 67 67.

2) Secretary: Louis Gabaude: e-mail: gabaudel@yahoo.com. Mobile: 087 188 50 99.

3) INTG Webdoctor: Clarence Shettlesworth: e-mail: nugentsr@gmail.com. Mobile: 0610509996.

4) INTG Website: http://www.intgchiangmai.com

Informal Northern Thai Group (INTG) 1984-2018 = 34 years of Talks!

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THE

VESSANTARA FESTIVAL IN NORTHEAST THAILAND AND LAOS

A Talk by Leedom Lefferts

Tuesday, 11 December 2018, 7:30 pm At the Alliance Française - Chiang Mai

138 Charoen Prathet Road (Opposite EFEO)

Informal Northern Thai Group (INTG) 1984-2019 = 35th year of Talks!

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NOT JUST ABOUT MONEY!

THAI-FARANG

MARRIAGES AND INTIMATE

RELATIONSHIPS

A Talk by Patcharin Lapanun (พัชรินทร ์ลาภานันท์)

Tuesday, 29 January 2018, 7:30 pm At the Alliance Française - Chiang Mai

138 Charoen Prathet Road (Opposite EFEO)