Donchum

We visited the community and school of Donchum this morning. We arrived at 8 AM in time for the morning ceremonies to nation (singing the national anthem), Buddha (opening prayers), and king (singing and playing the royal anthem). Each of us was guided through the school by one or two students. I had a first grade girl named Maneerat. She asked me to help her with her English by pointing out pictures in her book and pronouncing the word, she would then repeat it. She was quite good and one and two syllable words, but struggled with words like umbrella. English is compulsory at school, though the teachers at this small school (40-60 students) weren't very proficient. The easiest way to immigrate to Thailand is as an English teacher. Though the pay for teachers is about $250/mo. In the big cities, you can supplement your income by tutoring at $15/hr. We visited a number of the school rooms including a barbershop where the students learn how to cut hair. Our school visit ended with a concert of traditional Thai instruments and dancing.

Playing of the National Anthem

Education is compulsory from age 6-14, though it is changing now to 6-16. Public schools are free, except for books and uniforms. The system is similar to the American system. In addition to public schools, the Buddhist temples school the poor, and private schools also exist.

Many of the parents work in the larger cities, so children are raised primarily by their grandparents. At the community center, the women were making decorated incense sticks for funerals. By the way, life expectancy in Thailand is 67 for men and 71 for women.

Iron Buffalo

We walked through part of the community of 120 families. Houses are traditional Thai - living on the upper floor with a business or farm tools on the first floor. Water buffalo are being quickly replaced by the iron buffalo, a 2 wheeled vehicle which can act like a tractor, a water pump, or an electric generator.

We ate a small lunch at one of the houses, sticky rice, pork, and vegetable. Upstairs was the family area, which had the typical family photos with the photos of the king and queen.

Everyone in Thailand is entitled to free health care at the government hospitals. But they are over crowded and waiting times are long. The private hospitals here are world-famous. Doctors are in short supply (1 doctor to 4000 people) but are well trained. Many of them work at both the public and private hospitals.

In the afternoon, we visited one of the hill tribes, the Akha. There are 6 different hill tribes that reside in Thailand, including the Hmong. The Akha fear evil spirits. They don't bathe to help fight the spirits off and post their umbilical cords on the house to ward the spirits away. The are a polygamous society, where the teens are taught sexual practices and have formal deflowering ceremonies at puberty. The missionaries have been working these tribes and many have become Christian. The women seem to have all the duties: home care, children, and farming. The men have traditionally been the hunters, but now many traffic drugs. The Akha are not very entrepreneurial and tend to do what they are told. The women wear a headdress which gets fancier as they gain wisdom or experience. For example, it could contain coins from Burma, India, and Thailand as them migrate to these areas.

Akha woman (persistent at selling)

photo by Bill Eckles