Written by: Low Weiyan.
As soon as we pulled over at the Yourhouse hotel, we were surrounded by
the sounds of Chiang Mai; it slid in and out of our ears, tickled our curiosity, played with
our stereotypical perceptions of what we would eventually regard to as
the music of Thailand.
In the streets of Chiang Mai, walking through street markets and
bazaars, the sound of strings being plucked and goat-skin fabric
are heard from all around. Musicians, prepared with variants of
Thai traditional music, such as Wong Pi-Phat (flute band) and Wong
Mahori (a mix of string and Pi-phat instruments) take to the streets
everyday to perform as well as sell their recoded works on CD. Slow
beats of four, accompanied by bell chimes after every bar, complement the
driving harmony of the flute, whose sweet sound hung suspended in
the air, along with the twang of accompanying string instruments. Unlike the
night markets back home in Kuala Lumpur, where the streets fill with
the sound of unbearable and badly ripped techno music, the marketplaces in
Thailand warrant a more easygoing, tranquil journey for market-
Goers; the music simply speaks and takes center stage in many
instances, instead of remaining as background noise muffled by the cries and screams of heavy bargain hunters.
It isn’t surprising, however that of all the groups we heard, only a
couple consisted of some people of ages below thirty years. It seems that Thai
music is coming to the end of its cycle, considering that
the faces of percussion and flute players consist of smiling elderly ones. As people dropped
donations into their baskets, tradition seems to be
clearly in autumn. But where were the young ones? This demanded I take
my ears and research elsewhere.
Everynight, not too far from Ravjivithi Road live bands jamming to the
likes of Coldplay and Oasis can be heard, but this wasn't what I was
looking for.
A 100 Baht Tuk Tuk fee brought us to perhaps one of the most
interesting places to indulge in multiple music scenes in one place,
The Warm Up Bar. Here people walk around with either a glass or hand
in their grasp, the atmosphere gave the impression that we were
attending someone's backyard party, with a live band, swimming pool
and enough alcohol.... to fill that swimming pool. It was a delight to
listen to Thai pop rock performers, the lineup may have been a
standard four-piece, the riffs off a foreign pop record, but the
laguage changed everything. Like another layer of sound, or
instrument, the humour that the Thai language brought to our
perception of contemporary pop music a new understanding, one that
didn't require the bothersome transcription of song lyrics, but
following the accents and energy the band brought with them, sort of
like watching Cantonese comedies back home, we understood not that
language, but the stage antics.
Moving further in, passing a couple of glass doors, the sound changed,
what was initially the strumming of dueling guitars and head bobbing
replaced by hard hitting beats, synthesizers and music of a more
familiar language of, none other than, the clubbing scene!
Being a clubbing virgin, I wasn't sure what to expect. People danced, caught up in the ecstasy to the sub-standard sounds of a 15- year old boy 2 hairs short of puberty- not my cup of tea. But I came to my senses...only when the alcohol hit. It was a different world, to the extent whereby sound and
atmosphere appeared universal, rather than uniquely Thai, a place
where people simply went to party their socks off and downed a few
drinks. Few of us understood 3 words of Thai or more, but all of
us spoke drunk, some more proficient than others (Cyren). So this was where the
young people were at, some not surprisingly, coming from KL, where
traditional music is on the fritz.
As the sea of people bobbed their heads up and down like a massive
wine press, one’s eyes eventually were fixated at the stage at the end of the room: a
guitarist plugging in, a drummer tuning his hi-hat, a bassist testing
the volume and a leading man, prepared to bring the entire joint (and
its inhabitants) back to Thailand. One final bass note resonated from
the speakers and amps before, the clean cut, mundane sound of the club
transformed into a Thai rock performance. Cymbals went CRASH!
strings were at breaking point and the lead was off his rocker. Yet, we
understood, in the midst of beats and riffs, how every instrument was
in harmony with each other. To the “us”, the outsiders, we felt more invited and
welcome, rather than being excluded by the foreign language used in most conversations.
There were notable similarities and references to music from beyond the walls. Some examples were
The Killers, Japan, and Eve 6. The whole clubbing experience at Chiang Mai wasn't something I had expected: the fusion of live music and club jams.
Of course, the night yet had other sounds to arouse my curiosity. As
tuk tuks piled up outside clubs, gogo bars and other places synonymous
with Thailand's sex tourism scene, another sound was reemerging. To my
surprise, as the alcohol kicked in, the beats slowed and the
hi-hat and bass pattern seemed to open up a whole new world
of sound. The music drew me in. The beats used by traditional Thai bands uncannily reflected the
universality of music, even while being uniquely Thai.
Thai music, is not only about the stereotypical
bells and strings which made up traditional thai ensembles. By
simply being lost in translation, Thai music also becomes a familiar sound, a universal one, even while it is played within a specifically Thai context.
The music in Thailand, or Chiang Mai, has in no way been
completely displaced by a whitewash of Western scales and back beats.
Rather, it has integrated musical styles from the world over, leaving us with a craving for more, a demand to stretch the fabric that has already spanned the East and West.
Seemingly universal, but uniquely Thai. Yet we demand a sense of origin, something we claim as our own or identifying something as belonging to someone else. But we know, and it doesn't take much to see, that music is something we hit, blow, pluck and above all, feel. Nothing is ever merely sound.
Showing posts with label Day 5. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Day 5. Show all posts
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Crossing Boundaries
Written By: Nadhiya Najab and Sabrina Kamaruddin.
After a relaxing day and stressful night of World Cup Finals, we awoke to the prospect of a full day of NGO visits. First on our list that Monday morning was AIDSNet, also known as AIDS Network Development Foundation. So we headed on to our location in a lut deng and arrived fairly quickly at a two-storey bungalow facing the old city moat. There we met Lamduan Mahawan, the regional manager of AIDSNet and Koongsuk Kumona, the president of Thai Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (TNP+).
In a room filled with boxes of condoms, we were introduced to the situation of HIV/AIDS in Northern Thailand. Established in 1993 under the name of New Life Friends, it was in 1996, with over 35 groups, that the group decided to gather and reform the organization. As a result, AIDSNet, an umbrella organization striving to combat the harm of HIV, was born.
The objectives of this Foundation is to improve the quality of living of HIV victims, reduce the number of infected people, and help them integrate with society and return their lives to normalcy by removing the stigma that hovers over victims of HIV/AIDS through the Real Life Project. In addition, AIDSnet receives the support of local and international governments, Non Government Organizations (NGOs), people living with HIV/AIDS (PHA) and other community based organizations. The objectives of this Foundation is to improve the quality of living of HIV victims, reduce the number of infected people, and help them integrate with society and return their lives to normalcy by removing the stigma that hovers over victims of HIV/AIDS through the Real Life Project.
In the presentation by Ms. Mahawan we were told that their priority is the promotion of an improved health system. This is done through the organization’s close cooperation with the Health Department, providing blood tests and creating awareness among the people by educating them about contraceptives and how to live with HIV. The prevention campaigns are aimed particularly at groups considered as belonging to the high risk category- ethnic minority groups, youth, prisoners, the gays, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual community (GLBT) and men having sex with men (MSM). In order to help with their AIDS awareness campaign, AIDSNet also finds it is beneficial to them to co-operate with influential members of the community such as the monks, housewives and teachers, in order to reach a wider target audience.
During the session we were also introduced to TNP+ as they work closely with AIDSNet to promote the assimilation of victims into the wider society. Mr. Kumona spoke extensively about the organization’s structure, activities and challenges that TNP+ faces. Through his speech, we discovered that the primary targets of their work- the ethnic minorities of Northern Thailand- reflected the recurrent interest of our trip in the marginalized groups within this region of Thailand.
Unlike other Thais, these ethnic minorities have limited access to health care and education, which is a major issue in controlling the spread of HIV. The seriousness of the HIV/AIDS situation in Thailand was highlighted when the speakers informed us of the reality of the situation where at least one member of each of their families is a victim of the disease. This reality is reflected in their endeavours which consist of organizing activities that involve the family of victims, who play a major role in providing support. Families, especially the children of victims, become involved in family camps where the organization will offer information, training and counselling. In fact, although the number of children that carry HIV virus is approximately 1,300, the number of children who are indirectly, but nevertheless, seriously affected is estimated to be 7,300. Similarly, the number of adults affected through proximity to direct victims is about 3,000 more than the number of victims themselves.
However all hope is not lost. With official statistics showing that reported AIDS cases have declined by approximately 90 percent between the periods of 2003 to 2006, it goes to show that organizations like AIDSNet and TNP+ have had a positive influence through the work that they do. Nevertheless, their work is far from complete. They hope to expand their work beyond HIV/AIDS aid and awareness programmes, branching out into other issues such as human rights, child rights and economic concerns.
By the conclusion of the session, we have discovered the relationship between the issues that are of our concern throughout our trip here in Chiang Mai. According to Ms. Mahawan, Northern Thailand is known to have a relatively higher rate of HIV infection cases compared to the rest of the country and this may be attributed to the fact that Northern Thais are primarily made up of minority groups who lack access to their rights and therefore, access to basic health care and education. During discussions, when questions were raised concerning sex workers, we were reminded of the fact that rather than dealing with sex workers directly, AIDSNet’s work is directed towards organizing networks and communities.
We are looking forward to having our questions answered on Tuesday when we meet the group that advocates the rights of sex workers, Empower. The visit to AIDSNet has piqued our interest in the hope of learning more from the NGOs and groups that we plan on visiting tomorrow, true to the spirit of AIDSNet’s motto:
After a relaxing day and stressful night of World Cup Finals, we awoke to the prospect of a full day of NGO visits. First on our list that Monday morning was AIDSNet, also known as AIDS Network Development Foundation. So we headed on to our location in a lut deng and arrived fairly quickly at a two-storey bungalow facing the old city moat. There we met Lamduan Mahawan, the regional manager of AIDSNet and Koongsuk Kumona, the president of Thai Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (TNP+).
In a room filled with boxes of condoms, we were introduced to the situation of HIV/AIDS in Northern Thailand. Established in 1993 under the name of New Life Friends, it was in 1996, with over 35 groups, that the group decided to gather and reform the organization. As a result, AIDSNet, an umbrella organization striving to combat the harm of HIV, was born.
Map of HIV/AIDS groups in Northern Thailand
The objectives of this Foundation is to improve the quality of living of HIV victims, reduce the number of infected people, and help them integrate with society and return their lives to normalcy by removing the stigma that hovers over victims of HIV/AIDS through the Real Life Project. In addition, AIDSnet receives the support of local and international governments, Non Government Organizations (NGOs), people living with HIV/AIDS (PHA) and other community based organizations. The objectives of this Foundation is to improve the quality of living of HIV victims, reduce the number of infected people, and help them integrate with society and return their lives to normalcy by removing the stigma that hovers over victims of HIV/AIDS through the Real Life Project.
In the presentation by Ms. Mahawan we were told that their priority is the promotion of an improved health system. This is done through the organization’s close cooperation with the Health Department, providing blood tests and creating awareness among the people by educating them about contraceptives and how to live with HIV. The prevention campaigns are aimed particularly at groups considered as belonging to the high risk category- ethnic minority groups, youth, prisoners, the gays, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual community (GLBT) and men having sex with men (MSM). In order to help with their AIDS awareness campaign, AIDSNet also finds it is beneficial to them to co-operate with influential members of the community such as the monks, housewives and teachers, in order to reach a wider target audience.
Cyren conducting break-time refreshers
During the session we were also introduced to TNP+ as they work closely with AIDSNet to promote the assimilation of victims into the wider society. Mr. Kumona spoke extensively about the organization’s structure, activities and challenges that TNP+ faces. Through his speech, we discovered that the primary targets of their work- the ethnic minorities of Northern Thailand- reflected the recurrent interest of our trip in the marginalized groups within this region of Thailand.
Unlike other Thais, these ethnic minorities have limited access to health care and education, which is a major issue in controlling the spread of HIV. The seriousness of the HIV/AIDS situation in Thailand was highlighted when the speakers informed us of the reality of the situation where at least one member of each of their families is a victim of the disease. This reality is reflected in their endeavours which consist of organizing activities that involve the family of victims, who play a major role in providing support. Families, especially the children of victims, become involved in family camps where the organization will offer information, training and counselling. In fact, although the number of children that carry HIV virus is approximately 1,300, the number of children who are indirectly, but nevertheless, seriously affected is estimated to be 7,300. Similarly, the number of adults affected through proximity to direct victims is about 3,000 more than the number of victims themselves.
Mr. Kumona speaking, with Juta as translator
By the conclusion of the session, we have discovered the relationship between the issues that are of our concern throughout our trip here in Chiang Mai. According to Ms. Mahawan, Northern Thailand is known to have a relatively higher rate of HIV infection cases compared to the rest of the country and this may be attributed to the fact that Northern Thais are primarily made up of minority groups who lack access to their rights and therefore, access to basic health care and education. During discussions, when questions were raised concerning sex workers, we were reminded of the fact that rather than dealing with sex workers directly, AIDSNet’s work is directed towards organizing networks and communities.
Presentation of gifts from Monash and ISOCM
“No community or group can solve this alone; all must work together.”
Showing The State: Theatre for Advocacy
Written by: Cyren Wong.
When most people think about the Theatre, we often think about the glitz and glam of stage life. We think of the bright lights shining from overhead, the fancy costumes which never fail to please visually, the vibrant sounds that evoke our deepest emotions; indeed, when we think of the theatre, we think of entertainment. But of course then we would also appreciate the general theatre setting herself; a monument for the performing arts, housing within its walls a vast stage bedecked with velvety red curtains facing rows of chairs; enough to house over an audience of a thousand!
But here, in Chiang Mai, Thailand, there exists a branch of theatre that has taken on another, more humble and serious point of view- the Community Theatre. Indeed while some of the fundamental elements of theatre are retained – the use of all schools of performing arts in its presentation for example – what can be noted is that the application, and indeed the practice of this particular branch of theatre differs greatly from what is commonly understood as theatre. Firstly, unlike “regular” theatre, Community Theatre does not house its performances in concert halls or auditoriums; rather, the performers set up stages in public spaces, which vary distinctly, from temples and schools to, quite simply, along the roadside! Furthermore unlike the mainstream theatre which aims to entertain and amuse, community theatre posits an alternative motive; to open the hearts of their audience and convey certain important messages and lessons pertaining to the community’s lifestyle.
As an art form, community theatre dates back to day of strong military rule in Thailand in the form of “social theatre”. As Thailand began its transitions from authoritarianism to democracy, much of the advocacy work was spearheaded by community theatres with the intent of enlightening the Thai general public. As all forms of media were strictly controlled by the military government, the protesting students turned instead to light-hearted shows and skits which they performed for free, usually by the roadsides. Indeed at that time this was considered a smart move on behalf of the Thai advocates because, while there were laws put into place to imprison journalists, there were no such inhibitions on the street performers who could then perform the Truth for public eyes where the media could not.
Today, community theatre aims to convey public education and perform advocacy with regards to many other social issues as well. One of the forerunners, and indeed most well known, groups that perform community theatre is GABFAI. The word “GABFAI” means match in the Thai language. GABFAI targets their performances towards specific social groups, in doing so hoping to open the hearts of their audiences and implant little messages of truth with the aim of creating a better place for all people in Thailand. One of the issues that GABFAI is currently focusing its resources on is that of child abuse and child trafficking in Thailand.
According to one of the theatre group’s four main staff, Ann Sasithon Kamrit, child trafficking is a serious issue in Thailand, usually involving young girls from Northern Thailand who – after being “booked” by Bangkok men for a sum of money when they were but infants – are sold off at the age of 14 into prostitution or various other professions of the sex tourism industry.
Having been in a similar situation herself, Ann says “I once experienced when a man points at me and says I am prostitute because I am come from Northern Thai. With GABFAI, I want to perform to show that not all women is a prostitute and to be treated with respect.”
And indeed GABFAI also looks into the source of the problems. Performing in various communities where many parents, desperate for income – and upon viewing the monetary “successes” of their neighbors, whose prostituted daughters managed to make a good living for themselves – sell their daughters to various middle men from Bangkok, GABFAI teaches gender rights and the importance of education to these parents.
“We don’t go and scold the parents,” Ann attests. “WE educated them, show them through performance, what will happen to their daughters after they have been sold to Bangkok.”
However, with the emergence of the liberal media in Thailand and indeed its general atmosphere of acceptance and gender equality, one might wonder: why the use of theatre? Why not other forms of medium such as magazines or even television?
This was what GABFAI had to say: “We use the medium of theatre because it is entertaining, it helps to open the people’s hearts. We are not aggressive, because when you are aggressive, people will become defensive, they will close their hearts. But with the theatre, and with art, people’s hearts will open and they will be more willing to listen, and to accept what you have to say.”
When most people think about the Theatre, we often think about the glitz and glam of stage life. We think of the bright lights shining from overhead, the fancy costumes which never fail to please visually, the vibrant sounds that evoke our deepest emotions; indeed, when we think of the theatre, we think of entertainment. But of course then we would also appreciate the general theatre setting herself; a monument for the performing arts, housing within its walls a vast stage bedecked with velvety red curtains facing rows of chairs; enough to house over an audience of a thousand!
But here, in Chiang Mai, Thailand, there exists a branch of theatre that has taken on another, more humble and serious point of view- the Community Theatre. Indeed while some of the fundamental elements of theatre are retained – the use of all schools of performing arts in its presentation for example – what can be noted is that the application, and indeed the practice of this particular branch of theatre differs greatly from what is commonly understood as theatre. Firstly, unlike “regular” theatre, Community Theatre does not house its performances in concert halls or auditoriums; rather, the performers set up stages in public spaces, which vary distinctly, from temples and schools to, quite simply, along the roadside! Furthermore unlike the mainstream theatre which aims to entertain and amuse, community theatre posits an alternative motive; to open the hearts of their audience and convey certain important messages and lessons pertaining to the community’s lifestyle.
As an art form, community theatre dates back to day of strong military rule in Thailand in the form of “social theatre”. As Thailand began its transitions from authoritarianism to democracy, much of the advocacy work was spearheaded by community theatres with the intent of enlightening the Thai general public. As all forms of media were strictly controlled by the military government, the protesting students turned instead to light-hearted shows and skits which they performed for free, usually by the roadsides. Indeed at that time this was considered a smart move on behalf of the Thai advocates because, while there were laws put into place to imprison journalists, there were no such inhibitions on the street performers who could then perform the Truth for public eyes where the media could not.
Today, community theatre aims to convey public education and perform advocacy with regards to many other social issues as well. One of the forerunners, and indeed most well known, groups that perform community theatre is GABFAI. The word “GABFAI” means match in the Thai language. GABFAI targets their performances towards specific social groups, in doing so hoping to open the hearts of their audiences and implant little messages of truth with the aim of creating a better place for all people in Thailand. One of the issues that GABFAI is currently focusing its resources on is that of child abuse and child trafficking in Thailand.
According to one of the theatre group’s four main staff, Ann Sasithon Kamrit, child trafficking is a serious issue in Thailand, usually involving young girls from Northern Thailand who – after being “booked” by Bangkok men for a sum of money when they were but infants – are sold off at the age of 14 into prostitution or various other professions of the sex tourism industry.
Having been in a similar situation herself, Ann says “I once experienced when a man points at me and says I am prostitute because I am come from Northern Thai. With GABFAI, I want to perform to show that not all women is a prostitute and to be treated with respect.”
And indeed GABFAI also looks into the source of the problems. Performing in various communities where many parents, desperate for income – and upon viewing the monetary “successes” of their neighbors, whose prostituted daughters managed to make a good living for themselves – sell their daughters to various middle men from Bangkok, GABFAI teaches gender rights and the importance of education to these parents.
“We don’t go and scold the parents,” Ann attests. “WE educated them, show them through performance, what will happen to their daughters after they have been sold to Bangkok.”
However, with the emergence of the liberal media in Thailand and indeed its general atmosphere of acceptance and gender equality, one might wonder: why the use of theatre? Why not other forms of medium such as magazines or even television?
This was what GABFAI had to say: “We use the medium of theatre because it is entertaining, it helps to open the people’s hearts. We are not aggressive, because when you are aggressive, people will become defensive, they will close their hearts. But with the theatre, and with art, people’s hearts will open and they will be more willing to listen, and to accept what you have to say.”
A Taste To Remember
Written by: Lochna Menon aka Loe.
The strong lemon scent is the first thing that assaults the senses when the most loved of Thai soups, Tom Yam is placed on the table. There is not one person that I know of, that does not love Tom Yam or more generally, Thai cooking. Thai cuisine is known for its fragrant and spicy dishes across ages, race and borders that range from stir-fry dishes which were historically influenced by the Chinese traders and merchants, to curry, soups and dessert. Although most Southeast Asian delicacies are similar, Thai cuisine is definitely unique and distinct from others as it is healthier and uses less spice comparatively but relies more on herbs and vegetables for ingredients.
Thai cuisine greatly reflects the life of its people. Because Thailand was and is largely Buddhist, it has according to Buddhist teachings been reluctant to eat ‘strong’ meat and generally prefers to eat chicken, fish and shrimp. Thai cooking is quick and easy to cook as it uses less meat and spice, but healthier because it uses little or no oil and salt. Its clear and simple methods makes it easy to prepare and the ingredients itself are cheap, accessible and easy to grow in one’s own backyard which is a common practice among the locals.
Gayray is one of the instructors at a cooking school located along the Chiang Mai “backpacker’s alley” located near the Sompet market. She runs the business with her sister, Moon and they offer classes for half day and full day twice a day, seven days a week. The half day program is different from the whole day program in two ways – it is an hour shorter and it teaches the students to cook four dishes, as opposed to the full day program that teaches six. According to Gayray, she says that teaching cooking is more than just a business.
“It is a great place to meet people from different cultures and it makes me happy when they leave happy.”
Every morning and evening, she takes her students on a short trip to the local market that is abundant with fresh vegetables, meat and assorted rice and noodles. She explains that Thai cuisine uses two types of rice – white rice and sticky rice. The former is grown in paddy fields in the lowlands and is eaten with soup and curry whereas sticky rice, or gluttonous rice is grown on the highlands where water is scarce. Traditionally, farmers used to bring sticky rice balls with them to the paddy fields as it was cheap and filling. Today, sticky rice is used in desserts and can be eaten with mango or durian, a regional fruit. Brown rice, or unprocessed paddy rice is the most nutritious but also the most expensive of all rice. Ironically, the phrase to “eat brown rice” in Thailand is a well known adage that means to ‘be punished’ since brown rice is hard and difficult to chew.
The other staple food in Thailand, besides rice, is noodles. Like other regional cuisine, Thai food includes a variety of noodles, such as rice noodles that is similar in appearance to the Chinese “kuey teow” noodles, ‘glass’ noodles that derives its name from its transparent form, egg noodle and the like. Gayray plants most of the herbs and vegetables in her own garden, which, she admits, is more extensive than the regular ones. Galanga (Thai ginger), ginger, Thai ginseng, eggplant, tomatoes, spring onions, lemongrass, hot basil, chillies, sweet basil and lemon basil are among the many herbs that grow in her backyard. Galanga is different from the ordinary ginger because it has a more pungent aroma and it tastes sweet rather than sour.
Before she begins a class, she always makes sure to give each of her student a ‘taste’ of Thai food by serving a dish with beetle nut leaf, fried grated coconut, ginger cubes, peanuts, fresh chilies, lime cut into cubes, onions and a sweet sauce made from palm sugar, tamarind juice, salt and water. She does this because she says that this dish is traditionally used as a dish to welcome guests and also because by folding and containing all the ingredients within the beetle nut leaf and eating it, one is able to savour the different tastes – salty, spicy, sweet, sour, and bitter.
A graduate from the Chiang Mai University, Gayray previously worked as a tour guide but when she could no longer ignore her love for her Thai culture, she decided to share her passion for cooking with other people. Many have claimed that Thai cuisine actually is a variant of Chinese cuisine. Gayray explains that this is not the case.
“Thai cooking uses more coconut milk, depending on the region and uses sugar instead salt. Chinese cuisine uses a lot of oil and is cooked over a high flame,”, explains Gayray.
Gayray is something of a tourist herself and has traveled to European countries where she used to cook in exchange for lodging and spare change. She says that despite the variety in her experiences of different cuisines while traveling widely, Thai cuisine is still the best. When asked about what she thought was the best aspect of Thai cooking, she says that Thai cooking is very “emotional”.
“To cook Thai food, you must be emotional or the food will not have any taste,” says Gayray.
The strong lemon scent is the first thing that assaults the senses when the most loved of Thai soups, Tom Yam is placed on the table. There is not one person that I know of, that does not love Tom Yam or more generally, Thai cooking. Thai cuisine is known for its fragrant and spicy dishes across ages, race and borders that range from stir-fry dishes which were historically influenced by the Chinese traders and merchants, to curry, soups and dessert. Although most Southeast Asian delicacies are similar, Thai cuisine is definitely unique and distinct from others as it is healthier and uses less spice comparatively but relies more on herbs and vegetables for ingredients.
Thai cuisine greatly reflects the life of its people. Because Thailand was and is largely Buddhist, it has according to Buddhist teachings been reluctant to eat ‘strong’ meat and generally prefers to eat chicken, fish and shrimp. Thai cooking is quick and easy to cook as it uses less meat and spice, but healthier because it uses little or no oil and salt. Its clear and simple methods makes it easy to prepare and the ingredients itself are cheap, accessible and easy to grow in one’s own backyard which is a common practice among the locals.
Gayray is one of the instructors at a cooking school located along the Chiang Mai “backpacker’s alley” located near the Sompet market. She runs the business with her sister, Moon and they offer classes for half day and full day twice a day, seven days a week. The half day program is different from the whole day program in two ways – it is an hour shorter and it teaches the students to cook four dishes, as opposed to the full day program that teaches six. According to Gayray, she says that teaching cooking is more than just a business.
“It is a great place to meet people from different cultures and it makes me happy when they leave happy.”
Every morning and evening, she takes her students on a short trip to the local market that is abundant with fresh vegetables, meat and assorted rice and noodles. She explains that Thai cuisine uses two types of rice – white rice and sticky rice. The former is grown in paddy fields in the lowlands and is eaten with soup and curry whereas sticky rice, or gluttonous rice is grown on the highlands where water is scarce. Traditionally, farmers used to bring sticky rice balls with them to the paddy fields as it was cheap and filling. Today, sticky rice is used in desserts and can be eaten with mango or durian, a regional fruit. Brown rice, or unprocessed paddy rice is the most nutritious but also the most expensive of all rice. Ironically, the phrase to “eat brown rice” in Thailand is a well known adage that means to ‘be punished’ since brown rice is hard and difficult to chew.
The other staple food in Thailand, besides rice, is noodles. Like other regional cuisine, Thai food includes a variety of noodles, such as rice noodles that is similar in appearance to the Chinese “kuey teow” noodles, ‘glass’ noodles that derives its name from its transparent form, egg noodle and the like. Gayray plants most of the herbs and vegetables in her own garden, which, she admits, is more extensive than the regular ones. Galanga (Thai ginger), ginger, Thai ginseng, eggplant, tomatoes, spring onions, lemongrass, hot basil, chillies, sweet basil and lemon basil are among the many herbs that grow in her backyard. Galanga is different from the ordinary ginger because it has a more pungent aroma and it tastes sweet rather than sour.
Before she begins a class, she always makes sure to give each of her student a ‘taste’ of Thai food by serving a dish with beetle nut leaf, fried grated coconut, ginger cubes, peanuts, fresh chilies, lime cut into cubes, onions and a sweet sauce made from palm sugar, tamarind juice, salt and water. She does this because she says that this dish is traditionally used as a dish to welcome guests and also because by folding and containing all the ingredients within the beetle nut leaf and eating it, one is able to savour the different tastes – salty, spicy, sweet, sour, and bitter.
A graduate from the Chiang Mai University, Gayray previously worked as a tour guide but when she could no longer ignore her love for her Thai culture, she decided to share her passion for cooking with other people. Many have claimed that Thai cuisine actually is a variant of Chinese cuisine. Gayray explains that this is not the case.
“Thai cooking uses more coconut milk, depending on the region and uses sugar instead salt. Chinese cuisine uses a lot of oil and is cooked over a high flame,”, explains Gayray.
Gayray is something of a tourist herself and has traveled to European countries where she used to cook in exchange for lodging and spare change. She says that despite the variety in her experiences of different cuisines while traveling widely, Thai cuisine is still the best. When asked about what she thought was the best aspect of Thai cooking, she says that Thai cooking is very “emotional”.
“To cook Thai food, you must be emotional or the food will not have any taste,” says Gayray.
Diary Entry: Day 5
Written by: Bats Mohsinali
Once again we started the day half asleep and cranky. Having spent our night watching the world cup finals, we gathered together at the lobby of the guest house and piled into the two taxis waiting to take us to our first destination of the day; AIDS Network Development Foundation (AIDS Net). Phi, who is a master’s student at the University of Chiang Mai and one of our student guides, assisted us in translating the entire session. Nan, the president of the organization, shared with us that AIDSNet is essentially a network that connects all the other NGOs together, while they do their share of awareness. Hence, they leave the more detailed concerns to other more capable NGOs that target and handle those issues and concerns. Their aim is to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. The conference room that the talk was held at was filled with boxes of condoms donated by US AID, where Lamduan Mahawan the regional manager of the organization explained that a lot of help and aid comes from the United States and other countries in Europe. With regards to the hill tribes in the Northern regions of Thailand, where AIDS is growing at an alarming rate due to a lack of knowledge of the disease itself, Ms Mahawan also stressed their wish to eradicate the problem of ignorance amongst the hill tribesmen. Our talk ended with AIDS Net gifting us with two boxes of condoms and some magazines that raise the bar by spreading awareness about HIV/AIDS and practicing safe sex.
As we left the AIDS Net building, we piled back into our taxis and headed to our next destination which was situated on the outskirts of Chiang Mai. We decided to stop for lunch at an all you could eat buffet. The open space area held an array of local Thai cuisine, at a buffet rate of 49 baht per head. The place looked great and the food looked good. But sadly we were deceived. A funky yet unidentifiable smell wafted through the air as we ate, making it hard to go back for seconds and thirds that we had paid for. The drinks too were deceiving, vibrantly coloured orange and pink cordial that turned out to be strangely both sweet and sour. Most of us left the restaurant feeling unhappy and suffering from indigestion. And to make matters worse, we ended up getting lost on our way to our next destination. Thankfully we finally reached the Human Rights Education Institute of Burma (HREIB), where our host, Aung Myo Min, who is also the director of the organization, told us about the difficulties faced by the Burmese people- the reasons why they have to exile themselves from the country- and the faith of those who stay back to try and change the military regime.
We were served fruits and water while we watched a documentary about the current changes in Burma and the things that are being done to help push and implement these said changes like the human rights violations, child abuse and women abuse. These are the three main problems to be tackled by them.
Myo continued his talk, describing his own story of exile from his nation where he cannot return until peace has been restored. Otherwise, he risks going to jail and therefore, losing everything he has already fought for.
“My mother watches the news, and from there she knows that I am okay. Apart from that we do not have contact so that it is safer for them to live in Burma.” Said Myo.
Our talk later ended with a jump shot for peace outside of the HREIB house.
We had another half n hour to spare and therefore made our way to the mall nearby. This was the first air conditioned building with shops that we had visited in Chiang Mai. The outer part of the mall was decorated with the typical Thai architecture but the starbucks made it clear that it was modern. But with all the night markets, days markets and Sunday markets available, shopping in a mall didn’t seem right. After an hour of aimless roaming we went for our meeting at Gabfai.
Our final destination that took us back into the city was the NGO called Gabfai, a community theater that is also linked with HREIB. Gabfai means matchboxes in the Thai language; their motto is “a single flame can light a thousand candles.” Spreading the news is what Gabfai is about and lifting spirits when they are down. Generally, Gabfai uses the art of community theatre to tackle taboo issues that cannot be made blatant in the media and the public. Through theater many underlying problems faced by a community can be made into theater. For instance, this organization teaches the refugee women about their rights through theater.
After a routine wam up exercise that had us moving and making fools of ourselves, we sat down to learn about the past of Gabfai, and how it evolved from a mobile theater to a community of people alike.
Our visit to Gabfai marked the end of the day. We went back to the guest house where most of us dispersed to finish our stories and edit the videos.
The rest of us caught the Muay Thai (Thai kickboxing) show. Muay Thai shows a spiritual side of Thailand when the boys and girls do a dance/warm-up before each game, with the stimulating background music increasing the adrenaline, intensifying the atmosphere of the match.
This really was the icing on top of the cake. Even though it was not the real Muay Thai, and was more orchestrated for the benefit of the tourists, the fights were still intense and showcased children fighters from the age of 10. For instance we watched girls between the ages of 13 to 18 years fighting. The expressions on their faces when they were fighting were somewhat daunting. They looked as though the very life had been taken out of them. Then comic relief came in the form of four guys being blind folded, boxing each other senseless.
Once again we started the day half asleep and cranky. Having spent our night watching the world cup finals, we gathered together at the lobby of the guest house and piled into the two taxis waiting to take us to our first destination of the day; AIDS Network Development Foundation (AIDS Net). Phi, who is a master’s student at the University of Chiang Mai and one of our student guides, assisted us in translating the entire session. Nan, the president of the organization, shared with us that AIDSNet is essentially a network that connects all the other NGOs together, while they do their share of awareness. Hence, they leave the more detailed concerns to other more capable NGOs that target and handle those issues and concerns. Their aim is to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. The conference room that the talk was held at was filled with boxes of condoms donated by US AID, where Lamduan Mahawan the regional manager of the organization explained that a lot of help and aid comes from the United States and other countries in Europe. With regards to the hill tribes in the Northern regions of Thailand, where AIDS is growing at an alarming rate due to a lack of knowledge of the disease itself, Ms Mahawan also stressed their wish to eradicate the problem of ignorance amongst the hill tribesmen. Our talk ended with AIDS Net gifting us with two boxes of condoms and some magazines that raise the bar by spreading awareness about HIV/AIDS and practicing safe sex.
Outside the AIDSNet building
As we left the AIDS Net building, we piled back into our taxis and headed to our next destination which was situated on the outskirts of Chiang Mai. We decided to stop for lunch at an all you could eat buffet. The open space area held an array of local Thai cuisine, at a buffet rate of 49 baht per head. The place looked great and the food looked good. But sadly we were deceived. A funky yet unidentifiable smell wafted through the air as we ate, making it hard to go back for seconds and thirds that we had paid for. The drinks too were deceiving, vibrantly coloured orange and pink cordial that turned out to be strangely both sweet and sour. Most of us left the restaurant feeling unhappy and suffering from indigestion. And to make matters worse, we ended up getting lost on our way to our next destination. Thankfully we finally reached the Human Rights Education Institute of Burma (HREIB), where our host, Aung Myo Min, who is also the director of the organization, told us about the difficulties faced by the Burmese people- the reasons why they have to exile themselves from the country- and the faith of those who stay back to try and change the military regime.
We were served fruits and water while we watched a documentary about the current changes in Burma and the things that are being done to help push and implement these said changes like the human rights violations, child abuse and women abuse. These are the three main problems to be tackled by them.
Myo continued his talk, describing his own story of exile from his nation where he cannot return until peace has been restored. Otherwise, he risks going to jail and therefore, losing everything he has already fought for.
“My mother watches the news, and from there she knows that I am okay. Apart from that we do not have contact so that it is safer for them to live in Burma.” Said Myo.
Our talk later ended with a jump shot for peace outside of the HREIB house.
We had another half n hour to spare and therefore made our way to the mall nearby. This was the first air conditioned building with shops that we had visited in Chiang Mai. The outer part of the mall was decorated with the typical Thai architecture but the starbucks made it clear that it was modern. But with all the night markets, days markets and Sunday markets available, shopping in a mall didn’t seem right. After an hour of aimless roaming we went for our meeting at Gabfai.
Our final destination that took us back into the city was the NGO called Gabfai, a community theater that is also linked with HREIB. Gabfai means matchboxes in the Thai language; their motto is “a single flame can light a thousand candles.” Spreading the news is what Gabfai is about and lifting spirits when they are down. Generally, Gabfai uses the art of community theatre to tackle taboo issues that cannot be made blatant in the media and the public. Through theater many underlying problems faced by a community can be made into theater. For instance, this organization teaches the refugee women about their rights through theater.
Working out what community theatre means
After a routine wam up exercise that had us moving and making fools of ourselves, we sat down to learn about the past of Gabfai, and how it evolved from a mobile theater to a community of people alike.
Our visit to Gabfai marked the end of the day. We went back to the guest house where most of us dispersed to finish our stories and edit the videos.
Logo of the Thapae stadium
The rest of us caught the Muay Thai (Thai kickboxing) show. Muay Thai shows a spiritual side of Thailand when the boys and girls do a dance/warm-up before each game, with the stimulating background music increasing the adrenaline, intensifying the atmosphere of the match.
This really was the icing on top of the cake. Even though it was not the real Muay Thai, and was more orchestrated for the benefit of the tourists, the fights were still intense and showcased children fighters from the age of 10. For instance we watched girls between the ages of 13 to 18 years fighting. The expressions on their faces when they were fighting were somewhat daunting. They looked as though the very life had been taken out of them. Then comic relief came in the form of four guys being blind folded, boxing each other senseless.
Adrenaline pumping as the tension rises
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Muay Thai in Chiang Mai
It was a normal night in Chiang Mai: the wind blowing softly, the sky starless, and the occasional sound of the Tuk Tuk speeding on the street. Yet, who knew only one step could make a difference in atmosphere? One step into a place labelled ‘Thaphae’, and the difference in atmosphere was astounding. You could taste the excitement, the suspense, and the impatience exhaling from hundreds of mouths that sat around a ring. One step, the air was hot and no speeding Tuk Tuk heard. I held my breath in repressed exhilaration. The exhibition was starting soon. When the Pi Muay music started playing, I couldn’t help but smile widely. Muay Thai, it is.
Muay Thai, or Thai kickboxing, is a type of martial arts originating from Thailand. The name itself essentially means ‘the art of eight limbs’, simply called so because the sport uses not just a pair of fists and feet, but also elbows and knees. The match is uniquely accompanied with Thai music, played from Thai instruments. The music was played during the ritual of giving thanks to the old teacher and it keeps on playing throughout the matches.
A bunch of my friends and I screamed, cringed, and squealed for two hours of a seven-match exhibition. We and a horde of other tourists could not keep our eyes away from the ring. The music turned out to be a clever factor as its tempo increased when the two fighters were in a series of locks and kicks, producing with it the sense of thrill that usually is found in watching scripted plays and movies; the movements of the boxers, with the addition of genuine Thai tunes, looked more similar to a dance rather than a brutal fight.
The height of the exhibition, though, was the ‘inter fights’—or the fights between a Thai fighter and a non-Thai fighter, latter usually being European or American. These fights illustrate how globalized the martial arts has become. These foreign fighters come to Thailand for the purpose of training or fighting, which is unlike others who come to Thailand for holiday and entertainment purposes.
Chamal, a fighter from Switzerland, claimed that the fight was his fourth fight, and it was his second time visiting Chiang Mai for the purpose of fighting. Pity, though, that he experienced his first defeat to Thailand’s Baibodh Au.rombodh that night. “When you have trained for two-and-a-half years, and you love the excitement, you just have to prove your skill and not let it be wasted,” he said between the flows of blood from his nose.
On the other hand, Annoud, a Belgian fighter, has good times in store. It was his first time fighting, after only five months of training—three in which was in Australian and the other two in Thailand. He was faced with Thailand’s own Hamraj Sithprabaht, who he knocked out after three rounds.
“When I got on that stage, hearing people calling my name and screams, it gives me confidence. I did not feel anything. I feel a rush, a thrill. And the music helps me as well. It’s different, you know, when you fight with music on, rather than just a crowd cheering.” Annoud explained.
The love for Muay Thai, it seems, has really spread around the world. The basic moves are taught in many gyms; there are classes and courses in most countries. There are Muay Thai tournaments outside Thailand. These inter fights frame how local culture can be global, vastly distinct but with similar styles to other forms of martial arts at the same time.
So this begs the question, why fight in Thailand when they can do it anywhere else in the world?
“This is the source of the fight. I have gone through boxing and kickboxing when I was younger, but Muay Thai is different. And I feel like the only way to actually learn this is to come to Thailand, and see it for myself,” Chamal answered.
“Yes, I have to go back to Belgium, because I am only 20 years old and I still have to study. But I assure you, this is not the last time. I want to feel the adrenalin again.” Annoud added.
Muay Thai is not just a sport. People come to Thailand to learn to fight, and some come as curious tourists of the martial arts. The Thai might feel that the sport is a part of the lives that the ability to knee and elbow are in their veins. The foreign fighters might feel that the sport is an exotic form of martial arts. But in any way, it cannot be denied that Muay Thai is a culture as much as it is a sport.
Muay Thai, or Thai kickboxing, is a type of martial arts originating from Thailand. The name itself essentially means ‘the art of eight limbs’, simply called so because the sport uses not just a pair of fists and feet, but also elbows and knees. The match is uniquely accompanied with Thai music, played from Thai instruments. The music was played during the ritual of giving thanks to the old teacher and it keeps on playing throughout the matches.
The ritual of praying and blessing the Muay Thai ring before the match
A bunch of my friends and I screamed, cringed, and squealed for two hours of a seven-match exhibition. We and a horde of other tourists could not keep our eyes away from the ring. The music turned out to be a clever factor as its tempo increased when the two fighters were in a series of locks and kicks, producing with it the sense of thrill that usually is found in watching scripted plays and movies; the movements of the boxers, with the addition of genuine Thai tunes, looked more similar to a dance rather than a brutal fight.
The height of the exhibition, though, was the ‘inter fights’—or the fights between a Thai fighter and a non-Thai fighter, latter usually being European or American. These fights illustrate how globalized the martial arts has become. These foreign fighters come to Thailand for the purpose of training or fighting, which is unlike others who come to Thailand for holiday and entertainment purposes.
Chamal, a fighter from Switzerland, claimed that the fight was his fourth fight, and it was his second time visiting Chiang Mai for the purpose of fighting. Pity, though, that he experienced his first defeat to Thailand’s Baibodh Au.rombodh that night. “When you have trained for two-and-a-half years, and you love the excitement, you just have to prove your skill and not let it be wasted,” he said between the flows of blood from his nose.
Travellers watching in shock and awe
On the other hand, Annoud, a Belgian fighter, has good times in store. It was his first time fighting, after only five months of training—three in which was in Australian and the other two in Thailand. He was faced with Thailand’s own Hamraj Sithprabaht, who he knocked out after three rounds.
“When I got on that stage, hearing people calling my name and screams, it gives me confidence. I did not feel anything. I feel a rush, a thrill. And the music helps me as well. It’s different, you know, when you fight with music on, rather than just a crowd cheering.” Annoud explained.
The love for Muay Thai, it seems, has really spread around the world. The basic moves are taught in many gyms; there are classes and courses in most countries. There are Muay Thai tournaments outside Thailand. These inter fights frame how local culture can be global, vastly distinct but with similar styles to other forms of martial arts at the same time.
So this begs the question, why fight in Thailand when they can do it anywhere else in the world?
“This is the source of the fight. I have gone through boxing and kickboxing when I was younger, but Muay Thai is different. And I feel like the only way to actually learn this is to come to Thailand, and see it for myself,” Chamal answered.
“Yes, I have to go back to Belgium, because I am only 20 years old and I still have to study. But I assure you, this is not the last time. I want to feel the adrenalin again.” Annoud added.
Fira excitedly interviewing Annoud after his first victory
Muay Thai is not just a sport. People come to Thailand to learn to fight, and some come as curious tourists of the martial arts. The Thai might feel that the sport is a part of the lives that the ability to knee and elbow are in their veins. The foreign fighters might feel that the sport is an exotic form of martial arts. But in any way, it cannot be denied that Muay Thai is a culture as much as it is a sport.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Always On The Run
Written by: Lochna Menon.
The people of Burma has suffered from countless human rights abuses since the military regime took over the government in 1968. Inflation, forced labour, low wages, rising unemployment, violence and injustice are now a common occurence in Burma. The Burmese people have been leaving their homeland for nearly six decades now, in search of refuge in neighbouring countries like Thailand. Most of them are comprised of the indigenous people and minorities living at the border who are at a great risk of violence at the hands of the military.
As statistics stand, there are more than 3000 Burmese refugees and temporary IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) at the border between Thailand and Burma. Other asylum seekers flee towards the borders of Laos, India, China, and Cambodia. These undocumented migrants face a lot of problems and are exploited for cheap labour while constantly living in fear of deportation. Local people do not understand the reason behind why there are Burmese refugees in Thailand, and the media often depict them in a negative light; Burmese refugees and asylum seekers become scapegoats for crimes and a means for nationalist advancements in host countries.
Burma has the highest number of child soldiers. These children are kidnapped from the safety of their homes and forced into the military. As the numbers stand, there are more than 300,000 child soldiers and this number is increasing each year. It has been said that the military prefers to use children because they are “more docile and less resistant”.
Thailand has no clear long-term policy towards Burmese migrants. It changes with the change in government. He says that previous government’s policies were more tolerant than the current one that requires migrants to bring a temporary passport as proof of their nationality. Previously, the undocumented migrants were all housed at refugee camps, but recent years have seen the government allowing them to integrate within the Thai society and allowing them to work to make a proper living. The inconsistencies of policy decisions shows that Thailand is not willing to commit to helping the Burmese refugees in the long run, nor continuously help fight for their rights.
Saya Aung Myo Min is an exile from Burma, who took part in the democratic uprising in 1988, which was organised by university students and subsequently resulted in a mass crackdown and a stricter regime. Forced to leave the country, Myo Min registered with the United Nations Human Rights Commisioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which led to them granting him the status of refugee. Saya Aung Myo Min then co-founded the Human Rights Education Institute for Burmese (HREIB) in 2000, a organization that has tried and still tries to cultivate a human rights culture among the disallusioned Burmese who are exposed to numerous human rights abuse. The organization also assists Burmese migrants in Thailand.
HREIB targets the Burmese people themselves, using creative methods to change and open their minds to the concept of human rights and how to view violence as an abuse rather than just a daily phenomenon. They strive for a social transformation, to inculcate human rights awareness into every aspect of daily lives and to achieve this, they target community elders and leaders hoping to create a ripple effect. HREIB is actively pursuing three projects – women’s rights to combat domestic violence and rape, children’s rights to combat child trafficking and child soldiers of which Burma is reported to have the highest rate; and rights for the sexual minorities.
HREIB has many activists within and outside of Burma. In order to achieve a social transformation, Saya Aung Myo Min explained that coordination between the different agents was vital. Every year, HREIB has a meeting to discuss success stories, problems, to catch up with local news, and discuss government policies and upcoming threats.
HREIB faces many obstacles in their struggles; obstacles which are invisible to the UN Security Council table who remain quiet to protect their own national interests in Burma. Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), a multilateral regional institution prefers to focus on economic growth and dare not interfere with the Burmese government out of respect of its rhetoric of non-intervention. Also, some of HREIB members at the border were assassinated and the assassins could not be located. All these increase their risk and vulnerability for the Burmese people within and outside the country, but Saya Aung Myo Min is still determined to push on. He says that he wants to tell his people not to leave, but to stay and fight.
Saya Aung Myo Min sees a positive vision for the future as he feels that his efforts are slowly but surely bearing fruit. The programs organized by HREIB are slowly gaining momentum and he says that the childrens’ program is the most successful as children are more receptive whereas the women’s program is the most difficult seeing as most men do not see domestic abuse as abuse at all but rather the norm.
In Burma, on the other hand, the public is becoming more vocal about their disappointments and is showing resistance against human right abuse in Burma is on the rise. Saya Aung Myo Min feels that there is still hope for freedom for the Burmese, and that one day, he will return home.
The people of Burma has suffered from countless human rights abuses since the military regime took over the government in 1968. Inflation, forced labour, low wages, rising unemployment, violence and injustice are now a common occurence in Burma. The Burmese people have been leaving their homeland for nearly six decades now, in search of refuge in neighbouring countries like Thailand. Most of them are comprised of the indigenous people and minorities living at the border who are at a great risk of violence at the hands of the military.
HRIEB founder, Myo, symbolically has Burmese freedom on his back
As statistics stand, there are more than 3000 Burmese refugees and temporary IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) at the border between Thailand and Burma. Other asylum seekers flee towards the borders of Laos, India, China, and Cambodia. These undocumented migrants face a lot of problems and are exploited for cheap labour while constantly living in fear of deportation. Local people do not understand the reason behind why there are Burmese refugees in Thailand, and the media often depict them in a negative light; Burmese refugees and asylum seekers become scapegoats for crimes and a means for nationalist advancements in host countries.
Burma has the highest number of child soldiers. These children are kidnapped from the safety of their homes and forced into the military. As the numbers stand, there are more than 300,000 child soldiers and this number is increasing each year. It has been said that the military prefers to use children because they are “more docile and less resistant”.
Thailand has no clear long-term policy towards Burmese migrants. It changes with the change in government. He says that previous government’s policies were more tolerant than the current one that requires migrants to bring a temporary passport as proof of their nationality. Previously, the undocumented migrants were all housed at refugee camps, but recent years have seen the government allowing them to integrate within the Thai society and allowing them to work to make a proper living. The inconsistencies of policy decisions shows that Thailand is not willing to commit to helping the Burmese refugees in the long run, nor continuously help fight for their rights.
Saya Aung Myo Min is an exile from Burma, who took part in the democratic uprising in 1988, which was organised by university students and subsequently resulted in a mass crackdown and a stricter regime. Forced to leave the country, Myo Min registered with the United Nations Human Rights Commisioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which led to them granting him the status of refugee. Saya Aung Myo Min then co-founded the Human Rights Education Institute for Burmese (HREIB) in 2000, a organization that has tried and still tries to cultivate a human rights culture among the disallusioned Burmese who are exposed to numerous human rights abuse. The organization also assists Burmese migrants in Thailand.
HREIB targets the Burmese people themselves, using creative methods to change and open their minds to the concept of human rights and how to view violence as an abuse rather than just a daily phenomenon. They strive for a social transformation, to inculcate human rights awareness into every aspect of daily lives and to achieve this, they target community elders and leaders hoping to create a ripple effect. HREIB is actively pursuing three projects – women’s rights to combat domestic violence and rape, children’s rights to combat child trafficking and child soldiers of which Burma is reported to have the highest rate; and rights for the sexual minorities.
HREIB has many activists within and outside of Burma. In order to achieve a social transformation, Saya Aung Myo Min explained that coordination between the different agents was vital. Every year, HREIB has a meeting to discuss success stories, problems, to catch up with local news, and discuss government policies and upcoming threats.
HREIB faces many obstacles in their struggles; obstacles which are invisible to the UN Security Council table who remain quiet to protect their own national interests in Burma. Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), a multilateral regional institution prefers to focus on economic growth and dare not interfere with the Burmese government out of respect of its rhetoric of non-intervention. Also, some of HREIB members at the border were assassinated and the assassins could not be located. All these increase their risk and vulnerability for the Burmese people within and outside the country, but Saya Aung Myo Min is still determined to push on. He says that he wants to tell his people not to leave, but to stay and fight.
Saya Aung Myo Min sees a positive vision for the future as he feels that his efforts are slowly but surely bearing fruit. The programs organized by HREIB are slowly gaining momentum and he says that the childrens’ program is the most successful as children are more receptive whereas the women’s program is the most difficult seeing as most men do not see domestic abuse as abuse at all but rather the norm.
In Burma, on the other hand, the public is becoming more vocal about their disappointments and is showing resistance against human right abuse in Burma is on the rise. Saya Aung Myo Min feels that there is still hope for freedom for the Burmese, and that one day, he will return home.
"Never Give Up" reflects the efforts of
the organization 22 years after their earliest, most turbulent days
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