CIAU Members Exposed to Traditional Thai Ways of Life during their Cultural Tour
A group of the Confucius Institute at Assumption University’s members: Chinese teachers, staff and students, led by the CIAU Chinese and Thai Directors, was on an educationally cultural tour to the Suan Sampran’s eco-cultural Patom Organic Village, Nakhon Pathom, on November 17, 2020.
Joined by Rev. Bro. Dr. Bancha Saenghiran, President-Rector Magnificus, the visiting group was treated to volumes of exciting and extraordinarily learning activities; fully exposed the traditional Thai ways of life; culturally traditional heritages and popularly known local Thai wisdoms. Such a full-day educational and eventful field trip provided the visitors with the memorable and highly impressive learning experiences.
The trip was not only pleasantly relaxing, but the involved hands-on practices of a variety of activities surely gave them the highly invaluable and treasurable lessons.
Welcoming and Orientating Session:
Upon arrival, the visiting group was given the proper orientation; being adequately briefed about the place’ backgrounds and general information; readying them for volumes of workshops & eye-opening activities in store for them.
Workshop at the Local Handicraft Center
Visiting this Cultural Handicraft Center, the Chinese members were thoroughly exposed to the detailed explanations, demonstrations of different preparation process of various Thai local items; exhibiting Thai precious local wisdoms:
Pottering and Sculpturing Process
One of the major displayed activities here involved the show of the famed Thai pottering and sculpturing steps of mud use.
The members actually learned and practiced how to shape or mould the elephant figures using mud, the very first step of making any objects; utilizing sticky mud.
Tie-Dye (Coloring & Dye Method of Traditional Thai Fabric or Textiles) Workshop
During this session, concerned officers also demonstrated the extraordinary garment tying, twisting, pleating and dyeing process making traditional or uniquely colorful local Thai fabric patterns using natural dyes.
Flower Garland Making Process
Later on, the visitors joined the workshop; with hands-on practice of making the garlands using a variety of green leaves or flowers etc., producing the beautifully made garlands normally placed on the necks of visitors as welcoming or blessing gestures
Thai Desserts Preparing Process.
Additionally, the visiting learners also joined the Thai sweet making or preparing steps; making certain Thai dessert using the bananas which was carefully guided and interestingly demonstrated by Thai dessert making expert.
Organic Herbal Workshop
Visiting the Thai Organic Herbal House, the readily-eager to learn students also grasped the skills of making the medicinally herbal rich and routinely used Thai local products with excellent healing or soothing quality remedies:
Local Medicinal Inhalers
The crafty art of making the local medicinal inhalers, popularly used by local or common Thai folks, was explained; with various herbal products & ingredients together with their health or healing medicinal properties.
Making Process of Herbal Tooth Paste
The daily product of Thai Herbal Tooth Paste was well described using the required herbal products; thus locally manufacturing the uniquely Thai healthy tooth pastes.
Visit to Traditionally Organic Agricultural Center
At the very last spot visited, visitors were exposed to the very basic rice farming and rice processing steps.
Going through the organic rice journey, the visitors practically learned the involved basic, traditional steps of rice planting and processing:
Rice Planting:
Visiting learners, then, enjoyed replanting the young rice plants (seedlings) in the wet flooded rice or paddy fields which was the very simple, basic, traditional way of planting rice in Thailand or Asia.
Rice Pounding
Going through the step of rice poundingม gridding or typical milling process, the greatly amused visitors joined hands-on process; taking turn in using the giant wooden mortar and pestle for pounding; separating the husks from the rice grains.
Winnowing Process
Joining the very typical separating process of getting rid of rice dusts or shredded rice husks from the rice grains, the members actually used the round flat winnowing baskets to fan or separate the clean white rice grains from the rice dusks or powders.
Towards the end of their fun-filled and highly educational tour, the group moved on to visit another famous river bank local market of “Don Wai” Finally, their whole day tour was indeed relaxing, memorable, exciting and very educational.
