1. Thai. Old porcelain from China with a blue pattern. Chinaware. Also china.
2. Thai. General term for antique. Thai. 'Design washed with water'. Term used for gilded lacquer. A resinous substance from the melanorrhea usitata, a tree that grows wild in the drier forests of northern Thailand and is similar to the sumac tree of Japan and China. Lacquer is a very durable, waterproof substance and highly functional. It is light, hard and flexible at the same time, and protects against mildew and insects. It is used mainly as a paint and varnish, as well as a primer for inlay, incision or carving of motifs, and as a background for decorative patterns applied in gold leaf, known as gilded lacquer. Products coated with lacquer are known as lacquerware, in Thai called kreuang kheun.
Products coated with a substance commonly known as lacquer. Popular in ancient days were the lacquerware food containers used for offering food to monks. These were often fashioned into a lotus shape and used as a double food container with compartments seperated by a tray. Food would be placed inside to offer to Buddhist monks. In Thai kreuang kheun. Thai. An episode in the story of the last great incarnation of the Buddha called Mahachaat. Laem Phrommathep (แหลมพรหมเทพ) Thai. 'Peninsula of the god Brahma'. Name of a spit of land near the southern cape of Phuket island (fig.) known as a panoramic spot, popular for its sunset. Also Phrommathep and Laem Phromthep. Another name for nai. Thai. Name of a spicy dish of minced underdone (rare) meat or fish, mixed with onions, vegetables, kreuang prung such as chili pepper and preserved fish sauce. It is eaten with rice and some green vegetables.
See Lan Na. See Lahu. Lahu (ลาฮู) The Lahu are a hill tribe of whom the majority live in the northern provinces Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. They are divided into subgroups named after the main colour of their clothes. Their pile dwellings are usually high in the mountains (fig.) were they settled at the end of the 19th century coming from Burma. Their dialect belongs to the Lolo branch of the Tibeto-Birman language group, of which the standard language is Lahu Na, a language also spoken by most other Lahu people outside Thailand (in Burma, Laos, Vietnam and China). The Thai name for these people is Mussur, a word derived from Burmese meaning 'hunter'. Sometimes called Laho. MORE ON THIS.
Lahu. 'White Lahu'. A subgroup of the Lahu. MORE ON THIS. 1. Lahu. 'Black Lahu'. A subgroup of the Lahu. In Thai Mussur Dam. 2. Lahu. Standard Lahu language, belonging to the Lolo branch of the Tibeto-Burman language group and used by all Lahu subgroups and even by some other hill tribe peoples. The language is related to that of the Lisu. MORE ON THIS. Lahu. 'Red Lahu'. A subgroup of the Lahu. Pronunciation Lahu Nai-i. MORE ON THIS.
Lahu. 'Black Lahu'. A subgroup of the Lahu. In Thai Mussur Dam. MORE ON THIS. Lahu. 'Yellow Lahu'. A subgroup of the Lahu. In Thai Mussur Kwi. MORE ON THIS. lakhon (ละคร) Thai. Traditional dance performances in Thailand, in which both men and women perform, unlike khon, in which all roles, including the female roles, are played by men. The themes may be short versions of the Ramakien or other folk tales. Thai. A toy theatre with miniature puppets posing as male and female dancers put in front of a shrine as an offer or veneration.
Thai. 'City pillar'. A pillar usually made of wood, believed to be the dwelling place of the guardian spirit of a city. This pillar is placed in a shrine called sahn lak meuang and represents the centre of town and the point from which distances between cities are calculated. Compare with linga worship.
lakshana (लक्षण, ลักษณะ) 1. Sanskrit-Thai. 'Mark, sign, symbol, characteristic'. In physiognomy the term refers to the features of the body that may be auspicious or inauspicious, but in general it refers to the auspicious signs of a great man, especially the 32 major marks described in Buddhist literature, from which the predestination of the Buddha may be recognized at birth.
2. Sanskrit-Thai. 'Attribute, sign, symbol'. In iconography the term refers to the attributes of a deity. Lakshmana (लक्ष्मण) Sanskrit. 'Endowed with auspicious marks (lakshanas)'. Name of the younger half-brother of Rama in the Indian epic Ramayana who, loyal to Rama, shared his 14 year long exile and assisted him in the battle against Ravana. He is allegedly the incarnation of Ananta, the naga seat of Vishnu. He has a golden complexion. Sanskrit. 'Mark, sign'. Goddess of beauty and good fortune, who surfaced during the churning of the Ocean of Milk seated on the waves on a lotus flower. She became Vishnu's consort and was incarnated with him each time he incarnated as one of his avatars on earth. For example, she was born with him as Sita, the wife of Rama, and as Rukmini, the principal wife of Krishna. The lotus is one of her attributes and her mount is the lion (fig.). Also known as Sri, Sri Mariamman and Padma.
Lakulisha (लकुलिईश) Sanskrit. 'Lord with a club'. Reputed founder or first teacher of the Pashupati sect and by some believed to be the 28th incarnation of the Hindu god Shiva as well as the originator of yoga. In art usually depicted naked with a phallus holding a club, prayer beads, a trident and a skull cup. lalitasana (ललितआसन) Sanskrit. 'Playful seated position'. An asana or seated position with one leg bent and placed on the seat or throne, and the other hanging down. It symbolizes relaxation.
Lalitavistara (ललितविस्तर) Sanskrit. 'Recitation of the beloved one'. A Sanskrit text describing the traditional legend of the Buddha's life. A form of Buddhism mainly practiced in Tibet and Mongolia. Thai. An evergreen tree that can grow up to thirty meters high and has the Latin name manilkara zapota. Its white sap is used to make chewing gum, whilst its egg shaped fruits of the same name, have a taste like sweet marzipan. In English known as sapodilla.
The provincial capital of Lampang province (map) with a population of approximately 43,000, situated near the Wang river in northern Thailand, 599 kms North of Bangkok. Its history dates back nearly 14 centuries, to the Dvaravati period, and according to legend was founded by the son of queen Chamadevi, ruler of Haripunchai, the later Lamphun. The city is also known as 'meuang rot mah', the city of horse carts (fig.). Among its places of interest are Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao and Wat Phrathat Lampang Luang (fig.). The region is known for its teak industry and the district Hang Chat has a training centre for young elephants. The province has thirteen amphur.
Capital of Lamphun province (map), a jangwat of the same name in North Thailand. It is situated about 670 kms from Bangkok and has a population of approximately 15,000. The province has seven amphur and one king amphur.
Thai. Fruit tree (fig.) with the Latin name euphoria longana and dimocarpus longan, of the botanical family sapindaceae. The sweet and succulent fruit has a glassy whitish pink color and sits in a light brownish peel. Its round pip is dark brown and smooth. It is an evergreen and can reach a height of twelve meters and grows in Thailand mostly in the North. Its in season from the end of July to August. It is believed that eating the fruit improves the body's energy. Lamyai can be enjoyed as a desert with syrup, sticky rice or tapioca. The western name for both the tree and fruit is longan, whilst the fruit is also nicknamed 'dragon eye'.
Thai name for Ceylon, nowadays Sri Lanka. See also Lanka. Thai. A fruit tree with the scientific name lansium domesticum. It yields edible fruits with a thin yellowish skin that in appearance resemble the longkong. Its fruiting season is from June to August. Lanka (लंका) Sanskrit. Name used in the Ramayana for Ceylon. It was once the summit of Mt. Meru but was blown into the sea by Vayu, the god of wind, thus becoming an island. This gigantic city kingdom of great majesty was encircled with seven broad moats and seven strong walls. It was allegedly built of gold as a residence for Kubera, from whom it was taken by his half-brother Ravana, who made it his seat. Also Longka and Langka. Lan Na (ล้านนา) 1. Thai. 'A million paddies'. A former kingdom in North Thailand that flourished during the 13th and 14th centuries AD, with Chiang Mai at its centre. It consolidated its power in the northern regions by a pact between the three kings (fig.) of Chiang Mai, Sukhothai and Phayao, known by the names Mengrai, Ramkamhaeng and Ngam Meuang. Also Lanna and Lahn Nah. MORE ON THIS.
2. Thai. An art school from the period and region of Lan Na (North Thailand).
Kayang name for a bird like angel. Chinese. Name of one of the Eight Immortals (fig.). Although his age and sex are unknown Lan Tsai-ho is usually portrayed as a effeminate boy carrying a bamboo basket which contains a variety of flowers associated with longevity. His behaviour is out of norm and known for its bizarreness, e.g. he walks around with one foot bare and he likes to wear only shorts and thin shirts in winter whilst sleeping on the snow, but in summer he wears a thick jacket and long pants. He walks around singing and begging. When he has earned enough coins he strings them onto a necklace and then runs away through the streets, not caring if the string would break and the coins are lost, because when he has enough to eat he will distribute the rest of his money to the poor. Lan Tsai-ho may also be depicted as a young girl, a kathuy or an aged man. Sometimes transcribed Lan Caihe and Lan Ts'ai-ho.
Thai. Name for a loft, a sky parlor or a roof-deck, especially of a Chinese style building, or a Chinese restaurant situated on an upper storey of a building.
Thai. 'White alcohol'. Name for a locally distilled rice whiskey, a strong alcoholic beverage traditionally made from glutinous or sticky rice; look paeng (fig.), yeast mixed with a starter culture to assist the fermentation process; and water. Steamed sticky rice is mixed with the yeast and starter culture and kept in a fermentation tank (fig.) for three days to allow the starch in the rice to change to sugar. Then water, twice the amount of the rice, is added and a second fermentation takes of about five to seven days to be completed. After this the rice whiskey is distilled (fig.) from this substance.
Thai. 'Pigsty'. Place where pigs are kept. The term is used for both large pig farms and the more common smaller pig stocks in rural villages, where animals are often kept underneath pile dwellings for protection against the sun and rain.
The wise and faithful ruler in the Chinese story of the Three Kingdoms. Laos (ປະຊາຊົນລາວ) Lao. Thailand's neighbouring country to the northeast and west of Vietnam and with the official name Democratic Republic of Laos. Its covers an area of 236,800 km² and has 5,083 km of land boundaries with Burma, Cambodia, China, Vietnam and Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government, ending a six-century-old monarchy. Initial closer ties to Vietnam and socialization were replaced with a gradual return to private enterprise, a liberalization of foreign investment laws, and the admission into ASEAN in 1997. It has a population of around 6 million of which 60% are Theravada Buddhist. The official language is Lao but also French and English are spoken, as well as various ethnic languages. The highest point is Phou Bia with 2,817 meter. Its currency is the 'kip' and natural resources are timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold and gemstones.
Chinese. 'Old Master'. Influential Chinese philosopher in the 4th century BC, founder of Taoism and author of the Tao-te Ching.
A sediment of red or brown clay produced by crumbling rocks. Laterite is soft when first dug up but becomes hard when exposed to the air. It was once frequently used as a building material for religious buildings and palaces in Thailand and Cambodia. Due to its color it is in Thailand called din daeng (red earth) or sila daeng (red stone).
See rubber tree. Lava (लव) One of Sita's two twin sons in the Ramayana, neither of whom were recognized by their father Rama until they were fifteen years old. The other son was Kusa. Lavo (ละโว้) Old name of Lopburi. Also transcribed Lawo. Lawa (ละว้า) Thai. Name for a tribe in northern Thailand who inhabited the country before the migration of the Thai. See also Thai Lu. The dynasty that ruled Vietnam from 1427 to 1789 AD, the golden era of art. Thai. Literally 'fingernail', but in cultural context it refers to eight long, usually golden aluminum finger pieces that are used in northern style Fingernail Dances, called Fon Lep (fig.). They are slightly bent outward and are said to replace the candles from the Fon Thian, the Candle Dance. Sometimes they have an extra extension with a red pompom at the tip, what possibly represents the flame of a candle.
Thai name for linga. Also ling. Thai-Chinese. A Chinese linear measure, equal to about 300 meters. The name given to two separate buildings, located on either side and in front of the main entrance to a Khmer temple, or the entrance to an enclosure. There is however no certainty that they were actually used as libraries. Thai. A song and dance drama, with themes about kings, queens and court, usually by a touring troupe or travelling theatre with performers dressed in colourful, glittery costumes. Formerly played by men only, now outdated.
Popular name for a tree of the citrus family. This family has several species including the citrus aurantifolia and citrus medica. Its fruit is like a lemon commonly found in the West but green, more acid, smaller and rounder. The Southeast Asian lime is actually almost spherical when compared to the yellow lemon. It is used in cooking and a fresh lime segment is often served with fried rice dishes. It is a good source of Vitamin C and is said to relieve cough, heal sore throats, drive out phlegm, cure swollen and bleeding gums, prevent stroke and cure constipation. Southeast Asia is its original habitat. In Thai it is called manao and mangao.
Thai-Chinese. Name of the sister of Lim To Khieng, a Chinese immigrant who married a local Pattani girl and converted to Islam. Lim Ko Niau however sailed from China on a sampan to try and sway her brother to forsake Islam and return to his homeland. In a negative response he demonstrated his faith and in 1578 started the construction of the Masayid Kreu Se (fig.). His sister then put a curse on the mosque, saying it would never be completed. After a final failed attempt to persuade her brother she eventually hanged herself from a nearby cashew nut tree and from grief her brother was unable to finish the mosque which to this day remains uncompleted. The tree from which she hanged herself has been enshrined and her wooden image is carried around annually in a local procession.
Thai name for linga. Also leung. Thai. 'Short tailed monkey'. Name for a kind of monkey of the genus macaca, a macaque (fig.) with a short pig-tail. They are often used for picking nuts at coconut palm plantations. Sanskrit. 'Emblem, gender, symbol'. A representation of a phallus, the symbol of the creative power of Shiva. When a face is added to its surface it is called mukhalinga, a 'linga with a face', and the representation of a linga with a single face is called ekamukhalinga (fig.). There are many different types, often divided into three parts: a cubic base representing Brahma, an octagonal prism representing Vishnu, and a cylindrical part with a rounded top representing Shiva. The cult is worshipped in India and Southeast Asia, by some even to this day (fig.). It is believed that water (or sometimes milk) passed over a linga becomes sacred, even magical. People of the past even carved lingas into the riverbed in order to fertilize the water that fed their rice paddies. When Mahayana Buddhism, introduced to Cambodia as state religion by the Khmer king Jayavarman VII, was after his death once again replaced by Hinduism, many of the Buddha images were crudely altered into Hindu lingas. Also Shivalinga, lingum or lingam, and in Thai ling, leung, siwaleung and siwaling. In combination (fig.) with the yoni it represents creation. See also pladkik and compare with lak meuang.
See linga. lingaparvata (लिङ्गंपर्वत) Sanskrit. 'Mountain emblem'. A mountain peak in the form of a linga. Chinese for 'mushroom of immortality' (fig.). See hed lin jeu daeng. See linga. A transom or girder resting on two vertical posts, usually decorated with narrative scenes or ornamental motifs. In Khmer temples the lintel can be found above doorways and window openings, directly under the fronton. In Thai called thablang.
In Hinduism the lion is the mount of the goddess Lakshmi and of the god Manjushri (fig.). In Buddhism it is the protector of the dhamma, and in that way often seen as symbolic guardians at temple entrances in North Thailand and Burma, usually in pairs. In Thai called singh.
Chinese. 'Beneficial thing' or 'profitable item'. Another name for the money that is put in red envelopes or hong bao. Chinese. 'Immortal official of market profits' or 'lucky money immortal official'. It is the name of an informal god of wealth, more accurately the 'official of the god of benefit' and the deity that accompanies other Chinese wealth gods. He is also one of the Wu Lu Cai Shen or 'five path wealth gods', namely the god of the northern direction. Li Shi means 'profit from transactions' and Xian Guan means 'immortal official'. He is a deity that takes on a specific role in the promotion of trade and the accumulation of commercial wealth. Amongst the Chinese it is the custom to stick his image on the inside of the entrance door of shops and business premises as the deity who calls in mercantile profits. His full name is Li Shi Xian Guan Yao Shao Si. Li Shi Xian Guan Yao Shao Si (利市仙官姚少司) Full Chinese name of Li Shi Xian Guan. Another name for Lisu. Lisu (ลีซู) A formerly nomadic hill tribe that arrived partly in Thailand via Chiang Mai at the end of the 19th century. The Lisu language belongs to the Yi or Lolo branch of the Tibeto-Burman language group and probably originated in Tibet, though the core of the population lives mainly in the North of the Southern Chinese province Yunnan, west of the Salween river. Today the females are more often seen in traditional dress than the males (fig.). Also Liso. MORE ON THIS.
See lychee. Chinese. Name of a male deity who is an informal Chinese wealth god in Taoism. His forehead is covered with short hairs and he rides a toad, his personal pet, called chanchu. It conveys him to any place he wishes to go, but occasionally it would escape down a well, and Liu Hai would then lure it out with a line baited with gold coins (fig.). Often depicted with a beckoning hand and with stringed coins. Also known as Liu Hai Chan and Hai Chan Zi.
Thai. A kind of fish trap used to catch fresh water fish in shallow water areas. It is made from bamboo or rattan with a hole to let the fish in. It is placed between a fence of sticks that guide the fish to the opening of the trap. There are three different kinds of lod, that is to say, the lob yeun (standing trap), lob non (lying trap) and lob kung (shrimp trap). See also saab, son, sai and sang.
Name for a species of heliconia which flowers resemble a lobster's claw. There are two kinds: the small lobster claw and the big lobster claw, known as heliconia stricta and heliconia bihai, respectively.
The capital of Loei province (map), 520 kms North of Bangkok and situated in the far Northwest of Isaan has a population of around 22,000. The region is known for its cotton industry and its National Parks, including the 349 kms² large Phu Kradeung National Park, with 1,360 meters the highest point in the province and with around 50 kms of marked hiking trails. The park allegedly has elephants, tigers, gibbons and black bears. Other National Parks are Phu Reua NP with around 121 kms² and the less visited Phu Luang NP. Annually, in mid-June, Dahn Saai district celebrates the unique Phi Tah Khohn festival. The province has twelve amphur and two king amphur.
Thai. 'Metal', as in Lohaprasat. Thai. Structure with a spire in metal. There are only three Lohaprasat buildings in the world. The original one was built in India in honor of the Buddha, and had a spire of gold, that most likely gave it its name: loha meaning 'metal', and prasat 'ornamental structure with a needle-like spire'. The first Lohaprasat had only two stories but around a thousand rooms to house monks. The second was built in Sri Lanka in 161 BC, to commemorate the victory over the Tamil, and had nine stories and a brass spire. Built in wood, it was destroyed by lightning and rebuilt as a five storied structure however it no longer exists today. The third Lohaprasat was commissioned by Rama III, to commemorate his granddaughter princess Saomanawatanawadie, who later became the first queen of Rama IV. The Thai version has seven stories and is surrounded by small chedis on the outside, twenty-four on the second floor and twelve on the fourth. The Thai Lohaprasat of Wat Rachadaram is the only on of its kind still intact. In 2003 the building was renovated (fig.) on the occassion of the APEC-meeting held in Bangkok, in which many heads of state visited the capital.
Thai. 'Swing festival' or 'swing ceremony'. A former annual brahman festival held in honor of the Hindu god Shiva in which participants had to swing to catch a bag of gold tied to a fifteen meters high bamboo pole. It was held in the second lunar month, from the morning of the third day until the evening of the ninth day of the new moon. Due to the large number of victims that fell off the swing the festival was eventually prohibited during the reign of Rama VII. See also trihyampawaai.
Thai for 'world' or 'earth'. Thai. 'The great one of the world'. A name for the Buddha. Loi Krathong (ลอยกระทง) Thai. 'Floating flower arrangement'. Annual festival in Thailand held on the full moon of 'yih peng', the second lunar month according to the northern Thai calendar and the twelfth lunar month of a regular calendar year. A floating flower arrangement called krathong (fig.) is put to the water and pushed away to honor the goddess of water Mae Khongkha. It is generally believed that by giving an offering to the water goddess, one is forgiven for all pollution caused in the past year when using water for personal purposes. Each krathong is decorated with burning candles and incense sticks causing the water to be illuminated by thousands of floating lights. The festival is celebrated most exuberantly in Sukhothai, where every year a colourful parade (fig.) takes place in which each jangwat displays its own krathong. This procession goes on in traditional dress (fig.) and within the old city (fig.). Other events are the election of the annual Miss Krathong and a sound-and-light show telling the history of this early kingdom with the ancient city ruins as a backdrop. According to the phra rachaphithi sip song deuan Loi Krathong has nothing to do with any kind of ritual or ceremony, neither Buddhist nor Brahmin, though there would be an association with the use of kohm loy, floating lanterns that the early kings of Sukhothai sent off in the air, a practice still in use today. Also referred to as Water Candle Festival, Candle Festival and Festival of Lights. Sometimes spelled Loy Krathong.
loka (लोक) Sanskrit. 'World, region, or sphere (of a deity)'. A classification of the universe. In general the triloka or 'three worlds' are heaven or paradise, earth and hell. Other categorizations mention seven and twenty two worlds, united in the 'Egg of Brahma' and referring to the several sections within each main division. In Thai lohk. Thai for lokapala. lokapala (लोकपाल) Sanskrit. 'Guardian of the world'. In Hindu mythology there are eight lokapalas presiding over the four points of the compass and the four intervening directions. Indra protects the East (fig.), Yama the South (fig.), Kubera or Vaisravana the North (fig.) and Varuna the West (fig.). The intervening directions are guarded by Ishana (Shiva - fig.) or Prithivi in the Northeast, Agni protects the Southeast (fig.), Surya or Nairriti the Southwest (fig.), and Vayu the Northwest (fig.). In Buddhism there may be four, eight, ten or fourteen lokapalas. Also called dikpala and 'ashtadikpalas', literally the '(eight) guardian(s) of the sky'. In Thai called lokaban. See also jatulohkabahn. Lokesvara (लोकईश्वर) Sanskrit. 'Lord of the world'. A form of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, who was at the centre of a prevalent cult in ancient Cambodia. He is represented on the towers of the Bayon temple and appears frequently in Khmer bas-reliefs. During the reign of Jayavarman VII Buddhism in the Khmer empire consisted principally of the worship of a triad made up of the Buddha, Lokesvara and Prajnaparamita together with the tantric deity Hevajra. They are symbolically represented by three majestic monuments, namely Preah Khan commemorating Lokesvara, Bayon in honor of the Buddha, and Ta Prohm dedicated to Prajnaparamita.
Chinese for dragon. See lamyai. A Thai traditional sport in which several teams vie with each other in a rowing race with a longboat, called reua yao in Thai. It reflects the way of life of people who live near the river and takes place in many regions of Thailand, after the Buddhist festival of thod kathin, when water levels are at their highest. This is a period in which local people are free from labour in the fields and have time to make merit (tamboon), and are enticed into boat races for fun. Longboat races are divided into several categories, including races with 41-55 paddlers, races with 31-40 paddlers and races with fewer than 30 paddlers. Each round two teams come out against each other, competing for the fastest time. In Thai called gaan khaeng reua yao.
Longka (ลงกา) Another name for Langka. Thai. Tropical fruit, resembling the lamyai, but with its flesh in segments and usually a little more sour and its peel a lighter color. The fruiting season is from August to October. In appearance the fruit is also comparable to the langsat.
Subgroup of the Karen in Thailand, mainly living in the hills around Mae Hong Son and originally from Burma. In Thai called Kariang Koh Yao or Kariang Sai Koh and they are sometines referred to as the giraffe necks. One of their subgroups in Thailand is known by the name Kayang. MORE ON THIS.
See reua hahng yahw. Thai. Job's tears, the edible seeds of a plant of the genus coix lachrymajob from the family gramineae, which in English is known as tear grass (fig.). The seeds are gained from the flower buds that are opened by crushing their hard skin. The white content of the bud can be eaten either fresh or cooked, and mixed with sticky rice powder it is used to make sweetmeats. On markets it is often sold in dried form. It is similar to khao fahng and is also called deuay, deuay hin, madeuay and mateuay, and the Karen hill tribe people call it penih, whereas its Khmer name used by some in eastern Thailand is sakuy.
Thai. Large round stones buried in the ground beneath the bai sema, marking the boundary of the consecrated area of a Thai temple on which the bot or ubosot is built. In total nine stones are used: one beneath the center of the bot, and one at each corner and between the corners, in the center of each side. The burial spots of the last eight are marked above the ground by bai sema. They can only be seen when on display (fig.) prior to the burial, when the local community is given the opportunity to make merit by attaching gold leaf on them. See also nimit.
Thai. 'Tiger cub'. Name for members of the Thai Scouting organization founded in 1911 by Rama VI. Most schools have scouting as a discipline in their syllabus. As a consequence boys and girls can often be seen in their scouting uniforms on ordinary schooldays.
Thai. Fruit of the sugar palm. It can be made into sugar as well as be eaten fresh. Its flesh of fruit is creamy white (fig.).
1. Thai. 'Offspring of the field'. Popular kind of country music. 2. Thai. An animal born wild, as opposed to a domesticated animal. look tihn pet nahm (ลูกตีนเป็ดน้ำ) Thai for the extremely poisonous pong pong seed, the fruit of a small to medium-sized tree with dark foliage and showy fragrant white flowers, similar to the frangipani. The fruits are egg-shaped and speckled green, somewhat resembling passionfruit. It has a thin skin which after falling soon decomposes, exposing the fibrous woody tissue of the seed. Its size is a little larger than that of a tennis ball and its looks are at first sight similar to a coconut, but smaller in size. It thrives near water and a bright green plant sprouts from a crosswise fissure in the seed. The seeds are used decoratively in interior design, as are the plants. In translation look tihn pet nahm means literally water-duck-feet-seed. Often abbreviated look tihn pet.
Lopburi (ลพบุรี) 1. Capital of Lopburi province (map) in Central Thailand, 153 kms North of Bangkok, with a population of around 40,000. In the past it was a Mon city inhabited as early as the Dvaravati period, from the 6th to the 11th century AD, when it was named Lavo. When the Khmer expanded their Angkorian empire in the 10th century it absorbed Lavo, thus erasing all traces of the existing Lavo civilization. It became an outpost of the ancient Khmer empire and a provincial capital. In the 13th century rule over Lopburi was wrested from the Khmer by the increasing powers of Sukhothai to the North. Khmer cultural influence remained to a certain level throughout the Ayutthaya period. King Narai fortified the city in the 17th century to serve as a second capital when Ayutthaya was threatened by a Dutch naval blockade. His palace in Lopburi, where he died in 1688, was built in 1665 and its remains are now one of the city's places of interest. The city is famous for its historical ruins (fig.) and the many stray monkeys (fig.), for whom the locals organize an annual monkey buffet. This province has eleven amphur.
2. Name given to the art from Central Thailand during the Khmer period, from the 11th to 14th centuries AD, and during the booming days of Lopburi, between the 10th and 13th centuries AD. Its characteristic is a mixture of Khmer, Pala and local styles. 3. Name of a river that runs through Ayutthaya. Technique used in bronze casting, different from the one used in China and the West, but similar to those in the other Indianized countries of Southeast Asia.
Synonym for solot. A flower of the family of water lilies (fig.), and sacred among the Hindus. The flower is associated with the divine birth of the Buddha and used symbolically in Hindu and Buddhist art, often represented in gold or gilded (fig.). According to legend Brahma comes from the golden lotus that emerges from the navel of Vishnu, and the Buddha took seven steps immediately after his birth causing lotus flowers to bloom wherever he touched the earth. They are a metaphor for Enlightenment because they rise from the mud towards light, like Buddhism raises itself above depravity, and the petals symbolize the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path that the Buddha revealed to the world. When opened they unveil the hard core with its seeds, an allegory for new life. The pedestal used as a base for some Buddha images (tahnphraphuttarup) are in the form of a lotus (fig.) and in the wai, the Thai greeting, the hands are brought together in the flame-like shape of a closed lotus flower (fig.) to pay respect. Some parts of the flower are fit for human consumption, such as its root (fig.) and its seeds (fig.). From the root a sweet and aromatic, brown coloured health drink called nahm rahk bua is made which is said to be refreshing and a cure against oral blisters caused by dehydration. The seeds are acorn-shaped and sit in a large cup-like seed head (fig.). However, before consumption the green skin of the seeds should be peeled off and the tiny yellow-green shoot that sits in the centre of the seed should be removed as it tastes quite bitter. Lotus seeds and seed heads can be found on markets nationwide and peeled creamy white lotus seeds with their distinctive brownish top can be found in bulk above all in Bangkok's Chinatown. The giant leaves of the lotus are completely water-repellent and its surface structure has been imitated in certain technical applications. In Thai bua luang or just bua.
Designation for the asana or 'seated position' in iconography, in which the legs are crossed on top of each other with the feet resting on the opposite thigh, the sole of the feet up. Burmese Buddha images with a bhumisparsa mudra are usually seated in this position (fig.), whereas Buddha images with the same mudra in Thai style, are usually seated in a half lotus position (fig.). Sometimes called yoga position. See also vajrasana (fig.), and padmasana.
Lua (ลัวะ) Another name for Lawa. Thai. A non-hereditary title or bandasak, higher than a Khun and lower than a Phra.
1. Thai. 'Revered father(s)'. Venerated respected monk(s) in Thailand. Their images can often be seen in temples, and some are considered arahats. To some of these monks, the Phra saksit, special spiritual powers are ascribed.
2. Thai. 'Revered father'. Term used by laymen to address monks. See kaangkok sawan. Name for a tropical and subtropical annual vine. Its gourdlike fruit is grown to maturity and used as a natural bath sponge (fig.) after being processed to remove everything but the network of xylem (woody tissue). If harvested before maturity it can be eaten as a vegetable. Also known as vegetable sponge, luffa sponge, loofa, loofah, Chinese okra and sponge gourd. In Thai called buab, rangbuab, yaibuab and sangbuab.
Lumbini (लुम्बिनी) Sanskrit. The park near Kapilavatthu in present-day Nepal, where prince Siddhartha, the historical Buddha was born. Thai for Lumbini. See also Suan Lumphini. See Suan Lumphini. Chinese term for a Buddhist arahat. See also xian. Compass used to ascertain the auspicious orientation of buildings by someone involved with geomancy. See also feng shui.
Sweet subtropical fruit with a thin reddish rind and juicy white flesh of fruit. It has the scientific name litchi chinensis and, in Thailand, grows mainly in the northern regions, at the beginning of the rainy season (June). The Chinese word for lychee is li (荔) which has has the same sound and tone as the word li (力), meaning 'power' or 'strength' and which character is used three times underneath the 'grass radical' (used for meaning and without pronunciation) in the word for lychee. The English name then, is derived from lizhi which consists of the characters li (荔) for 'lychee' and the classifier or measure word zhi (枝), meaning 'branch'. With reference to the word li meaning 'power' and since lizhi sounds the same as lishi (利事), a 'profitable item' and lishi (利市), 'market profit', lychees are seen as Chinese symbols for power and profit. Also spelled litchi. In Thai linchee.
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