Thai-Isaan. A kind of fresh water fish trap, used in places where the water is shallow. It consists of a round, long tapering wickerwork case, lined and braided with rattan rods. The top is open to enable a view inside to check upon the fish already caught. It has a funnel-shaped mouth with spikes to prevent the fish from swimming back out. See also lob, son, sai and sang. Thai. Any festival traditionally held at the end of autumn, as in 'saad kanom koh', an annual festival held more or less during fall, when Chinese sweetmeat made of rice flour is eaten. The term is however often used popularly for any annual festival. See also krayahsaad. Thai. 'Savant' or 'religious prophet'. A name for the historical Buddha, the Enlightened One. Thai. A pestle used to grind things in a mortar called krok (fig.). Thai for the story of the Three Kingdoms. Saam Liam Thong Kham (สามเหลี่ยมทองคำ) Thai for the Golden Triangle. Thai. 'Tricycle'. Thai for a rickshaw. If motorized it is nicknamed a tuktuk (fig.) after the sound of its engine. If it is a push-bike it is also called rot saamloh tihb (fig.). Often spelt samlor or samloh.
Thai name for the entada spiralis, a large kind of sea bean. Thai. A sarong-like lower garment of a Buddhist monk, worn below the angsa and underneath the pahkahsahwapad. A large bird in the epic Ramakien. It brought Rama the news of Sita's kidnapping and showed him her ring, as proof. sadhu (साधु) Sanskrit. Someone who renounces the secular world and strives for a religious life. Thai. Ritual to get rid of bad luck, usually by sprinkling holy water on the head. Thai. The belief in a religion. Thai. 'Army' or 'military might'. Also kong thap. 1. Spice made from the fried pistils and styles of the saffron, a kind of crocus. In occurs both dried and in powdered form (fig.). In Thai ya faran.
2. Yellow colouring matter gained from the saffron crocus. Thai name for the Chinese pear or sand pear, of the genus pyrus. It has succulent creamy-white flesh and tastes either sweet or sweet and a little sour. Its flesh is sandy and crispy or soft in some varieties.
See naen. sahn lak meuang (ศาลหลักเมือง) Thai. A shrine in Thailand housing the lak meuang, or city pillar.
Thai name for spirit house. Paper made from the paper mulberry tree. In Thai kradaat sah. See also ton sah. Thai. A relic of the Buddha. See also Phramahathat. Sahsanah Phraam (ศาสนาพราหมณ์) Thai name for Brahmanism. Ancient civilization that existed about 4,000 years ago in the region of present day southern Vietnam and which is considered the precursor of Cham culture. sai (ไซ) A kind of fish trap woven from bamboo and rattan rods. It has a spiked hole at the top to allow small fish and other aquatic creatures entrance. Once they are inside they are entrapped as the funnel-shaped spikes keep them from escaping. There are many different types of sai, named according their form, use or origin, such as sai song hee (northern dialect, trap with two holes - fig.), sai lao (Laotian trap), sai kad kung (shrimp trap - fig.), sai thon (enduring trap), sai nahm tao (water bottle trap), sai hua moo (pig head trap), sai khai jorakae (crocodile egg trap), jib sai (sip trap), sai loy (flaoting trap), etc. It is especially used in water areas with a strong current and in not too shallow water. They are often hung symbolically from the ceiling in commercial establishments, to catch business and fortune, rather than fish (fig.). See also saab, son, lob, sang and tum.
Thai. 'Offering into an alms bowl'. Making merit by putting food into the alms bowl of Buddhist monks. See also tamboon sai baat (fig.) and bintabaat. Thai. 'Pork sausage'. Dish made of minced pork mixed with boiled rice and lard, stuffed into a pig's entrails and grilled over a gridiron. It is eaten with fresh sliced ginger, cabbage and whole but small chili peppers called prik kih noo. It is usually sold on street side footstalls and comes either as a sausage or as a string of small balls prepared in the same way.
Sailendra (शैलेन्द्र) Sanskrit. 'Ruler of the mountain'. A Mahayana Buddhist dynasty that ruled in central Java during the eighth and ninth centuries AD, and in Shrivijaya from the eighth to the thirteenth century AD. Thai. A white thread used in various ceremonies in Thailand. It is symbolic for the sutra, the teachings of the Buddha. It is held by Buddhist monks whilst chanting mantras or put around a temple building (fig.), house or entire village to dispel evil spirits. In the seubchatah ceremony it spans the interior of the bot, starting from the main Buddha image in the building (fig.), and on other occasions it is tied around the wrists (fig.) as a talisman. It is also used in funerals (fig.) and wedding ceremonies (fig.). See also mongkon and mongkonlasut.
See reclining Buddha. Thai. 'To tattoo'. In Thai tradition tattoos usually have a protective purpose and may have a religious (fig.) or animist significance. They are ritually made by hand using a 'khem sak', a heavy metal pin (fig.). Often they are made by special gifted monks or Luang Pho. Commonly seen tattoos are Hanuman, a jumping tiger usually tattooed on the chest, the words 'mother' and 'father' tattooed on the left and right upper arm, yan signs and ancient Khmer writings (fig.). Another belief has it that certain tattoos protect against gun bullets. They are popular amongst soldiers and police stationed in troubled areas and some popular designs include the 'kawyod', a design on the back of the neck and ten Buddha images on the back. It is alleged that sacred tattoos with supernatural power are best applied on a Thursday as this is an auspicious day according to superstition.
Thai. 'Crystal pool'. Province (map) and its capital city in East Thailand, 237 kms East of Bangkok. The province borders Cambodia and like Prachinburi is scattered with less important and smaller ruins from both the Dvaravati and Khmer period. Unfortunately it is of little interest to the accidental visitor as most ruins are not restored and some are little more than a few odd blocks of laterite. A gateway for trade with Cambodia at the border district of Aranya Prathet. The province has seven amphur and two king amphur. Also Sa Kaew and Sra Kaeo (Sra Kaew).
Thai. Name for the breadfruit and its tree. The species is related to the kanun and is also called kanun sampalo. Its scientific name is artocarpus altilis and it belongs to the botanic family of the moraceae. The fruit may weigh up to 2 kilograms and has a thick green peel that turns yellow when the fruit ripens. In Thailand it is mainly picked when still unripe and used as a vegetable in curries, or deep-fried and eaten as a snack.
A significant subgroup of the Karen in Thailand. Also Sgaw. MORE ON THIS. Province (map) and its capital city in Isaan situated 647 kms Northeast of Bangkok. The city is located on Nong Han Lake, Thailand's largest natural lake. Its water however is contaminated with the hazardous bilharzia. This region is known as the place with the most registered cases of bilharzia in the world. Another controversial reputation of this city is the consumption of cooked dog at the local dog market, a custom introduced by the Soh, an ethnic minority group in the region. Highlights in the province include Phu Phaan National Park, an area of approximately 665 kms² said to be still inhabited by wild elephants and tigers. The province has eighteen amphur.
1. Thai. 'Sacred' or 'holy'. 2. Thai. Special spiritual powers attributed to certain Buddhist monks in Thailand. These monks, called Phra saksit, often transfer their powers (saksit) onto amulets and votive tablets (fig.) which are consequently considered a safeguard against evil influences and bad luck. Saksit also means 'effective'. MORE ON THIS. A Sanskrit drama written by the Indian poet Kalikdasa and translated into Thai by king Vajiravudh. Pali. The clan or tribe to which prince Siddhartha belonged. He became the historical Buddha. Also Sakiya. In Sanskrit Shakya. Sakyamuni (ศากยมุนี) Pali-Thai. 'Sage of the Sakya tribe'. A designation for the historical Buddha after he was apprenticed by the brahman master Arada Kalapa and the sage Udraka Ramaputra. In Sanskrit Shakyamuni. Thai. Fruit with the Latin names zalacca and salacca and a palm tree with a height of up to seven meters. The tree bears fruit throughout the year. The skin has the pattern of a snake's skin. This nutritious fruit grows in large tight bunches at the top of the tree trunk and its buttery coloured inside (fig.) tastes between a banana and a pineapple but has a rather unpleasant aftertaste. It is nicknamed snake fruit and in Indonesia and Malaysia is known as salak. A variation of the fruit is called ra-kam, but these are slightly shorter and more bulbous in shape (fig.) than the sa-la.
1. Thai. An open sided shelter, hall or pavilion of a permanent nature consisting only of pillars and a roof as protection against the sun and rain. It occurs within the precincts of a temple complex, on waysides and in fields (fig.).
2. Thai. A hall or pavilion. 3. Thai. A public building. Thai for dim sam. A tree which grows up to 15 meters high and has the Latin name couropita guianensis and belongs to the family of dipterocarpaceae. The Buddha is said to have died stretched out between two such trees (fig.) and according to some sources he was also born underneath this tree. In iconography, generally depicted as Maha Maya holding a tree branch with her right hand (fig.) and sometimes with an infant emerging from her side (fig.). Some sources speak however of the prince's birth taking place under a teak tree (fig.). The tree can be recognized by its typical reddish pink flowers that grow directly from its stem (fig.), and from its large round seeds (fig.) that gives the tree the epithet cannonball tree. Often placed at Thai temples. Its Thai name is ton sala langka.
1. Thai. A monetary unit and a coin with a value of a quarter of a baht, i.e. a twenty-five satang coin. See also tamleung. 2. Thai. Weight measurement used by jewelers and pharmacists in Thailand, equal to a quarter of a baht, i.e. 3.75 grams. See also tamleung. Thai. 'Sedan chair'. In Thai also kaanhaam, yahnamaht and yahnumaht. See also palanquin. See nah kleua. Sama (साम) Sanskrit. One of the four Vedas. Also Samaveda. Thai for 'meditation'. The historical Buddha attained Enlightenment seated in a position of concentration or meditation, as is seen in images depicted with a dhyani mudra. Generally meditation is an attempt to experience the deepest realities by inner contemplation.
Pali-Thai. 'One who strives'. A term used for an hermit or ascetic. Thai. The eight necessary articles or utensils required by Buddhist monks in daily life. These include an alms bowl or baat, clothing or pahkahsahwapad, a needle, a razor, a water filter and an umbrella. Also borikaan. samanera (श्रामणेर) Sanskrit. Ascetics, mendicant monks or wanderers of diverse religious discipline in ancient India. The term today refers to a novice in the Buddhist order. Officially transcribed with an 'r' following the 's', i.e. śrāmaṇera (shrAmaNera). See also sahmmanaen. Sanskrit. See Sama. Thai. A former Buddhist monk defrocked as a result of a serious transgression. See also abat and Buddhist precepts. King from the Thai story Sangthong whose daughter Rochana married Phra Sang. Chinese-Thai. Originally a small sailing boat used as coastal vessel in China, but in Thailand the popular name for reua jaew, a small rowing boat. Khmer. A piece of clothing covering the lower part of the body, usually worn by male gods in Khmer art.
samsara (संसार) Sanskrit. The transmigration of the soul caused by the perpetual cycles of birth, aging, death and rebirth, accompanied by suffering. Both Hindus and Buddhists try to break this cycle by striving for the elimination of lust and desire. In Thai called sangsarawat. Large island (map) in the Gulf of Thailand off the coast of mainland Surat Thani, the southern province of which it is also a part. Although its port and main commercial center are in Nathon, Chaweng is its main holiday destination, offering many shops and restaurants, as well as nightclubs and accommodation in any category. Another place on the rise is Lamai, just a short distance south of Chaweng. Besides the many pristine sandy beaches Samui also has some waterfalls (fig.), numerous coconut plantations, the unusual 'grandfather and grandmother' rock formations (fig.), a safari park, the Big Buddha (fig.) on nearby Koh Fahn island, etc. Only a short boat trip away to its West is Ang Thong National Marine Park and to its North lies the popular 'hippy island' Pha Ngan. Samui is often referred to as Koh Samui or Ko Samui, meaning Samui Island. Name of a province (map) and its capital city in the region of central Thailand, 29 kms south of the center of Bangkok. The most densely populated provincial capital of Thailand with approximately 72,000 inhabitants on an area of approximately just 1,004 square kms and bordering Bangkok. Generally known as Meuang Pahk Nahm, the city at the estuary because of its location at the mouth of the Chao Phya river (fig.), near the Gulf of Thailand, a place with many sandbanks and bars called sandon (fig.). Places of interest include the Phra Chulachomklao fortress dating from 1893 and built near the river mouth as a defensive outpost for Bangkok (fig.), and Phra Samut Chedi, a chedi whose construction started during the rule of king Phra Phutta Leut La and ended in the period of king Phra Nang Klao. Today it is situated on the banks of the Chao Phraya river (fig.), but at the time it stood in the middle of the river on a small island. Hence its name Phra Chedi Klang Nahm (chedi in the middle of the water). At the Chulachomklao navy-yard on the West bank near the Gulf of Thailand, stands a statue of king Chulachomklao (fig.) and is a naval museum, consisting of a large battle ship (fig.) and a garden with naval armaments (fig.). There is also the Erawan Museum (fig.) a crocodile farm and Meuang Boraan, an open-air museum (fig.) consisting of a contrived village (meuang) with statues, traditional houses and sights from Thai antiquity (boraan). The province has five amphur and one king amphur.
Thai. 'Ocean city'. A province (map) and its capital city of the same name on the Gulf of Thailand, bordering Bangkok 36 kms to the West of the centre. Also known as Mahachai, due to the Mahachai canal that crosses the province as well as the Tachin river that links Samut Songkhram with Bangkok. The province has three amphur.
Thai. 'Ocean of
war'. Name of a province (map)
and its modern coastal capital in West
Thailand, 72 kms southwest of Bangkok and
located on a sharp curve in the Mae Khlong river. The
city is therefore also generally known by the epithet Mae Khlong. It is Thailand's
smallest province covering an area of just 416 square kms and is situated in
West Thailand on the Gulf of Thailand. The region
has an abundance of waterways and canals on which several talaat nahm or 'floating markets' can be found. Easy
irrigation from the nearby sea gives rise to many shrimp farms as well as salt
fields (fig.).
It is the birthplace of the famous
Thai. The Phra Meru field in Bangkok in front of the royal palace. On this large grassland often kite flying fights are held, the annual royal ploughing ceremony takes place and members of the royal family are cremated. In 1948 the first weekend market in Bangkok was established here, but in 1982 it was relocated to its present-day site on Phahon Yothin Road and renamed the Phahon Yothin Market, which later became the Chatuchak Weekend Market. Sanchi (साँची) Hindi. An important Buddhist site where the emperor Ashoka, in the third century BC, had the Great Stupa built which was doubled in size about a hundred years later. See Prasat Satjathamm. An aromatic and lightweight kind of wood very suitable for fine detailed woodcarvings and thus highly popular (fig.). It is also the ingredient for thanaka (fig.). In Thai called mai jan. Name of a tiny species of crab of the genus scopimera inflata and belonging to the family of ocypodidae. They don't grow much larger than a mere 1.5 centimeter and have pincers that point downwards, enabling them to scoop sand into their highly adapted mouthparts at high speed. They feed on organic matter and microscopic small creatures called myofauna that are living in the upper layer of damped soil on sandy beaches. Soon after the tide has exposed the beach these tiny crabs emerge from small burrows in the sand and start sieving detritus from the sand. During this process they pass sand particles through their mouths, filtering the edible elements out and regurgitating unwanted particles in the form of tiny pellets of sand, which they discard all over the beach. In Thai called poo pan saay. Thai. A bar at the mouth of a river, especially the bar at the mouth of the Chao Phrya river in Samut Prakan, where reua khut (dredgers) with the appropriate name 'sandon' can be seen (fig.) looking after the draught, that is the depth of the river needed to navigate a ship.
Name for a type of fish trap made from bamboo wickerwork with a spiked entrance to prevent the fish from escaping, once inside. There are many different models and shapes. They are usually slightly oval or round and tapering. Small twigs are placed inside the trap to attract the fish to come and hide in between them, entrapping them inside. When the trap is recovered the entrance is shut with some sticks or sometimes with a net. It is used for entrapping fresh water fish near riverbanks, where the water is shallow and where it is affixed to the bottom using wooden sticks. Sometimes called gram or glam, or referred to by its local name or according the type, e.g. lob, son, sai and saab. See also tum.
Thai name for Sankha. Thai. 'Fiber gourd' or 'cob gourd'. A name for luffa. Sangha (संघ) Thai. 'Multitude', 'assembly' or 'association'. The community of monks that follow the Buddhist canon. One element of the Trairat, together with the Buddha and the Dhamma. Sanghavasa (संघवस) Sanskrit. The monks quarters in a Buddhist temple complex. sang-i (囍) Chinese. 'Double happiness'. A Chinese sign or character often used during weddings (fig.) to express the happiness that the new couple may befall. The word sang means 'double' or 'couple' and i means 'happiness'. In Pinyin also transcribed xĭ. See also foo.
Thai. A yellow or orange piece of additional clothing folded in a very particular way into a rectangle and worn by monks over the left shoulder during religious services inside the monastery or temple and as protection against the cold. Thai-Pali. Grand Council held by the Buddhist Sangha for the purpose of revising the Tripitaka. There was one held in Chiang Mai in 1477 AD. Also called Sangkayanai. See Sangkayana. Chinese pronunciation for Sawankhalok. Also Sangkhalok.
See Sangkalok. Thai term for samsara. Hero from a Thai story of the same name. He had a body of gold and married Rochana, the daughter of king Samon. Also Phra Sang. See also kumaanthong.
Sankha (शङ्ख) Sanskrit. 'Conch [of victory]'. An attribute of several gods (fig.) and the instrument used by Vishnu to herald his victories over the demons. It is also a symbol for the primordial sound and is also present in Buddhism. In Thai Sang and Phrasong.
Thai word meaning 'entertaining, amusing, pleasant, enjoyable, to have a good time, to be vivacious and to enjoy'. Also sanook sanahn. Sometimes transcribed sanuk. Sanskrit (संस्कृत) An ancient language from India meaning 'pure'. Etymologically it is of Indo-European origin and is used in the sacred texts of Hinduism. In Buddhism it is the language of Mahayana Buddhism compared to Pali, that is used in Theravada or Hinayana Buddhism. In Thai also Phasa Sanskrit. Western name for krathon. Saowapha (เสาวภา) Thai. A wife of Rama V and mother to Wachirawut who being the eldest son of this queen ascended the throne as Rama VI (fig.) in 1910. Her full name is Saowapha Phongsri. Thai for 'bridge'. Sapta Sindhava (सप्तसिन्धव) Sanskrit. Term referring to the seven great rivers mentioned in the Vedas, i.e. the Ganges, Jumna, Sarasvati (now replaced by the small present-day Sarsuti river that joins the Ghaggar river), Satlej, Parushni, Marudvridha and Arjikija. Those are the five rivers of the Punjab along with the Sarasvati, which has since disappeared, and the Indus. Sometimes the term refers to the seven great world seas. See also panjanatie. Name of a province (map) and its capital city in Central Thailand, 110 kms north of Bangkok with a population of 64,000. In the province of the same name there is the famous but controversial temple Wat Tham Khao Krabok, a place where opium and heroin addicts are treated by means of herbs in a strict regime, combined with teachings from the dhamma. This province also has a temple which is bestowed with the highest possible royal title of Rajavora Maha Vihaan, namely Wat Phra Phutthabaat (fig.). Throughout Thailand there are only a few temples conferred with this high royal title. The temple houses a footprint of the Buddha (Phraphutthabaht) in a small beautifully decorated mondop. This giant footprint was discovered during the rule of king Song Tham (1610 to 1628) and bears the 108 auspicious signs of a buddha. The province has thirteen amphur.
See Traisarana. Sarasvati (सरस्वती, สรัสวดี) 1. Sanskrit-Thai. The Hindu goddess of art and learning, and the consort of Brahma (fig.). In Mahayana Buddhism she is the goddess of education, music and poetry, and the consort of Manjushri. Her mount is a peacock. In Thai called Surasvati and Surasvati Devi. She was originally a personification a the river Sarasvati.
2. Sanskrit-Thai. Name of a former river in India, part of the Sapta Sindhava and of which the goddess Sarasvati was originally a personification. When the river dried up in a desert, as mentioned in the Mahabharata, the goddess in question developed an independent identity and got a new meaning. Today the Sarasvati has been replaced by a small river that joins the Ghaggar river and is called Sarsuti. Sariputta (สาริพุทธา) Pali-Thai. One of the chief disciples of the Buddha, in Burmese religious art usually depicted together with Mogallana (fig.) seated in front of a Buddha image. In Thailand more likely seen in a standing pose, in front of Buddha images. In Sanskrit Sariputtra.
Sariputtra (शारिपुत्र, สารีบุตร) Sanskrit-Thai for Sariputta. Location near Varanasi in North India, where the Buddha held his first public discourse after he had attained Enlightenment. This first sermon was given to the panjawakkie or five ascetics in a deer park. Formerly named Mrigadava. See also dhammachakka. Thai. Garment consisting of a waistcloth hanging from the hips (fig.), as worn in India and in some countries of Southeast Asia. In Thailand the pattern of a sarong often indicates which part of the country one comes from. Girls may wear a similar waistcloth called phah thung (fig.). Burmese style sarongs are usually longer than those worn in Thailand. See also pah nung and sabong.
Thai for an institution for higher education. See education. Thai. The satang is Thai currency equivalent to one-hundredth part of a baht. Existing coins are the silver coloured coins of 1, 5 and 10 satang, and the brass coloured coins of 25 (fig.) and 50 satang (fig.), although only those of 25 and 50 satang are circulated. See also tambun sai baat (fig.).
Thai rice wine, an not yet distilled, alcoholic beverage. It is traditionally made from glutinous or sticky rice, yeast mixed with a starter culture called look paeng to assist the fermentation process, and water. Steamed sticky rice is mixed with the starter culture and kept in a fermentation tank 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 wine is squeezed from this substance and filtered. It is sometimes mixed with fruit juice. It is produced mainly in Isaan where it is usually sold in large earthen jars. See also lao khao. sat prajam wan (สัตว์ประจำวัน) Thai. 'Animal per day'. System in Thailand in which each day of the week corresponds with a certain mythological or real animal, that is, the Garuda for Sunday, the tiger for Monday, a lion or horse for Tuesday, an elephant for Wednesday, that is a tusked elephant before noon and a tuskless elephant for the afternoon or evening, a rat for Thursday, a Guinea pig for Friday and a serpent or snake for Saturday. The choice of animals is derived from the mounts of seven important gods, who in turn are associated with celestial bodies laid out in the dao prajam wan system. Animals assigned to the days of the week vary in the different Southeast Asian countries, and may as well differ locally. See also thep prajam wan, phra prajam wan and sih prajam wan.
Twin brother of Lakshmana and the incarnation of Vishnu's club. Thai. 'Altar screen'. A richly decorated heavy screen intended to be placed in front of an altar. They are made explicitly as tamboon making offerings to monasteries and feature seven spiked candle posts, referring to the seven mountains surrounding Mt. Meru.
Another transcription for Satun. Name of a province (map) and its capital city on the southern west coast of the Thai peninsula, 973 kms south of Bangkok and near the Malaysian border. It has a mainly Muslim population and the majority speaks Yawi, a Malay dialect. Places of interest include two national marine parks. The province has six amphur and one king amphur. Also transcribed Satul.
Satya (सत्य) Another name for Krita, first of the four yugas. Place in India where the Buddha performed a miracle in an attempt to convince disbelievers. Sawankhalok (สวรรคโลก) 1. A city in the north of central Thailand famous for its ceramic earthenware made there between the 14th and 16th centuries AD. Its old name was Sri Satchanalai, nowadays a historical park with ancient ruins and more than two hundred kilns from the past (fig.).
2. Name of ceramic earthenware from Sawankhalok made between the 14th and 16th centuries AD. The pottery imported by China of this period from Sukhothai and Ayutthaya was called Sangkalok, a mispronunciation of Sawankhalok. A typical characteristic is the tattoo-like design on its figurines (fig.).
Thai. Rajasap for 'dying'. Also called sinphrachon. Thai for passionfruit. Sayaam (สยาม) Thai pronunciation for Siam. Sayaam Thewathiraat (สยามเทวาธิราช) See Siam Thewathiraat. A lacquered cabinet used in temple libraries to hold palm leaf Buddhist manuscripts to protect them from humidity, insects, etc. It is placed usually in the ho trai or library, generally a wooden building on pillars placed in a basin to keep creeping vermin out. In Thai called tuh phra thamma.
Name for a seed of any of a number of tropical plants and trees of which the seeds are dispersed by floating upon the ocean currents. In Thailand this mainly refers to a large seed that sits within a long podlike seed-vessel and grows from a large woody vine with the scientific name entada spiralis which belongs to the family of leguminosae-mimosoideae. The shrub grows along brooks and rivers in the tropical rain forest and drops its seeds one by one from its pod into the waterway where they start to drift towards the sea. Once they have reached the open sea they travel with the ocean currents until they wash up on a beach somewhere, perhaps thousands of miles away from their origin. Sea beans are buoyant because of an air pocket within the seed and their hard outer covering helps them survive their long-distance journey. The seeds can be polished to a nice shine and are made into garlands and jewelry by hill tribe people, whereas children use the seeds in tossing games (fig.) and the pod as a musical instrument. Also called drift seed. In Thai called sabah.
See Chao Le. 1. Thai. 'Peel' and 'rub'. To mill or husk (rice). See also rohng see khao. 2. Thai for 'colour' and 'dye'. Thai. To charm, to cast a spell. As in sekpao. The term is also used to express blessings in which water is sprinkled or poured out, as in rod nahm mon. Thai. To charm or cast a spell (sek) by muttering a magic formula and blow (pao) with the mouth as if to transfer the magic to the object or person. This practice is usually performed by a senior monk, a village headman or an elder to bless or wish someone good luck prior to a long journey, an important task ahead, etc. See bai sema. A Hindu dynasty in East India during the 12th century AD, following the Pala dynasties and which school of art is known as the Pala Sena style. Name of an East Indian plant of the genus sesamum which is found in tropical and subtropical regions, and has oil-yielding seeds (fig.). The upper part of its stalks are covered with small green hairy horizontal calyces each of which contains around three tiny seeds. When dried the seeds are edible and are used to make candy bars (fig.). It is said that sesame seeds have a soporific effect and it is given to children to induce sleep. In Thai called nga and candy made from it is called nga lua and nga tad. See also krayahsaad.
Sesha (शेष) See Shesha. Thai for 'tiger'. In Thailand tigers occur in the wild in several National Parks and are often depicted in art and in temples. They are associated with reusi who is usually dressed in tiger fur and dwells in, or in the proximity of caves. Shiva is often seated on tiger fur (fig.). A good way to see tigers is in Sri Racha Tiger Zoo in Chonburi province, the largest of its kind in the world. Just to the North of Kanchanaburi town is a Buddhist temple where a monk and his supporters rehabilitate domesticated tigers back into the wild. In Thailand tigers are related to Saturday and the mount of Phra Sao, the god of Saturday, is a tiger. The tiger is also the third animal in the Chinese zodiac. Since tigers represents strength they are often associated with certain aphrodisiacs and although they have no scientific medical value traditional Chinese medicine promotes tiger based drugs. In Sanskrit called viagra.
Thai. 'Arching tiger'. Name for a tall tree with an identifiable army camouflage coloured naked trunk. Comparable to the eucalyptus tree, it continually renews its bark from the inside by throwing off its outer skin. The bark subsequently cracks and peels off producing colourful stripes, like a tiger. Although uncommon it is most usually found in northern Thailand. Also called ton pleuay (stripped tree or naked tree).
1. Thai. A long white gown as worn by a brahman priest or a candidate for the Thai Buddhist monkhood (fig.). 2. Thai. An academic gown.
seua mo hom (เสื้อม่อฮ่อม/เสื้อหม้อห้อม) Thai. A blue cotton farmer's shirt, sometimes worn with a similar pair of trousers and with a pahkaomah around the waist. The blue colour of the shirt is acquired from a plant called krahm, by soaking it in water. Next this solution is mixed with chalk and left to soak for two days and nights (fig.). The blue substance obtained is subsequently blend with a liquid gained from water mixed with ashes, a procedure that gives a reaction making the blue chalky substance suitable for submerging the cotton. Next, cotton material is immersed repeatedly until it has absorbed the dye, and hung to dry in the sun (fig.). This process is repeated up to four times, until the typical dark blue colour is obtained. Its name is derived from the earthen pot (mo/moh) in which the shirt (seua) is dyed in. Native to northern Thailand it is often produced in Phrae province. Also transcribed seua moh hom.
Thai. 'To follow, to descend from, or to succeed in fate, fortune or luck'. Animist ritual ceremony in northern Thailand in which a white thread called sai sin spans the interior of the bot, starting from the pricipal Buddha image. It will be connected to the heads of the monks and the people sitting underneath it on the temple floor. A shaman will conduct a rite whilst Buddhist monks are invited to preach. The ceremony believed to prolong life can be held at any time and its host will reward the shaman for his service, usually with cash. Sometimes also wooden logs are placed against a bodhi tree to symbolically support it (fig.).
Another spelling for Sakoh. Sanskrit. 'Mighty', 'powerful' or 'the mighty one'. An epithet for Indra. It can also mean 'radiant' or 'bright' and in mythology refers to the Adityas, whereas shakradhanus means 'rainbow'. shakti (शक्ति) 1. Sanskrit. 'Strength'. The consort of a Hindu god personifying the female energy of that god. So is Parvati e.g. the shakti of Shiva.
2. Sanskrit. 'Strength'. The name of the Hindu goddess of strength. Shakya (शक्य) Sanskrit. 'Capable, able'. The clan or tribe to which prince Siddhartha belonged who became the historical Buddha. In Pali Sakya. Shakyamuni (शक्यमुनि) Sanskrit. 'Sage of the Shakya clan'. A name for the historical Buddha. In Pali Sakyamuni. Name for a priest from Shamanism.
A primitive belief in which some priests or shamans enter a trance and consequently make contact with the supernatural. Thai for harpoon, a barbed, fish-hook-like missile with a rope attached, for catching fish. It is not completely legal. See also pramong.
A people (fig.) living in West and Northwest Thailand of Thai origin in Burma. Also called Thai Yai and Ngiaw.
Shaolin (少林) Chinese. 'Young forest'. Initially the name of a Buddhist monastery in China's Henan province. As a defense from bandits the monastery contributed to the development of a martial arts form consisting of nineteen different types which lay at the origin of Chinese fighting sports, including the renowned Kung Fu. It is practiced by the fighting monks of the Shaolin order in China, but has followers worldwide. Now the term Shaolin is more often than not used in reference to this martial art.
Chinese. 'Sand understanding purity'. Name of a fallen immortal who was punished by the Jade Emperor for breaking a crystal goblet. He was exiled from heaven, where he previously was the General who Raises the Curtain, and sent to the mortal world as a hideous sand demon. On earth he dwelt in the quicksand river where he attacked innocent passers-by and received weekly punishments from heaven. In search of powerful bodyguards to protect the monk Xuanzang on his Journey to the West, he was recruited by Kuan Yin in exchange for relief from his punishment. After the pilgrimage he was rewarded and transformed into a luohan. His weapon of choice is a double-headed staff with a crescent-moon blade at one end and a spade at the other. In English he is also known as Friar Sandy.
Chinese. Literally 'god of agriculture', a designation for the first farmer and founder of herbal medicine, as well as the god of husbandry. He is traditionally seen as one of the three Emperors who are credited for creating Chinese culture, together with Fu Hsi and Huang Ti, the Yellow Emperor. He is the author of China's earliest book on pharmacology compiled systematically. It is believed that he lived around 2700 BC. Regularly transcribed Shen Nung and in Thai also referred to as Iamtee or Iantee.
Shesha (शेष) Mythological serpent with a thousand heads, symbol of the cosmic waters and the animal on which the Hindu god Vishnu rests during the nights that separate two cosmic periods. Also known as Ananta and Vasuki. Sanskrit. 'Auspicious' and 'fortunate'. One of the three prominent gods of the Hindu Trimurti, the pantheon that also includes Brahma and Vishnu (fig.). He represents both destruction and regenerating energy. In Thai art he is generally depicted with his hair plaited in a thick tuft and wearing a brahman cord (fig.) which is sometimes depicted as a snake. He has an urna on his forehead and a crescent in his hair. His many attributes include a trisula or trident and an axe, and he is often seated on tiger fur (fig.). The Bengal tiger's skin was originally an emblem of Shiva as he killed the 'tiger of desire' and used its skin as his meditation seat. His consort is Devi who is also known as Parvati and Uma. He is the lokapala of the Northeast and his mount is the buffalo or bull Nondi, also called Nandi (fig.). He is often found depicted in a cosmic dance and as 'lord of dance', a representation of cosmic truth and energy known as Nataraja (fig.). He is also identified by the names Isana, Ishana, Prithivi and Rudra, and in Thai he is called Siva, Siwa or Idsuan. When portrayed in combination with Vishnu, he is known as Harihara (fig.), and in combination with Uma as Ardhanari (fig.). Sometimes spelled Shiwa. See also Shivalinga and pladkik.
First and most important form of veneration in Angkor practiced in Cambodia from the 5th century AD and in which the Hindu god Shiva is worshipped by the name Bhadeshvara. See linga. Shri (श्री) Sanskrit. Goddess of fortune and wealth, and consort of the Hindu god Vishnu. Also known as Lakshmi. See also Sri. See Srivijaya. Shudra (शूद्र) The lowest of the four social classes from the Hindu caste system (varna) in India originally consisting of prisoners of war and conquered people, but later unskilled labourers and fallen members from the three higher castes. Also Sudra.
Chinese. 'Ears [that hear the sounds] taken with the wind', sometimes
also translated as 'Favourable Wind Ears' or 'Fair
Burmese. Large bell shaped pagoda or chedi in Yangon (Burma), covered with 60 tons of gold leaf and adorned with precious gemstones. Its construction is said to have started in the 5th century AD to house eight hairs of the Buddha. Throughout the centuries it was enlarged, restored and rebuilt. Shyama (श्याम) Sanskrit. 'Black' or 'dark'. Another name for Mahakali, a terrible form of Devi. It is also the word of which the name Sayaam or Siam, the old name of Thailand, derives. See Sri. The ancient name for Thailand, until 1939. The term is derived from the Sanskrit word shyama meaning 'dark' or 'black', a name given by the Khmer on the grounds of the dark complexion of the Thai. Also transcribed Sayaam. A typical Thai breed of cat and one of the first Oriental species to be distinctly recognized. They have blue, almond shaped eyes and a rather triangular head. Its fur is of a creamy base colour with dark points on its snout, ears, lower legs and paws, genitals and tail. Original Siamese cats are squint-eyed and have a kink at the end of their tail, features that are regarded as flaws in the West and thus have largely been eliminated through selective breeding, but in Thailand they are still common, especially in stray cats whereas housecats are usually bobtailed. According to legend, one day, when all the men of Siam had left their homes to defend the kingdom, just two temple cats, a male named Tien and a female named Chula, had remained in order to guard a golden goblet belonging to the Buddha and kept in a sacred temple. Tien got bored with the task and after mating, he left Chula in order to search for someone else to come and look after the goblet. Chula was so dedicated to her duty to guard the goblet alone, that she didn't risk to take her eyes off of it, not even once, so well she guarded the goblet that she turned cross-eyed. And just in case she would fall asleep, she wrapped her tail around the goblet’s stem so tight, that she developed a kink in it. Later, all her kittens were born with these features, and this continued to happen to later generations, even up to this present day. Another story tells that there once was a princess who used her cat's tail to keep her rings while she was bathing, with the kink in the tail preventing the rings from falling off and going lost. In the West the Siamese cat is named after the former name of Thailand but in Thailand it is called wichian maat, meaning 'golden thunderbolt'.
Name for monozygotic twins who are joined at some part of the body. The term was introduced in the West by Robert Hunter, a Brit who internationally spread word of In and Chan, a Siamese twin born on 11 May 1811, during the reign of king Rama II. The twin was the fifth child of Tai-ai, a Chinese immigrant and his mixed-blood wife Nok, who lived on a raft house in Mae Khlong, nowadays Samut Songkhram. The newborn infants were conjoined twins, attached to each other at the chest by shared tissue. Hazardous plans to separate them where eventually abandoned and the boys lived on to become real celebrities. Even though living reasonable normal lives public interest in the twins grew and after an audience with king Rama III their recognition was established, allowing them to make a good living from their initial misfortune. They worked in circuses and freak shows, went to live abroad and even got married. They died in 1874. In Thai called faed sayaam.
Thai-Chinese name for Chinese fortune sticks. Society which focuses on preserving traditional Thai culture. It has an excellent reference library and an ethnological museum exhibiting Thai Folk Art. It also publishes a journal. The Siam Society is located in Soi Asoke off Sukhumvit Road. Siam Thewathiraat (สยามเทวาธิราช) Thai. The guardian spirit of the nation. Also transcribed Sayaam Thewathiraat.
An ancient kingdom in present-day Laos, formerly called Phuan and situated near the 'field of jars'. Its population is considered to be the ancestors of the Siamese from Central Thailand. In 1830 it was briefly occupied by the Vietnamese but recaptured in 1834 by Luang Phrabang in collaboration with Siam. Also Xiengkhouang. Sida (สีดา) Thai name for Sita, in the Ramakien, the Thai version of the Ramayana. Siddhartha (सिद्धार्थ) Sanskrit. 'Goal accomplished', 'every wish fulfilled' and 'he who succeeds and prospers'. The name of the prince who later became the historical Buddha. In Pali Siddhatta. Pali for Siddhartha. sidphratathahkot (ศิษย์พระตถาคต) Sanskrit-Thai. A disciple or follower of a great man, namely the Buddha. See Sri. Thai term for a male elephant that grows short tusks. See also phlaay and phang. Thai. 'Section' or 'portion'. An old Thai monetary unit with a value of eight siyaw or two feuang. There are four sihk in one saleung. Also transcribed siek. Thai. The five commandments of the Buddha, the Buddhist religious precepts for laymen. Monks and members of the Sangha are supposed to submit to the 227 rules of conduct concerning monastic discipline written down in the Vinaya Pitaka or Vinay Pidok. See also jam sihn and Buddhist precepts. Thai. 'Colour per day'. System in Thailand in which each day of the week corresponds with a certain colour, that is, red for Sunday, yellow for Monday, pink for Tuesday, green for Wednesday, orange for Thursday, light blue for Friday and purple for Saturday, respectively. This colour system is also used to determine the field of the flag with the escutcheon of members of the royal family. Compare with thep prajam wan, phra prajam wan, sat prajam wan and dao prajam wan.
Indian religion founded
by the guru Nanak Dev (1469-1539) in
the late 15th
century which emphasizes submission to God and service to people. Sikh means
'disciple' or 'seeker of the truth' and
followers believe in one God, share the Hindu beliefs in karma and reincarnation, but reject the rituals.
Sikhs believe that greediness, desire, pride, anger and any attachment to
passing values of earthly existence are the source of all evil. This
self-centeredness
is called haumai and separates humans from God. It is the
cause of ones karma that leads to the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth,
a sequence
that can only be broken by Enlightenment and spiritual unity with the
one God. Its teachings emphazises equality of all people regardless of caste or
gender. To demonstrate their acceptance of this equality all men are instructed
to change their last name into Singh (lion), whilst all women adapt the name Kaur (princess). In Sikh history there have been
ten great gurus. Its founder Nanak Dev appointed his successor who was followed
by nine others. The last one however, the guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708),
pronounced the end of this line of succession and ordained the Sikh holy
scripture, the Adi-Granth to be the ultimate
spiritual authority, rather than any person or new successor. The holiest of Sikh
shrines is the Golden Temple (fig.) in Amritsar,
which
Sanskrit. 'Mountain peak', 'pinnacle' or 'summit'. Architectural term used to refer to the rising tower of North Indian Hindu temples, usually erected over the sanctuary where the presiding deity is enshrined is the most prominent and visible part of a Hindu temple of North Indian style. Its South Indian equivalent is the vimana. Also transcribed shikhara. Thai. 'Red stone'. Thai name for laterite. Also din daeng. Thai. A stone with a carved inscription. See also stele. Soft fabric of high quality made from the spinnings of the silkworm. In Thai called mai and if woven in the traditional Thai manner by hand, it is called Mai Thai.
Epithet for the cochlospermum religiosum or buttercup tree, an ornamental deciduous tree up to 15 meters high which blooms from bare branches. In India and Burma it is used as a source of industrial gum, but originally it had sacred uses. In Thai named ton supani kah, ton chim phalih or ton ngiw (red cotton tree), depending on the variety.
See mai. Silpa Bhirasri (ศิลป์ พีระศรี) Professor of Italian origin, born in Santa Giovani, Florence on 15 September 1892, with the western name of Corrado Feroci. After his education at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence he was appointed its professor in 1914. In 1923 he came to Thailand on an invitation from the Thai government and was appointed in 1924 sculptor of the Royal Institute for Fine Arts. In 1933 he founded the School of Fine Arts and became its administrator and teacher in art, art history and several art disciplines. Following a visit by Prime Minister Field Marshal Phibun Songkram (fig.). In 1943 the school's status was raised to that of a university. Corrado Feroci was entrusted with the task to establish the Silpakorn University (fig.) and was appointed professor and dean of the Faculty of Painting and Sculpture (fig.). In 1944, during WW II, professor Feroci changed his name to Silpa Bhirasri and became a Thai citizen. He died of cancer in Bangkok in 1962. His contribution and devotion to Thai art give him a unique status. Also Silpa Phirasih.
University in Bangkok founded in 1943 previously the School of Fine Arts founded by the Italian sculptor Corrado Feroci (fig.) who was also the dean of the Faculty of Painting and Sculpture (fig.).
Silpa Phirasih (ศิลป์ พีระศรี) Another transcription for Silpa Bhirasri. Laotian. The most important sanctuary and ordination hall of a Buddhist temple in Laos, similar to the bot in Thailand. simha (सिंह) Simhahanu (सिंहहनु) Sanskrit. 'Lion's jaw'. Grandfather of Siddhartha who possessed the bow that the prince used in a contest to proof his skills in order to allow him to marry Yasodhara, a weapon that others could hardly lift. He had five sons, namely Suddhodana, Dhautodana, Shakradana, Sulkodana and Amritodan. simhasana (सिंहासन) Sanskrit for 'lion throne', one of the seated positions or asana in iconography. Thai. 'Lion city'. Name of a province (map) and its capital city of the same name in Central Thailand, 142 kms North of Bangkok. The province is known for the historical heroes of Bang Rajan camp (fig.). The province has six amphur.
Thai for singha. Pali. 'Lion'. Derived from the Sanskrit word simha. In Thailand called singh and in Burma cinthe. In Buddhism it is considered the guardian of Buddhist teachings usually portrayed in a mythological form. Especially in northern Thailand they are often found in pairs guarding temple entrances. In general the term is used when referring to lions in a metaphorical sense, e.g. mythological lions and when a sign of the zodiac. The common word used for actual lions is singtoh.
Thai term for a window behind which a Thai king in the past used to receive foreign visitors. Name for a kind of bowl-shaped bell or gong used as a stimulation utility for meditation, trance induction and prayer, especially in Mahayana Buddhism and feng shui. It originates from the Himalayan region but is widely used throughout the South Asia and the Far East. In Chinese Buddhism the monks strike the singing bowl when chanting prayers (fig.), but usually it is played by rubbing a wooden mallet around the rim of the bowl, causing an overtone which is referred to as 'singing', hence its name. It is traditionally made from five metals called panchaloga in Sanskrit, in general a bronze mixture of copper, tin, zinc and iron, and another metal, although nowadays also other materials are often used. Singing bowls are usually kept on hassock-like cushions. See also muyu.
Thai for lion. Also singha. Thai. Rajasap or royal language for 'dying'. Occurs regularly on pedestals in Thailand together with the term phrasoot. Also sawankot.
Sipsongpannah (ສິບສວງພັນນາ, สิบสองพันนา) Laotian-Thai. 'Twelve hundred paddies'. A region in the South Chinese province of Yunnan, in the North bordering Nan Chao, and in the 12th century AD under the rule of the independent Tai and later, in the 17th century, kingdoms of the Thai Lu. In Chinese known by the name of Xishuangbanna. Compare with Lan Na. MORE ON THIS. Sirikit Kitthiyagon (สิริกิติ์ กิติยากร) Born the daughter of a Thai prince and his consort, on 12 August 1932. Queen of Thailand by marriage to king Bhumipon Adunyadet, on 28 April 1950. She breathes new life into Thai traditional handicrafts and encourages the continuation of this cultural heritage on a national level. She is also chair of several organizations, including the national Red Cross. She gave birth to four children, three daughters and one son, the present crown prince Maha Vajiralongkorn. The name Sirikit means 'beauty and honor'.
Another -often used- transliteration for the name of princess Sirinthon. Sirinthon Thep Rattana Rachasudah (สิรินธรเทพรัตนราชสุดา) Second daughter and third child to king Bhumipon and queen Sirikit. Born in Dusit on 2 April 1955. Her name is usually transliterated Sirindhorn, in Roman script. Siriraj Hospital Museum (พิพิธภัณฑสถานโรงพยาบาลศิริราช) First royal hospital in the country, originally called Wang Lang Hospital, after a palace that once stood on its location. It was renamed in memory to prince Siriraj Kakuthaphan who died of dysentery at the short-lived age of one year and seven months. He was the fifth son to queen Sri Patcharintra and king Rama V, who had it built to provide medical treatment to the public when the era of modern medicine made its way to Thailand. When current members of the royal family need medical attention they customarily come here. The hospital also contains an educational museum which has some gloomy features on display, including the cross-section of a human head on formaldehyde. The hospital was Thailand's first medical school built to help medical students with their studies and research projects as well as to serve members of the public.
Sita (सीता) The wife of Rama and heroin in the epic Ramayana. She is the embodiment of the female virtues. In the Thai version of the Ramayana, the Ramakien, she is called Sida. Thai name for Siddhartha. Also pronounced Sittharot and Sittharta. Thai name for Siddhartha. Also pronounced Sitthaat and Sittharta. One of the four positions of Buddha images in iconography. See also iryapatha.
See Shiva. Thai name for Shiva. Thai for linga. Thai for linga. Thai. 'Quarter'. An old Thai monetary unit with a value of four sihk, or one fourth of a solot. Skanda (स्कन्द) Sanskrit. The god of war and one of the sons of Shiva and his consort. His mount is the mayura or peacock. He is is associated with Phra Angkahn and also known as Kumara, Karttikeya, Guha, Subramanya and Subramaniam. A designation for the Chinese god Budai. Both in Thailand and Indo-Malay territory there are about a hundred different species of snake, including the net python, with a length of up to ten meters one of the largest kinds in the world. Also native is the very poisonous cobra (fig.) and the groove headed adder together with a number of other less poisonous species. Snakes have a forked tongue which they use to scent evaporated molecules in the air. To interpret these scent particles they posses a sensitive organ on the roof of their mouth, called the vomeronasal organ or Jacobson's organ, that allows them to determine which direction a scent is coming from and which can pick up scents for over a kilometer away. By sticking out its tongue, scent particles will stick to it and when retracting it, the tongue will brush against the cavity with the vomeronasal organ (fig.). By regularly sticking its tongue in and out, the scent particles are taken in and after analyses by the brain will recall a certain memory, whether of prey or of an enemy, enabling the animal to react more alert. The most poisonous snakes however live in the water, both in fresh and seawater alike. In mythology the snake plays an important role and occurs often in both Buddhist and Hindu stories, e.g. as Ananta, the serpent on which Vishnu rests during his cosmic sleep (fig.), and as naga, the guardian of the Buddha. In the sat prajam wan system the snake is associated with Saturday, hence the Buddha's naagprok position (fig.) assigned to that day. In the Chinese zodiac the snake is the sixth animal, representing the sixth year of the animal cycle. See also snake farm. In Thai ngu.
Farm where venom is milked from snakes to produce antidotes for emergencies in case of poisonous snake bites. The venom is injected into horses who produce the serum. The horses are unaffected by the poison. In Bangkok the snake farm is linked with the Thai Red Cross and is open to the public.
Thai. Term used for one who has just attained Enlightenment, a saint. The term also means sainthood and to attain sainthood. Also sodah. Thai for ginseng. Thai. An obsolete Thai coin equal to one 1.128th of a baht. Also lot. Thai for 'orange'. It refers to both the colour and the fruit. When referring to the fruit it may be specified with the prefix 'look' and when referring to the colour the prefix 'see' may be added, and an orange tree is called 'ton som'. Oranges originated either in Southeast Asia or southern China and in a number of languages it is known as the Chinese apple, e.g. the Dutch 'sinaasappel'. Its Latin name (citrus sinensis) also gives away its origin and the name of the smaller 'mandarin' (fig.) equally refers to a Chinese origin. Its English name, however, derives from the Sanskrit naranga. Thailand has a suitable climate to grow oranges but concentrates more often than not on the smaller mandarins, mainly for own use. Before being sold on the market they are sorted by size (fig.).
soma (सोम) Sanskrit. Life nectar identified with the elixir of immortality or amrita. Soma (सोम) Sanskrit. Another name for the moon god Chandra. Thai. 'Majesty', 'serenity', or 'holiness'. Title usually utilized as a prefix in titles of kings, with names of royalty or monks of high rank. From the Ayutthaya period (1350-1767) onward the title for a monarch is Somdet (Phra), in the Thonburi period (1767-1782) this has changed into Somdet Phra Chao and in the Rattanakosin or Bangkok period (after 1782) it is Phrabaht Somdet (Phra). Somdet Phra Borom Raja Channanie (สมเด็จพระบรมราชชนนี) Thai. Title for the mother of the king. See also Somdet, Phra, Borom, Raja and Channanie. Somdet Phra Pan Pie Luang (สมเด็จพระพันปีหลวง) Thai. 'Holy Majesty worshipped for a thousand years'. Mother of the king, and widow of nobility. See also Somdet, Phra, Luang and panwatsa. Thai name for pomelo. Thai. A popular native dish of sliced green papaya mashed and mixed with spices (i.e. chilies, sugar, palm sugar, lemon or lemon juice and fish sauce), tomatoes, peanuts and sometimes dried shrimps and carrots. Generally it will be mixed with a raw crab in which case it is called somtam pu. Another popular vegetarian version is somtam khai khem, papaya salad mixed with a salted (khem) duck's egg (khai). It is especially liked by people from Isaan.
Thai. The dish somtam mixed and pounded with a raw land crab. 1. Thai name for the striped snakehead fish, a kind of fresh water fish of the genus channa, with the Latin name channa striatus, a commonly found species in Thailand. 2. Thai northern dialect (kham meuang). Name for a kind of small fish trap made of bamboo. See also saab, lob, sai and sang.
Rajasap or Thai term used by and for royalty, monks and priests to take a bath, and in expressions such as song nahm phra. Thai. A prefix used to form terms of reverence when speaking of or addressing royalty or deity. When it is used before a noun it has the force of a verb, the term becoming an intransitive verb with a meaning appropriate to the object, as in songmah. See also rajasap. Name of a province (map) and its capital seaport-city in South Thailand with a population of around 84,000 and situated on the east coast of the Thai peninsula 950 kms from Bangkok. Many inhabitants speak Yawi, a Malay dialect. According to some, the city name is derived from Singora, the former name of a nearby mountain in the form of a lion (singh), today called Khao Daeng (Red Mountain). Other sources however claim that the name is derived from the local ruler Phraya Wichian Khiri who was also known by the name 'Bunsang of Songkhla' and brought the city prosperity (a 'victory' over poverty) during his reign from 1847 to 1865. Possibly the name is simply derived from Sankha, nowadays the city's logo and a Sanskrit word meaning 'conch of victory', referring to its location near the sea and its victory over the land by building the city. The province has sixteen amphur.
Thai-Sanskrit. 'To rise' and 'to move'. It refers to the date on which the sun moves into Aries, the sign of the zodiac (fig.) also known as the Ram. It is considered the beginning of a new year, the end of the dry season and the incitement of the first rains. According to the lunar calendar Songkraan usually falls in mid-April and is in Thailand celebrated from the 13th to 15th. In preparation houses are cleaned and all rubbish is burnt. Families get together and it is an opportunity to show solidarity. In religion Buddha images are sprinkled with water (fig.), an act called song nahm phra. Youths will pay their respect to the elderly and monks by sprinkling them with water while on the streets a celebration takes place in the form of a water festival in which water is tossed exuberantly (fig.). Another practice during the festival is to smear each others face with wet talcum powder (fig.). In Myanmar the festival is called Thingyan and in Thai also Trut Thai.
Rajasap for 'riding a horse'.
songmah kanthaka (ทรงม้ากัณฐกะ) Thai. 'Riding the horse Kanthaka'. Term in rajasap referring to a scene in the life of Siddhartha in which the horse Kanthaka carries the prince away from the palace during the Great Departure (fig.). Thai-
songthaew (สองแถว) Thai. 'Two rows'. Pick-up truck with two rows of seats or benches in the back and a roof covering. It usually operates like a bus on a fixed route and for a set fare, but may also be hired individually like a regular taxi. They come in different sizes and are more common outside Bangkok. At the end of the line and at popular stops the driver may wait for enough customers before setting off again. When all seats are taken passengers often hang from the back or sit on the roof.
King of Ayutthaya from 1610 to 1628. Thai. A bell shaped coop-like tool woven with spacious intervals from thin bamboo strips and used to catch fish, frogs and other aquatic animals in shallow water, most commonly in rice paddies. The coop has a tapering shape and an opening at the top. It is placed over the fish to entrap it and is then caught by hand through the opening at the top. It is used in combination with a takong to store the fish already caught. They are sometimes used as lampshades in local restaurants and are sold in miniature as a souvenir.
Thai. A traditional fiddle-like instrument with three strings and played with a bow (fig.). See also mahori. See Phra Phutta Sothon. High-protein bean of the soy, a plant species originally from China and Japan. Soybeans are used to make soy sauce and tofu, among other things. Fresh they are used as an important ingredient in phad thai and in spring rolls. Also called soya bean and in Thai thua leuang.
Cambodian or Khmer for 'bridge'. Compare with the Thai word sapaan. Tropical plant with the Latin name hymenocallis caribaea, carrier of white flowers with a diameter of up to 15 centimeters and resembling a white spider, hence its name. In Thai however it is called phlab phleung teen ped, which translates as duckfeet lily.
Shrine where the guardian spirit of the land resides. When a new home is built scale models with a likeness of a puppet house or a miniature temple on a platform are placed in front of the building or on the roof, so that the phra phum chao tih, the spirit that formerly lived on the land, can move into it. Often a jawed, the image of a guardian spirit, is placed in the spirit house. In Thai sahn phra phum.
Cambodian or Khmer word for 'pool' or 'pond'. Sravasti (श्रावस्ती) Hindi. A ancient city in North India where the Buddha meditated and performed a number of miracles. As a reaction to those who doubted his teachings the Buddha performed the Great Miracle in which he levitated whilst water and fire gushed from his body, and his appearance multiplied. Cambodian or Khmer for 'woman', as in Banteay Srei. 1. Pali. Goddess of fortune and wealth, and consort of the Hindu god Vishnu. Also known as Lakshmi and in Sanskrit transcribed as Shri. See also abhisheka of Sri.
2. Thai. Prefix meaning 'majestic' and 'glorious' and is often placed before proper names and place names, as in Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya, the full name of Ayutthaya. Sometimes transcribed as Sih or Si and so pronounced. Sri Aria Metrai (ศรีอริยเมตไตรย) See Maitreya. Warlord who at the beginning of the 13th century AD conquered an area in the North of Thailand ruled by the Khmer. In 1238, the Thai consequently founded their first independent kingdom of Sukhothai. A name for Lakshmi. Renowned Thai poet from the 17th century AD. Sri Preukthetsuan (ศรีพฤกเทศวร) Thai. Name of an annual kind of worship dance from Prasat Hin Wat Sra Kamphaeng Yai in Sri Saket province, performed each year at the end of January. Name of a province (map) and its capital city in Isaan, 571 kms northeast of Bangkok and with a population of around 35,000. The province borders Cambodia and its local places of interest include several ancient Khmer temples with the famous remains of Khao Phra Wihaan situated on Cambodian territory but accessible only through Thailand. The province has twenty amphur and two king amphur.
Old name of Sawankhalok. Thai heroin and thao who in 1785, together with her sister Thep Krasatri, prevented a Burmese invasion of Phuket Island. Also known as Muk. See also heroines of Phuket. Srivijaya (ศรีวิชัย) A Mahayana Buddhist empire that from the 7th to 13th centuries AD stretched from Sumatra to the Indonesian archipelago and the Malaysian peninsula, with parts of the South of present-day Thailand, including Chaiya (fig.) which, as a seaport, played an important role in the trade between the Thai-Malaysian peninsula, India and China. The scale of this empire as well as its capital are still disputed, though it is generally believed that this was Palembang in Sumatra. Also a form of art and sometimes spelled Shrivijaya. Popular name of a parasitic plant that grows on trees in the rainforest and which shape resembles a stag's antler or horn. It may grow to up to 1.8 meters high and then may collapse under its own weight. Also used in gardens where it grows to no more than half its natural size. Its Latin names are platycerium superbum and platycerium grande.
One of the four iryapatha (fig.), the different positions of the body, e.g. walking (fig.), standing, seated (fig.), and reclining (fig.), in which the Buddha can be portrayed according to recognised iconography.
stambha (स्तम्भ) Term from Sanskrit to indicate a free standing column. Yellow greenish edible fruit of the averrhoa carambola, a tree with a height of up to twelve meters. The fruit as well as the tree are also called carambola. The tree produces fruit almost the whole year. In Thai ma feuang.
Upright, usually flat stone panel with an inscription (fig.), the earliest method used to record historical events. Sometimes used as a tomb slab. Also written stèle. See also sila jahreuk.
Name of a ancient sila jahreuk, a stone block with an epigraph, allegedly written by king Ramkamhaeng and discovered in Sukhothai in the first half of the 19th century. Although its origin has been disputed, it has been held as a primary source for information on the history of Sukhothai. A famous section from the inscription reads: 'This land of Sukhothai is thriving. There is fish in the waters and rice in the fields. The king does not collect taxes from his subjects; whoever wants to trade (...), let him trade. This Sukhothai is good, the faces of the people are shining bright. The king has hung a bell in the opening of the gate; if any commoner has a grievance which sickens his belly and grips his heart, he goes and strike the bell: King Ramkamhaeng will question the man, examine the case and decide justly for him...'. This led to the believe that the early Siamese rulers were goodhearted and just by nature.
Casual name for a vine that sends its roots down the trunk of its host tree. Once the roots reach the ground and are able to take advantage of added nutrients they will increase in number and begin to fuse together, eventually enclosing its host completely and spreading a large crown above it. The host tree will finally die from lack of light and rot away, leaving the fig standing as a bogus tree with a hollow centre. The tiny seeds of the fig are spread by animals that eat its fruit and deposit their feces together with the indigestible sticky seeds on the branches of trees. Fig seeds that end up on a tree branch with sufficient light and moisture have the right conditions to take root. Occurs mainly in tropical and subtropical rainforests. Its name often refers specifically to the species ficus citrifolia and ficus bengalensis, though the term generally includes all figs that share this unique life cycle. See also banyan tree.
A kind of plaster used in architectural decorations, sculpture, and as mortar between building blocks.
stupa (स्तूप) Sanskrit. 'Mound' or 'burial hill'. Term used in India to indicate a mound structure housing relics of the historical Buddha or revered monks. Sometimes it may be used to contain sacred images or other objects. In Thai named chedi. Thai. City park in Bangkok named after Lumbini, the birthplace of the historical Buddha. The park is the largest in town and attracts many practitioners of tai chi (fig.), and nowadays more often practitioners of mass aerobics (fig.). Besides this a variety of other sports are practiced such as jogging, sword fighting, yoga, etc. The park has a huge lake where water cycles are for hire and in which turtles and monitor lizards can be observed. It was donated to the city in the 1920's by king Rama VI, whose statue now stands at the main entrance.
Suan Pakkad Palace (วังสวนผักกาด) Former residence of Chumphotphong Bariphat, prince of Nakhon Sawan, one of Thailand's leading art collectors and a grandson to king Rama V. Suan Pakkad means 'cabbage garden' and refers to what the land was before it became the royal residence. The palace consists of five traditional Thai houses with a beautifully kept garden. Today it is a museum and houses a large collection of Asian art and antiques, and exhibits -amongst others- a collection of sea shells, mineral crystals and pottery from Ban Chiang.
Subhadra (सुभद्रा) Sanskrit. One of the princesses to which Arjuna married, the sister of Krishna and mother of Abhimanyu. Thai. 'Visionary dream'. Term that refers to Maha Maya's dream about a white elephant from the Himaphan woods that touched her and announced the future birth of the Buddha.
Another name for Phra Kanthakuman or Kanthakumara, son of Devi. Subramanya (सुब्रह्मण्य) Sanskrit. See Skanda and Kanthakumara. Suchada (सुजात) The devoted woman who offered Siddhartha the meal that broke his time of fasting, before his Enlightenment. Also Sujata. Suddhodana (सुद्धोदन, สุทโธทนะ) Pali-Thai. Father of the historical Buddha and ruler of the kingdom of the Sakyas, named Kapilavastu, in present-day Nepal. Also known by the names Totsarot and Dasharatha. Pali for Suthon. Sudra (शूद्र) See Shudra. A practitioner of Islamic mysticism; a Muslim mystic. See noi nah. A plant of the genus saccharum officinarum. Its stem is made up of jointed segments that contain an edible sweet sap from which sugar is gained. It is cultivated in many provinces, especially in Kanchanaburi which has some sugar mill factories that press the sweet juice from its plant. It can be found as a refreshing snack or pressed into a drink on markets and food stalls all over Thailand. Old wooden sugarcane presses are often found in gardens as a decoration and occasionally they may be seen still in use (fig.). In Thai ton ohy. Palm tree from which fruits, called look taan (fig.), sugar is refined. In Thai ton taan.
Sugriva (सुग्रीव) Monkey king, brother of Vali and ally of Rama. Sujata (सुजात) See Suchada. Sukhavati (सुखावती) Sanskrit. 'Place of Great Bliss'. The western heaven of Mahayana Buddhism guarded by Amitabha, one of the five transcendental or dhyani buddhas. Thai. 'Dawn of happiness'. Name of a province (map) and its capital city in North Thailand, 427 kms north of Bangkok and with a population of around 25,000. It formerly was a kingdom established in 1238 AD by Poh Khun Indraditya who is also known as Phra Ruwang and liberated Thailand from the yoke of the Khmer. He was the father of king Ramkamhaeng and his kingdom flourished during the 13th and 14th centuries AD. Its remains can still be seen today in the World Heritage site known as 'meuang kao', the ancient city. Its ruins are well preserved and restored. It is considered the cradle of Thai civilization and Thailand's first independent empire and first capital. Here Buddhism was accepted as the state religion and king Ramkamhaeng created the Thai script. Sukhothai is also an art style from the region and from the period between the 13th and 14th centuries AD, officially from 1238 to 1448 AD. The province has nine amphur. The local places of interest include several historical sites.
sukiyaki (すき焼き/スキヤキ - สุกี้ยากี้/สุกียากี/สุกี้ยากี) Japanese-Thai. 'To roast on a plough'. Name for a soup-like dish with mainly wun sen glass noodles. Originally from Japan, Thailand has developed its own modified version which consists of thinly sliced meat or chicken, fish, seafood or tofu mixed with leafy vegetables, spices and sometimes mushrooms, and bring to a slow boil and let simmer in a shallow iron pot, known as a steamboat. The dish was originally cooked over a suki, that is a plough, hence its name. In Thai it is transcribed in several different ways and it is also called suki nahm or just suki.
Sumedha (सुमेध) Sanskrit. A former incarnation of Siddhartha Gautama, at the time of the first of his 24 buddha predecessors, Dipankara. When Sumedha, who lived the life of a brahman ascetic, met Dipankara, he vowed that one day he would be a buddha too. This was consequently confirmed by the omniscient buddha Dipankara and all his 23 descendants. sunak (สุนัข) Thai. The official word for 'dog' and 'puppy'. Although dogs are generally loved by most Thais (fig.), there are also many homeless dogs and people are occasionally attacked by dogs that turn wild. Stray dogs often live in packs and many have skin diseases and open wounds from fighting. Some temples and good-hearted people look after stray dogs and also the king is a major supporter by urging his subjects to treat stray dogs well. King Bhumipon's favourite pet is his dog called Thong Daeng, which means Copper in English. Thailand also has its own breed known as the 'Siamese dog' (fig.), of which exist several varieties. Some people eat dog meat, such as the Akha in Northern Thailand and the Soh in Sakon Nakhon, which has a dog market selling cooked dog. In popular speech dogs are called 'mah'.
Most popular Thai poet who lived from 1786 to 1855. It was first assumed that he was born in Klaeng, in the province of Rayong, but scholars nowadays believe that he actually came from Thonburi. As a writer he was highly praised by king Rama II, with whom he adapted a version of the Ramakien, and he is the author of the romantic epos Phra Aphaimanih, his most famous work. During the reign of king Rama III he fell into disgrace, but was later reinstated by king Rama IV. Today his statue stands in Klaeng and another one was erected in June 2005 in Thonburi, now thought to be his birthplace. Chinese. 'Grandchild that comprehends emptiness' or 'grandchild understanding emptiness'. Name of a monkey with acrobatic skills and a child-like playfulness, but also with a cunning mind. He was born out of a magical rock made of the primal chaos and which was fostered by the rays of the sun and moon for 1,000 years. After realizing his mortality he set out on a journey to find immortality and became a disciple of the xian Subhuti of whom he acquired the 72 earthly methods of transformation and the power of cloud-traveling, enabling him to jump 54,000 km in a single leap. He received three magical hairs from the bodhisattva Kuan Yin for use in dire situations and obtained a magical golden staff which was originally used for measuring sea water depth and flood control by holding down the sea, thus causing the sea to be turbulent. This staff could be shrunk down to the size of a needle and kept behind his ear, as well as expanded to gigantic proportions, as big as a pillar. Known as a troublemaker he was invited to the Heaven by the Jade Emperor who promoted him to be the guardian of the Heavenly Stables, hoping that would make him more manageable. After being excluded from a royal banquet however, he rebelled against Heaven and stole a Peach of Immortality, subsequently achieving immortality (fig.). Although feeling guilty about it at first, he continued to be a nuisance to everybody until the heavenly authorities decided to try and subdue him. He was caught and locked into the trigram caldron to be distilled into an elixir. However, after cooking him for 49 days, the cauldron exploded and Sun Wukong escaped, stronger than ever due to the magical fumes. Finally the Buddha himself was called in to help, who eventually subdued him and trapped him under a mountain for five centuries until he offered to serve Xuanzang, the Buddhist monk who was destined to make the pilgrimage known as Xiyouji or the Journey to the West. He was accepted as a disciple but not before being tricked into putting on a magical headband that can't be taken off, allowing Xuanzang to control and rebuke him. Also known as the Monkey King.
Sanskrit-Thai. 'Golden Swan'. Name of the King's personal Royal Barge as well as another name for the mythical swan hongse. Its figurehead is part of the logo of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (fig.). Also hong thong and sometimes transcribed Suphannahongse. Sanskrit-Thai. 'Golden fish'. A mermaid and daughter of Totsakan in the Ramayana, with whom the monkey-general Hanuman begot his son Madchanu, who was born with the body of a monkey and the tail of a fish (fig.).
Thai. 'City of gold'. An ancient city and the capital of a province (map) with the same name. The city has a population of about 26,000 and is located on the Tachin river in Central Thailand, about 100 kms northwest of Bangkok. In the Dvaravati period the city was called Meuang Thawarawadi Sri Suphannaphumi, a possible reference to Suvarnabhumi. In Nong Sarai, near Suphanburi, prince (and later king) Naresuan (fig.), in 1593 defeated the Burmese crown prince in a duel on elephants and thus liberated Ayutthaya from the yoke of Burma. Now called Don Chedi, a chedi and statue was erected to commemorate this event. The region is also known for its many teak houses in traditional style (fig.). The province has ten amphur.
Sura (सुरा, สุรา) 1. Sanskrit. Goddess of wine who surfaced during the churning of the Ocean of Milk, as well as the name of a beverage distilled from rice meal which was popular among the Kshatriya warriors and people from the lower castes alike. 2. Thai for 'alcohol'. Born as Mo (fig.) in Korat in 1771 AD during the rule of king Taksin the Great. She was the daughter of Kip and Boonma and married to Chao Phraya Mahisarathibodi, acting governor of Korat. In 1826 the troops of king Anuwong of Vientiane rebelled against Thai supremacy and conquered several cities in northeastern Thailand. When they besieged Korat with an army of 3,000 men, Mo led a successful counterattack with the women of Korat, forcing the Laotian troops to retreat. Afterwards she led her troops back into Korat where she added an army of men to her group and joined up with the troops of the capital in order to drive the army of king Anuwong further from Thai territory (fig.). For her courage and for liberating Korat king Rama III conferred her with the title of Lady Suranari. Her statue now stands in the city of Nakhon Ratchasima (fig.).
See Surasvati Devi. Thai name for Sarasvati. Also Surasvati.
Name of a province (map) and its capital city in South Thailand, situated on the east coast of the Thai peninsula 644 kms from Bangkok. The province has many places of interest including Chaiya, one of the oldest cities in Thailand. The islands off the coast including Koh Tao (fig.), Koh Pha Ngan (fig.), Koh Samui (fig.) with its famous Hin Ta and Hin Yai rock formations (fig.) and Na Meuang waterfall (fig.), and the archipelago of Koh Ang Thong (fig.), a national marine park. It has one of the nation's most interesting national parks situated around an artificial lake, namely Khao Sok National Park (fig.), one of the few places in Thailand where the large rafflesia flower can be found and with a tunnel-cave and several waterfalls (fig.). The province has eighteen amphur and one king amphur.
Name of a province (map) in Isaan, bordering Cambodia and 457 kms northeast of Bangkok. Its capital city of the same name has a population of approximately 40,000 and is known for its annual elephant festival at the end of November. Local places of interest in the province include several ancient Khmer temples, mainly in the area around the Cambodian border, along with a group of three sites generally known by the name of Prasat Ta Meuan, and Prasat Hin Ban Phluang. The province has thirteen amphur and four king amphur.
Queen and wife of king Chakraphandi, the 16th king (17th reign) of Ayutthaya. She was killed in a war with the Burmese in 1544 AD, thus sacrificing her life to protect her husband and her country from foreign aggression. A chedi in this city commemorates her and a historical movie about her life was sponsored by queen Sirikit Kitthiyagon.
Surya (सूर्य, สุริยะ) Sanskrit-Thai. The sun god. Often portrayed with a halo and a lotus in each hand. He drives a chariot pulled by seven horses and is the lokapala of the Southwest. In Thailand he is better known by the name Nairitti (fig.). He, together with the moon god Chandra, discovered the deceit of the demon Rahu when the amrita was distributed. They informed Vishnu who immediately cut the demon in two with his discus. However, the amrita swallowed by Rahu already had its effect and both parts lived on separately. Because Rahu has never forgotten the betrayal by the sun and the moon he chases them alternately with open mouth thus causing the eclipses of the sun and moon each time he swallows them. Because he was cut in two he has no lower body causing them to keep on slipping through. Thai for sutra, 'thread'. It stands for the teachings or tracts of the Buddha that form the second part of the Buddhist Tripitaka and are symbolized by the sai sin. The word is also used as verb to express the use of the sai sin and could be translated as 'to wind with a thread'.
See Phra Suthon. sutra (सूत्र) Sanskrit. 'Thread'. The teachings or tracts of the Buddha that form the second part of the Buddhist Tripitaka. Also used for some Hindu texts. In Thai pronounced sut and symbolized by the sai sin. See also Buddhist precepts. A character from the Phra Aphaimanih story by Sunthorn Phu. His mount is a dragon-horse, called mah nin mangkon in Thai (fig.). Also spelled Sutsakon. Pali. 'Land of gold'. In ancient literature it refers to a territory in Southeast Asia, probably Thailand. The name likely refers to the many paddies, e.g. Lan Na that when ready for harvest turn yellowish gold. See also the Thai term Suwannaphum. Thai. Name of one of the two scribes of Phra Yom, the god who presides over the dead. He is depicted with a pen and book in which he records the bad deeds of mankind (fig.), whereas his counterpart Suwan keeps record of the good deeds. Compare with the Vedic scribe Citragupta. 1. Thai word meaning 'gold' or 'golden', as in Suwannaphum. 2. Thai. Name of one of the two scribes of Phra Yom, the god who presides over the dead. He is depicted with a pen and book in which he records the good deeds of mankind (fig.), whereas his counterpart Suwaan keeps record of the bad deeds. Compare with the Vedic scribe Citragupta. 1. Thai. 'Golden land'. Term that refers to the Indochina peninsula practically equal to Southeast Asia. See also Suvarnabhumi. 2. Thai. Name of a district (amphur) in the province Roi Et. Bird's nest made from the saliva of a certain species of swallows, known as cave swifts. They are famous for building their saliva nests which are picked for human consumption and sold as an expensive delicacy in many, often Chinese shops (fig.). In Thailand they are known as rang nok and are collected from caves, such as Viking Cave on Phi Phi Leh Island. The nests are composed of interlaced strands of saliva that dry up once attached to the cave wall and are made in the form of a shallow cup (fig.). The edible nests are used to produce the unique texture of bird's nest soup and are among the most expensive animal foodstuffs consumed by humans. In Chinese cuisine they have been traditionally used for over 400 years as they are rich in nutrients, such as high levels of calcium, potassium, iron and magnesium, known to provide certain health benefits. There annually three harvesting seasons for bird's nests. The first time around February-March. Afterwards there is a resting period of one month to allow the birds to make their second nest. When ready they are harvested and another pause of three months is observed to allow the mother to lay her, to let them hatch and the chicks grow until they are strong enough to leave the nest and look for food on their own. Then the third nest is collected. There are white bird's nests and red 'blood' bird's nests. The saliva that the swifts regurgitate in order to build their initial nest in the first nesting season is pure white. They are good quality nests that we know by the name of 'white bird's nests' (fig.). The nests built later are called 'red blood bird's nests' (fig.), as it was earlier believed that in the making of a second and third nest the swifts had run out of saliva and were regurgitating their saliva until they started coughing up blood. But this is untrue. The red colour comes from rust in the caves. Due to the high humidity in these caves the rust infiltrates into the nest which absorbs it, especially nests build in the second and third nesting season are affected, as it is then the rainy season in Thailand, contrary to the first nest which is build during the cold season, around February-March. Thailand has three kinds of swallows that deliver bird's nest: the Edible-nest or White-nest Swiftlet, the German's Swiftlet and the Black-nest Swiftlet. The first two species provide the white bird's nests, the latter gives us the black bird's nests, so called because its nest is mixed with dark feathers, but the nests of all three species are edible. The red 'blood' nests are more expensive, but also often faked by adding red pigment to white nests. In Bangkok's Chinatown a small bowl of white bird's nest soup costs around 200 baht, a large one around 300 baht. The downside of it all is the often illegal and indiscriminate collection of nests outside the harvesting season which endangers the swift population. Licensed as well as unlicensed harvesters, often inspired by greed, will collect or steal a nest as soon as it is large enough, whether or not eggs or chicks are inside. They get to them by climbing on high bamboo scaffoldings, a task not without any peril. In Chinese called yan wo.
swastika (स्वस्तिक) Sanskrit. 'Well-being'. A hooked cross, in either clockwise or counterclockwise direction. As a religious symbol it occurs in Buddhism and Hinduism, and even more frequently in Jainism, where it represents the Tirthankara Suparsva, the seventh jina. In Buddhism it is interpreted as a symbol of the dhammachakka, the Wheel of Law, and stands for universal harmony and the balance of opposites. In Buddhism, especially Mahayana Buddhism, it often appears on the chest or soles, and sometimes in the palm of the hand, of certain Buddha images. In Hinduism, when in clockwise direction, it represents the evolution of the universe, but in counterclockwise direction, it represents the involution thereof and is considered evil. It is also seen as a symbol of the four points of the compass and of the sun, thus signifying stability and representing the sun god Surya. The sign is considered auspicious by all Hindus and is therefore often found as a decorative symbol or as a mark to convey good luck (fig.). The word swastika first appeared in the epic of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. In Chinese it is known by the name wan, meaning 'all' or 'eternality'. Also transcribed svastika.
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