Uthai Thani in transition

Uthai Thani is not a place that comes up often in conversation; it has no strong identity in terms of business, although it has its natural and cultural attractions-mostly enjoyed by the people of the province. The Tak Baht Devo alms-offering festival is probably the only event on the provincial calendar that is nationally known. It is held at Wat Sangkas Ratana Khiri, otherwise known as Wat Sakaekrang, located on the top of Mount Sakaekrang, at the end of the annual Buddhist rains retreat.

Several thousand people leave their homes early in the morning to participate in the event. Farm people take with them a long wooden stick decorated with colored paper. These sticks will later be taken home and planted in the rice fields as symbols of good luck for the coming planting season. At festival time, Uthai Thani becomes very lively for one day in the year. Great changes occur from the normal life of the town. Everything turns very quiet just after 7 p.m. as all commercial businesses close, apart from a few restaurants.

The festival is organized to mark, according to belief, the time of the Lord Buddha's descent from the heavens, allowing beings in hell, the world, and the heavens to see each other, as part of his teachings. During Devo, hundreds of Buddhist monks walk in procession down the naga staircase from the hilltop to receive food from the people who traditionally give uncooked rice in small plastic bags to the monks so that it may be stored for future use.

The name Sakaekrang means much to the people of the province, as it is the name both of the hill and of the calm river running through the heart of the city, lined on both sides by greenery. The river is the source of pla rad, a delicacy for which the province is famous.

While the conservation movement is gaining strength in various regions of the country, Uthai Thani-the location of Huay Kha Kaeng-is going through a period of transition following the invasion of outsiders buying up land in the town and in the surrounding forests. The invasion by outsiders is not limited to land plots in forest areas but has also pushed land prices higher in the city itself, particularly plots along the beautiful Sakaekrang River. The province is protected to some extent, however, by its poor road network. The bus journey from Bangkok takes four and a half hours.

Searching for special dishes of "jungle" food is less easy than might be thought in Uthai Thani, since people have become well informed of the importance of wildlife protection and avoid selling such things, except for wild bamboo shoots which are boiled and bottled for sale. This boiled bamboo is famous for its taste, but the collection these days is becoming restricted - the conservation factor at work once more.

A part of Devo features a contest for Buddha image altars decorated with elephant tusks, but the contest is losing popularity as the importance of conservation is realized.

Western culture vs Thai culture

Thai culture differs from Western culture in several outstanding ways. Most important are language, cultural origin and cuisine. The location of the culture in terms of the geographical environment is worth mentioning. 

The area in which a culture is based provides exciting, exotic and striking differences. Thai language was comprised of more Asian dialects due to its location. Thailand is central to Indochina which receives influences in all three levels from both India and china. Hence' the language borrowed much from Indian and Chinese. The alphabet was ingeniously altered and modeled from Khmer, an other Asian dialect.

 In the same way, English was a European model derived from the Roman conquest of Germany and France. It later was revised into Middle English and refined to be Modern English.

  Thai culture is more prominent as culture produced language. Here, again being central to Indochina is an influence. Visiting Indian Theravadists brought curries, Hinayana Buddhism and the Indian aspects of Thai language. Chinese immigrants and tribes from Xipxongbana, Yunnan, added Chinese culture. Western culture is different because Europe is a collection of independent sites with their own culture. German culture comes from the Goths and Tutons; French from Gaul, and Scandinavia from the Norsemen (vikings). English culture stemmed from Celts, Britons and Gaels whom were ancient cultures in pre-Victorian England, Scotland and Wales. Finally, the cuisine is different because of available resources. 

Thailand could receive curry and spice from India or China because visiting merchants or caravans would import it. Therefore, Thai cuisine includes exotic spices and favors as well as identical equipment such as round-bottom pans. Western cooking included spice only after the explorers went to the spice islands, India or China. French and Italian cooking uses wines as seasoning and is cooked in high flames. The most significant differences between Thai and Western culture reflect district geographical locations. Particularly, the Chinese and Indian influences in Thai language and cuisine borrowed much from these cultures in Thailand as English had borrowed from Europe.