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Sunday, August 12, 2007

HOW WE DO MOTHER’S DAY IN THAILAND
วันแม่แห่งชาติ

Our Mother’s Day is celebrated on the birthday of HM Queen Sirikit for she is the mother of all Thais. This is our one chance a year to show our mothers what they mean to us. Incidentally, 3 days from now on 15 August, it is also the official Mother’s Day of Belgium! So, my mom is really getting it all this week! LOL!

My mom lives in Spain where they celebrate Mother’s Day on the day the whole world does – 2nd Sunday of May. But I never fail to surprise her by greeting her Happy Mother’s Day 3 times a year. But honestly, 3 days is not enough for my wonderful mom.

I’m sure a lot of you were wondering how we Thais celebrate our Mother's Day here in Thailand – aside from the Royal celebrations. I borrowed these photos from Thai School and Thai Teenager so I can better show you how we Thai’s do our Mother’s Day.


The morning will start by giving alms to the monks. Thai kids would go to school and prepare flowers and speeches. Then for all the world to see – we kneel before our mothers, give them flowers (usually jasmine) and deliver our speech or just simply express our gratitude and how our mothers means to us. But I have only done this once. *when I was a little kid*


If the school function is not possible, we do this:

We go to our mother’s house (aunts, grandmas), show our respect by giving jasmine garlands and doing the “krub” to their feet. These, I always do when I get the chance. *tears, goosebumbs and all*



Mother, I know you are reading this. You know how much I love you.
Tutto a te mi guida“everything leads me to you”.


--Love, Pisanu

15 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Now that's what I call culture.

Anonymous said...

LOVE. PURE LOVE.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for this small peek of your beautiful culture.

Anonymous said...

Awwww! It's soooo cute!

Anonymous said...

Isn't it just pure love? I wish I can do that to my mom too.

travelphilippines said...

i wanna be HalfThai on my next life.

Anonymous said...

if only the rest of the world would be so devoted.......

Anonymous said...

I wish my mother doesn't read this blog !!!

Anonymous said...

Vietnamese celebrates Mother Day on the occasion of Ullambana holiday (the 7th day of the 7th lunar month each year I think). Those mothers are still alive wear red roses and those mothers have passed away wear white roses to remember what our mothers and their sacrifice for us. This tradition is a recent one, steming from a very well-known essay written by the famous Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh in 1962. The link for that essay is http://www.quangduc.com/English/ullambana/05roseforyou.html . Apart from the wearing of roses, we also do some very commercial things such as buying present or taking our mothers out for lunch and dinner.

Happy belated Mother Day to everyone.

franx said...

Mother Day sampai macam itu (until like that) wow In Indonesia Just say "Selamat hari Ibu"(happy Mother day) that's all..Your Culture much better to celebrate Mother day..Thanks For your Comment My friend..:)

chase / chubz said...

this is the best way to celebrate mums' day..
way to go guys!

Anonymous said...

Es ist einfach schoen! Tears rolling down

Anonymous said...

Can you do the right thing and give the sources for the pictures you used in your blog?

Thai School website - www.swp.in.th
Thai Teenager website - www.thailandlife.com

Anonymous said...

Yes, it is accordingly linked, anonymous. Did you try to click the ones on the blogpost?

--Grant (BISEAN Ed.)

Flowers said...

White flowers are given on Mothers Day in Thailand. White flowers are chosen because they represent a mothers eternal love for her children. This love is being reciprocated shown by the giving of white flowers (often jasmine garlands)

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