Are Your Village Customs The Same

[Pormax]

Just curious if all rural villages have the same customs.

I live in a small village (80 houses) in Buriram and I give an example of what I am asking about.

If one of the village members die then it is classed as being disrespectful to the dead to work. This includes just about everything from building a house, to working in the rice fields and even to going to clean someones house. This 'ban' on working is usually for 3 days until the body is cremated.

This happened when my house was being built. Suddenly no workforce turned up. Three times this happened and it was because of a death in our village. Even though 90% of the workers were from other villages, no work was done on the house for 3 days. Other times 3 or 4 workers didn't show and when I asked why, the answer I got was that someone had died in their village, apparently no relation to the workers. Last week the oldest member of our village died at a ripe old age of 95. The lady who comes once a week to the house to clean did not arrive and my wife told me she cannot come for three days because of the man dying as it would be direspectful, Again the deceased no relation to the cleaning lady.

Now I accept this could not happen in a Town or City or somewhere with a large population as it would be economical madness with hardly any days one could work.

Any TV members living in rural villages with the same custom or other customs which are similar to this.?

[trainman34014]

Here in the North the same thing happens. Something you have to get used to just like so many other quirks if you want to live happily in the Boonies. It won't change any time soon, and in fairness, we can't expect it to. Not our country, it's theirs, and they do things the way they always have.

[Pormax]

Here in the North the same thing happens. Something you have to get used to just like so many other quirks if you want to live happily in the Boonies. It won't change any time soon, and in fairness, we can't expect it to. Not our country, it's theirs, and they do things the way they always have.

Don't get me wrong. Not complaining about it . Just think it is a strange thing to do but quaint in away.

So is it a North North/East thing or do other parts of the country do the same.

Edited November 4, 2012 by Pormax

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Customs vary greatly from one village to the next even within the same province, just like the favorite food dishes, the way they make their naam prik etc.

For example, in the villages in my first wife's region, they have an annual ceremony that involves 112 (or some other random "lucky" number I forget) varieties of rice blended together and cooked for days and days, which has to be tended 24 hours by five virgin girls wearing white. In recent years they've had to use younger and younger girls because if one of them turns out to not be a virgin lightning will kill them all and bad luck ensue for everyone around for the rest of the year. Makes a nice snack by the way.

When trying to describe this to other Thais in future years, got nothing but blank stares, but then had another teerak from that area and she knew exactly what I was talking about.

Certain provinces and tambon have greater or lesser reputations as places where the monks and other voodoo doctors have stronger powers, a greater propensity to use them for evil purposes etc.

The more ancient the practice the more variable, since little connected these different areas hundreds of years ago other than fealty ransoms from the weaker kings to the stronger ones. The concept of "nation" is a relatively modern invention, and only took place here in the past <dozen generations.

And look at even places like Switzerland, where the local dialect and traditions can vary greatly from one valley to the next, few places are as homogeneous as the cultural wastelands of the larger ex-British colonies.

[CharlieH]

In our village it applies to the family only. Not everyone in the village, they carry on as normal.

Quite normal here for someone not to turn up for work if there is a death in the family or death of a close friend.

Edited November 5, 2012 by CharlieH

[Pormax]

In our village it applies to the family only. Not everyone in the village, they carry on as normal.

Quite normal here for someone not to turn up for work if there is a death in the family or death of a close friend.

Yes, that is to be expected and understood. Which is more of the custom I have been bought up with.

[h90]

nonsense they stage a big party with free food and a lot to drink, as well the play card somewhere hidden....that is the reason why they don't come to work....PARTY.....