DOCSLIB.ORG

Thailand, Laos & Cambodia

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Thailand, Laos & Cambodia January 25–February 6, 2021 Dear Traveler, Sunlight peeking through the hanging vines. The calls of birds unknown to the ear. The tastes of unfamiliar spices dance upon your tongue. The chitter chatter of commerce with the whizzing sounds of tuk-tuks and mopeds racing down ancient streets. The air is electric. The smells are enticing. The sounds are beckoning. Welcome to the rich and varied lands of Southeast Asia. On this carefully choreographed journey through Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, delve into bustling Bangkok, Thailand with its gilded temples and canals bustling with open air markets. Sample street-food and sip drinks on a rooftop bar. Then fly north to Chiang Mai the country’s cultural epicenter and chat with monks and get up close with elephants. In Luang Phrabang, Laos unearth spiritual culture. Visit enchanting temples and tranquil streets. Learn about ancient ceremonies and their significance with an opportunity to partake in them. Explore serene temples by tuk tuk an adventurous transportation vehicle and learn how to be a rice farmer and follow in the footsteps of pilgrims on a cruise to sacred caves. In Siem Reap, Cambodia takes you on a different journey— delving deep into the fascinating world of ancient Angkor. Be amazed by the beauty of Angkor Wat, the smiling faces of Bayon Temple, and the jungle-like atmosphere of Ta Phrom. This part of the world has many hallmarks that Westerns assume of the region. From the miles of rice paddies littered with farmers working to the rhythm of rural life to the secluded, languid charm of rivers and canals exploding with dark rich green foliage. Sparkling gold tipped temples with giant serene Buddhas take you to a world so distant and removed from our own. Yet, once you arrive in this part of the world, both your expectations will be surpassed yet be dumbfounded by the surprises. As the ancient temples standing side by side with colonial mansions, these countries of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia are boldly moving into growing economies. The emotional extremes of being dazzled by growing tech sectors and new industries, life spills out on the streets with the new and the old. The energy is here. Southeast Asia is an exciting frontier for the world. Explore in comfortable fully escorted style the enduring legacies of these amazing countries! Kind Regards, Ed Mawyer The Center for Life Enrichment ARCHWAY, SIEM REAP Luang Prabang LAOS Chiang Mai THAILAND Bangkok Siem Reap CAMBODIA Andaman Sea Gulf of ailand Thailand, Land of Smiles Highlights DAY 1 USA ✈ BANGKOK DAY 2 BANGKOK See the enormous DAY 3 BANGKOK Reclining Buddha DAY 4 CHIANG MAI at Wat Pho DAY 5 CHIANG MAI Travel on the Chao DAY 6 CHIANG MAI DAY 7 CHIANG MAI Phraya River (The DAY 8 LuaNG PRABANG River of Kings) Zip around Bangkok by tuk tuk Laos, Land of a Million Elephants Learn about a monk’s life, culture and tradition DAY 9 LuaNG PRABANG in Chiang Mai DAY 10 SIEM REAP Spend time with a Thai family and learn Cambodia, about architecture and The Kingdom teakwood homes of Wonder Enjoy a day with the elephants DAY 11 SIEM REAP DAY 12 SIEM REAP Experience the splendor DAY 13 SIEM REAP of Angkor Wat What to Expect This is a moderately active program exclusively designed for CLE. Travelers should be comfortable walking or standing for extended periods, navigating uneven or slippery terrain, and climbing stairs without handrails. Excursions include city walking tours, visits to temples and monuments, boat tours, and nature walks. Plan to dress modestly with loose- fitting clothing that covers your knees and shoulders. Shoes WOMEN WALKING WITH ALMS, CHI- ANG MAI must be removed before entering all temple buildings. WaT ARUN, BANGKOK GOLDEN BUddaH, BANGKOK MAN PLAYING WITH ELEPHANT IN WATER Monday, January 25 "Venice of the East". Visit you dine on delicious cuisine vegetables; the variety and USA ✈ Bangkok the majestic shrine of Wat artistically created. SIRIPANNA freshness is astonishing! Arun decorated with glazed VILLA RESORT & SPA (B, D) SIRIPANNA VILLA RESORT & SPA Depart the U.S. for Bangkok, ceramic pieces that reflect (B, L) Thailand. Overnight flight the rising sun. At sunset (MEALS ALOFT) Friday, January 29 enjoy drinks on the rooftop Chiang Mai Saturday, January 30 bar over the Chao Phraya Chiang Mai Tuesday, January 26 CHIANG MAI SENSUAL & Arrival in Bangkok River before returning to your SPIRITUAL. Morning visit to ELEPHANT FOR LIFE. Take a hotel. In the evening, depart the acclaimed temple Wat picturesque hour-long drive Meet your guide and transfer on a food tour of Bangkok’s Phrathad Doi Suthep, home through agricultural Thai to your hotel for check-in. food scene by tuk tuks for a to a holy relic of the Lord countryside to the Elephant Optional visit to the Jim fantastic evening of eating Buddha and considered the Nature Park. You will hear the Thompson Museum this and adventure. SHANGRI-LA most sacred wat in northern personal stories of rescued afternoon. SHANGRI-LA HOTEL BANGKOK (B, L) Thailand. Next, visit Wat elephants as told by expert HOTEL BANGKOK (D) Umong, with its unique guides. You will learn about Thursday, January 28 tunnels which give the wat the problems elephants Wednesay, January 27 ✈ Bangkok Bangkok its name (Umong is the Thai face in Southeast Asia, and Chiang Mai word for "tunnel".) Here you how Elephant Nature Park is VISIT THE MOST IMPORTANT Morning flight to Chiang can have an opportunity to helping in the treatment, and SIGHTS OF BANGKOK: the informally talk with a monk care of Thailand's dwindling Reclining Buddha at Wat Mai, the cultural heart of and learn about a monk's life, elephant population. You will Pho is a giant lying Buddha, Thailand. A ONE-IN-A-LIFETIME Thai culture and Tradition, have a chance to feed the covered in gold leaf. The EVENING that starts with a Buddhism, etc. Conclude the elephants from the viewing Grand Palace is a "must see" spiritual blessing, followed visit with a short meditation. platform. Enjoy a sumptuous for every visitor. Located by a traditional Khantoke AFTERNOON DRIVE through and varied buffet of Asian close to the banks of the dinner in an historic wooden the most historic areas of and International dishes. Chao Phraya River the Grand house. Your host will meet Chiang Mai, including the Walk with the staff and the Palace is the perfect example you at your hotel and escort old city walls, city gates elephants to the river that of an ancient Siamese court. you to a beautiful temple in and moat. Visit Wat Phra skirts the park. Watch these Within the compound is the Chiang Mai to take part in a Singh which houses the gentle giants as they splash Temple of Emerald Buddha special Buddhist ceremony conducted by the head monk. beautiful Lai Kham Chapel around and play while you (Wat Pra Kaew). AFTER After making an offering with its exquisite wood stay dry on the river bank. LUNCH, travel on the Chao carving and northern style In the late afternoon return Phraya River (The River of and receiving a blessing murals. Afterwards visit Wat to Chiang and your hotel. Kings) and on through the you will be whisked off to Chedi Luang, containing SIRIPANNA VILLA RESORT & SPA Klongs (canals) of Thonburi the exquisite 137 Pillars an enormous Pagoda. (B, L) by Supatra boat (Deluxe House. Dinner will be served Experience everyday life of Boat). Observe the serene in the hotel's original teak *Park visits are all about Chiang Mai at the Muang spending quality time observing family homes and temples homestead dating back to the 1800s. Take in the ambiance Mai market which showcases and being with the herd. We do along the waterways, which not adhere to a strict schedule; locally grown fruits and gave the city the name of the historic surroundings as the best way to make the most ELEPHANT NATURE PARK GIVING ALMS TO MONKS, LUANG PRABANG of your visit is to relax, watch RESORT & SPA (B, L, D) a cruise down the Mekong preserved as it was when and learn from the elephants. River observing life on the the royal family last lived THINGS TO BRING: Shorts/ Monday, February 1 swimming gear and change Chiang Mai ✈ sleepy riverbanks. In the here and provides unique of clothing. Luang Prabang afternoon: THE LIVING LAND insights into the history of Afternoon flight to Luang FARM EXPERIENCE. Rice is Laos. See the collection of Sunday, January 31 Prabang. Upon arrival the ultimate foundation of the palace's most prized Chiang Mai transfer to your hotel. daily life in Asia and yet it art, including the Phrabang EXPERIENCE THE DAILY The Bamboo Experience is still a mystery for many Buddha cast of a gold, silver LIFESTYLE OF A LANNA venue was designed visitors. The Living Lands and bronze alloy. VISIT WAT FAMILY. A short transfer in pavilion style, rustic Farm, is an organic farm XIENG THONG. Wat Xieng takes you into the outskirts setting and surrounded by operated by a local team for Thong was built in 1560 and of Chiang Mai to meet your Rice fields and beautiful the benefit of Lao people. situated on the banks of host family in an authentic landscapes to learn about It maintains educational the Mekong River, it is the Thai neighborhood. After Lao culture. Tonight the programs and professional most beautiful monastery in a refreshing welcome group will experience a organic farming right next Luang Prabang and shows to village rice paddies. As the typical Lao art style. drink, spend time with the BACI CEREMONY AT THE part of a small group learn VISIT WAT VISUNALAT (Wat Thai family learning about BAMBOO experience venue! traditional Thai architecture The Baci is a ceremony to how to be a rice farmer for Visoun) and THAT MAKMO.
Recommended publications
  • National Geographic Traveler

    National Geographic Traveler

    an APPETITE for LAOS The complexity, grace, and taste of Luang Prabang unfurl one delicious bite at a time The Nam Ou river was once a major transport route, bringing people and produce from northern Laos to Luang Prabang. By Andrew Nelson Photographs by Ewen Bell 54 NATGEOTRAVEL.COM SOMETIMES Raise a spoonful of tom kha kai, a traditional Laotian coconut chicken A PORTAL soup, to your lips, and a tantalizing perfume of lemongrass, lime, and galangal wafts upward. Its scent is ISN’T A DOOR. sublime and earthy, hot and sour. The fragrant plume comes with a peppery kick. The sensation is vivid, somehow poignant, and utterly transporting. IT’S A BOWL The memory brings a smile as I stand in a line of passengers at Luang Prabang airport, in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. I’ve traveled OF SOUP. 9,000 miles to Southeast Asia inspired by Van Nolintha, a charismatic 32-year- old Laotian-American restaurateur in Raleigh, North Carolina, whose inventive renditions of his child- hood dishes from his native land have earned the acclaim of diners and food critics alike. Now I’ve come for a taste of the real thing. Upon leaving the airport, my first views of Laos are the Phou Thao and Phou Nang mountain ranges, which surround the ancient royal city of Luang Prabang like an embrace. The slopes are lush with trees that comb and catch the low-lying clouds. As I enter the city, a cluster of motorbikes overtakes my taxi, trailing fumes and impatience. A teenage girl, sitting sidesaddle in a Laotian silk tube skirt called a sinh, flashes past.
  • View Full Activity Guide

    View Full Activity Guide

    Activities Guide Experiences are personal journeys. Our goal at Amantaka is to introduce you to Luang Prabang’s deeply-rooted cultural heritage, natural wonders and contemporary attractions, and help you establish a personal connection with its warm and friendly people. As part of UNESCO, Luang Prabang has 32 temples and 111 historic Lao-French buildings throughout the town, citing Luang Prabang as the best-preserved traditional town in Southeast Asia. New construction is limited, and development must be in keeping with the spirit of the town. Luang Prabang is small in scale and easily explored either on foot or by bicycle, ideal for discovering notable architectural landmarks and other distinctive attractions in town. At Amantaka, tailor-made itineraries can be made to embrace passions and interests. From a traditional Lao cooking class on our organic farm to a sunset cruise on the majestic Mekong, or from a tour of the most sacred temples to a walk-through surrounding villages, our team at Amantaka are here to help you create your own journey into the heart of this fascinating town. Luang Prabang – a UNESCO town Luang Prabang city tour Temple and village walk Half-day excursion Half-day excursion Begin the tour at Amantaka, with the first stop at Wat This adventure begins with a short river-crossing from the Visoun and Wat Aham. Within their precincts stands the boat jetty behind the Palace Museum. After disembarking gigantic That Makmo (Watermelon), originally known as at Xieng Mene’s makeshift boat landing, walk through an That Patum or Lotus Stupa, built in 1503 A.
  • Laos, Known As the “Land of a Million Elephants,” Is a Landlocked Country in Southeast Asia About the Size of Kansas

    Laos, Known As the “Land of a Million Elephants,” Is a Landlocked Country in Southeast Asia About the Size of Kansas

    DO NOT COPY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF AUTHOR Simon J. Bronner, ed. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN FOLKLIFE. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2005. Rachelle H. Saltzman, Iowa Arts Council, Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs [email protected] LAO Laos, known as the “Land of a Million Elephants,” is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia about the size of Kansas. The elephant symbolizes the ancient kingdom of Lan Xang, and is sacred to the Lao people, who believe it will bring prosperity to their country. Bordered by China to the north, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south, Thailand to the west, and Myanmar (formerly Burma) to the northwest, Laos is a rough and mountainous land interwoven with forests and plateaus. The Mekong River, which runs through the length of Laos and supplies water to the fertile plains of the river basin, is both symbolically and practically, the lifeline of the Lao people, who number nearly 6 million. According to Wayne Johnson, Chief for the Iowa Bureau of Refugee Services, and a former Peace Corps Volunteer, “the river has deep meaning for the ethnic Lao who are Buddhist because of the intrinsic connection of water with the Buddhist religion, a connection that does not exist for the portion of the population who are non-ethnically Lao and who are animists.” Formally known as the Kingdom of Laos, and now known as Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Laos was, in previous centuries, periodically independent and periodically part of the Khmer (Cambodian), Mongol, Vietnamese, and Thai (Siamese) empires. Lao, Thai, and Khmer (but not Vietnamese) share a common heritage evident today in similar religion, music, food, and dance traditions as well as language and dress.
  • 48 Hours in Bangkok: Eat, Play, Sleep What Is the Perfect Trip in Bangkok for 2 Days

    48 Hours in Bangkok: Eat, Play, Sleep What Is the Perfect Trip in Bangkok for 2 Days

    48 Hours in Bangkok: Eat, Play, Sleep What is the perfect trip in Bangkok for 2 days DAY 1 Eat - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Breakfast Breakfast at the Royal Orchid Sheraton’s FEAST - There's something for everyone at this world Feast at Royal Orchid cuisine dining spot with an exceptional choice of breakfast options (including something Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Charoen Krung Road, for the kids). Bang Rak Get an early start on your 48 hours in Bangkok and head to Feast any time from 6:00 AM - 10:30 AM. Call +66 (0) 2266 0123 or email: [email protected] Lunch Lunch at Eat Sight Story - A real gem hidden down a tiny Bangkok alleyway, complete with river and temple views. Eat Sight Story, Tatien, Maharaj Road Eat Sight Story serve a delicious array of classic Thai and fusion cuisine...plus a cocktail menu worth exploring. Call +66 (0) 2622 2163 Dinner Early dinner or late lunch at Somtum Der - Absorb the art of authentic Som Tum (papaya salad) in this cosy and welcoming eatery. Somtum Der, Saladang, Somtum Der has a laid back outside eating area that creates a captivating eat-like-a-local vibe Silom as you tuck into some Tum Thai with fresh papaya, zesty lime and chili. Call +66 (0) 2632 4499 1 Play – Don’t Miss Out! Temple hopping Exploring the many incredibly beautiful temples in Bangkok has to be done, and the Grand Palace is top of the must-see attractions. The Grand Palace has been the ocial residence of the Kings of Siam and Thailand since the 1700’s and is also home to the temple of the Emerald Buddha.
  • Thailand & Laos

    Thailand & Laos

    THAILAND & LAOS ESSENTIAL SOUTHEAST ASIA Small Group Trip 16 Days ATJ.com | [email protected] | 800.642.2742 Page 1 Essential Southeast Asia THAILAND & LAOS SOUTHEAST ASIA ESSENTIAL SOUTHEAST ASIA Small Group Trip 16 Days LAOS Chiang Saen . Pakbeng. Chiang Rai . Luang Prabang Chiang Mai . Mekong River Lampang . Sukhothai THAILAND Ayutthaya . Khao Yai Bangkok Giant Temple Guardian Statue INDULGE YOUR BUDDHIST CULTURES, TRADITIONAL ART, TRIBAL WANDERLUST PEOPLES, RIVER CRUISE, UNIQUE CEREMONIES, LOY Ø Explore ancient cities and modern metropolises KRATHONG FESTIVAL, UNESCO SITES, NATIONAL Ø Join the locals in celebrating an authentic PARKS, WILDLIFE Thai festival This journey represents a return to our roots. Our company was built on pioneering trips Ø Learn about native elephants to Southeast Asia, as these countries were just opening up their borders, combining famous iconic sites with far-flung meanderings. This journey resurrects that spirit, embodying a masterful Ø Visit remote hill-tribe villages that still practice synthesis of iconic sights and unique, immersive, cultural experiences. traditional ways of life Venture from the modern metropolis of Bangkok deep into the countryside to witness ancient Ø Cruise among sleepy villages and colorful markets ways of life still practiced by secluded hill tribes. Visit local artists deeply invested in their crafts. in the Mekong Delta Sail deep into wilderness preserves in search of colorful wildlife and foliage. Join in a traditional festival, celebrated unbroken for centuries, and learn about Buddhist traditions directly from Ø Enjoy a special private Lao welcome ceremony and friendly monks. Soak up the colonial charm of Luang Prabang and, most of all, experience the dance performance unmatched warmth of the local people.
  • 9 Sacred Sites in Bangkok Temple As an Auspicious Activity That Grants Them Happiness and Good Luck

    9 Sacred Sites in Bangkok Temple As an Auspicious Activity That Grants Them Happiness and Good Luck

    The 9 Sacred Sites Buddhists in Thailand pay homage at the temple or ‘wat’ as they believe it is a way to make merit. They consider paying homage to the principal Buddha image or to the main Chedi of the 9 Sacred Sites in Bangkok temple as an auspicious activity that grants them happiness and good luck. The number nine is considered auspicious because it is pronounced as ‘kao,’ similar to the word meaning ‘to progress’ or ‘to step forward.’ Therefore it is believed that a visit to nine sacred temples in one day gives the worshippers prosperity and good luck. The nine sacred temples in Bangkok are of significant value as they are royal temples and convenient for worshippers as they are located close to each other in the heart of Bangkok. Wat Saket Printed in Thailand by Promotional Material Production Division, Marketing Services Department, Tourism Authority of Thailand for free distribution. www.tourismthailand.org E/JUL 2017 The contents of this publication are subject to change without notice. The 9 Sacred Sites Buddhists in Thailand pay homage at the temple or ‘wat’ as they believe it is a way to make merit. They consider paying homage to the principal Buddha image or to the main Chedi of the 9 Sacred Sites in Bangkok temple as an auspicious activity that grants them happiness and good luck. The number nine is considered auspicious because it is pronounced as ‘kao,’ similar to the word meaning ‘to progress’ or ‘to step forward.’ Therefore it is believed that a visit to nine sacred temples in one day gives the worshippers prosperity and good luck.
  • ED 206 7,6 AUTHOR V Understanding Laotian People

    ED 206 7,6 AUTHOR V Understanding Laotian People

    DOCU5ANT RESUME ED 206 7,6 OD 021 678 AUTHOR V Harmon, Roger E. and Culture. TITLE Understanding Laotian People, Language, Bilingual Education ResourceSeries. INSTITUTION Washington Office of the StateSuperintendent of Public Instruction, Olympia. SPONS AGENCY Office of Education (DREW)Washington, D.C. PUB.DATE (79) NOTE 38p. ERRS PRICE MF11/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *adjustment (to Environment): AsianHistory: Bilingual Education; Comparative Education;*Cultural Influences: Elementary SecondaryEducation; English (Second Language): *Laotians: *Refugees;*Second Language Instruction ABSTRACT This is a guide for teachersand administrators to familiarize them with the Laotianpeople, language and culture. The first section contains a brief geographyand history of Laos, a discussion of the ethnic and lingustic grpupsof Laos, and information on the economic andreligious life of these groups. Section two describes the Laotianrefugee experience and considers life in the some of the adjustmentsLaotians must make for their new United States. This section alsoexplains elements of the international, national and local supportsystems which assist Indochinese refugees. Sectionthree gives a brief history ofthe educational system in Laos, andthe implications for educational Suggestions for needs of Laotians nowresiding in the United States. working with Laotianp in'the schoolsand some potential problem areas of the are ale) covered. Thelast section presents an analysis Laotian language. Emphasis isplaced on the problems Laotianshave with English,
  • Book Reviews ______

    Book Reviews ______

    BOOK REVIEWS ______________________________________________ Martin Stuart-Fox1 Yves Goudineau and Michel Lorrillard, eds: Recherches nouvelles sur le Laos/New Research on Laos. Études thématiques 18. Vientiane, Paris: École Française d’Extrême-Orient, 2008. pp. 678. History and politics conspired over half a century to make social scientific research in Laos all but impossible. From the brief Japanese occupation and the end of the Second World War in 1945 until the early 1990s, war, hot and cold, revolution and political sensitivity curtailed research in archaeology and prehistory, anthropology and ethnography, sociology and cultural studies. Economics, linguistics and history fared a little better. Following the collapse of communism in the former Soviet Union and introduction of the ‘new economic mechanism’ that opened Laos up to the world, research again became possible. But it has never been easy. Rural areas have been difficult to access, and the danger of unexploded ordnance (UXO) left over from the war has been ever present. Bureaucratic delays and political intransigence have been even more constricting. And yet scholars, to their great credit, have persevered. By my count, the volume under review is the sixth collection of research papers to appear over the past decade.1 It is also the largest, at more than double the length of any previous publication, and the most ambitious in its coverage. The 27 articles range from archaeology and history to religion, linguistics and anthropology. They are divided into three sections covering the making of history, heritage issues, and social dynamics, to each of which there is an introduction by the editors in addition to their general introduction to the volume as a whole.
  • Between Water and Land: Urban and Rural Settlement Forms in Cambodia with Special Reference to Phnom Penh

    Between Water and Land: Urban and Rural Settlement Forms in Cambodia with Special Reference to Phnom Penh

    Between water and land: urban and rural settlement forms in Cambodia with special reference to Phnom Penh Thomas Kolnberger Identités. Politiques, Sociétés, Espaces (IPSE), Université du Luxembourg, Campus Belval, Maison des Sciences Humaines, 11, Porte des Sciences, L-4366 Esch/Alzette, Luxembourg. E-mail: [email protected] Revised version received 19 May 2015 Abstract. In explaining urban form in Cambodia, morphological continuity between rural and urban forms is examined. Environment and agrarian land use are decisive factors in the location and shape of plots in the countryside. Under conditions of higher population density, urban plots tend to be compressed versions of rural ones. Adopting a historico-geographical approach, the development of the form of Phnom Penh as a colonial city and capital of a French protectorate is explored as an example of the persistence of a rural settlement pattern in a specific urban context. Keywords: Cambodia, Phnom Penh, rural morphology, urban morphology, plot form The shapes of plots have become a significant, plain, made lowland living sustainable, albeit not widely studied, aspect of both urban allowed the population to expand and rendered and rural settlement morphology. However, empire building possible. This explains why much of the attention given to this topic the lowlands have been the demographic and hitherto has focused on Europe. This paper economic core area of polities since the Khmer examines urban and rural settlement form, realm of Angkor (ninth to fifteenth centuries) especially the relationship between rural and and its successor kingdoms up to the French urban plots, in a very different environment – colonial era (1863-1953) and the period of the core area of Cambodia – giving particular independence.
  • 14 Architecture

    14 Architecture

    14 Architecture Wat Xieng Thong roof edge showing the cho faa now painted in turquoise A view of Wat Xieng Thong taken from within the compound Many of the stencils are repaired by monks. © All photos by Denise Heywood By DENISE HEYWOOD THE 35 BUDDHIST temples of Luang Prabang are delicate structures in need of frequent renovation. Damage caused by neglect, tropical Luang Prabang rain, humidity and heat, together with the impact of increasing numbers of tourists, all erode the buildings. This year Wat Xieng Thong, the most important and magnificent wat in Luang Prabang, and Wat Pak Khan, one of the smallest but oldest in the city, have both undergone restoration Temple Renovation and further enhance the cultural and aesthetic value of the former royal created it in memory of the legendary capital of Laos. present, this denotes a temple built by King Chanthaphanith, whose stories Luang Prabang became a a king. The dok so faa symbolises are depicted in golden stencilled UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mount Meru, abode of the gods, the imagery inside the main sim. 1993. Maintaining and conserving axis mundi, centre of the world, Traditionally wats were grouped sacred monuments is the highest surrounded by the seven mythical around royal residences, built with priority, along with preserving the chain of mountains of Hindu royal patronage or by affluent secular buildings as well, but funding mythology. In Laos, religion is individuals, as funding the building of is always needed. For Wat Xieng syncretic, incorporating Hindu, a wat gains merit in Buddhism. The Thong, a contribution of some Buddhist and animistic references.
  • Chapter Iii a Comparison on Lan Xang and Early

    Chapter Iii a Comparison on Lan Xang and Early

    CHAPTER III A COMPARISON ON LAN XANG AND EARLY RATTANAKOSIN BUDDHIST ART AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS As a Buddhist kingdom, both Lan Xang and Rattanakosin cherished their temples by put every effort to build one and decorate it with the most beautiful artwork they could create at that moment. Those architectures and artworks not just express how luxury each kingdom was, but also represent the thought and circumstance in the meantime. Even though Lan Xang and Rattanakosin had a same religion and were neighbor, their arts and architectural designs are different as follow: 3.1 Lan Xang Buddhist Art and Architectural Design Lan Xang was a kingdom with diversity; even in the Lao race itself. Since the end of the reign of King Suryawongsa Thammikkarat, Lan Xang was divided into three separated kingdom; Luang Prabang, Vientiane and Champasak. Even though they were split up, they still shared their art and architectural designs. Each kingdom had been influenced by the neighbor surround and outsider as described below: 3.1.1 Lan Xang Architecture Developed through centuries, Lan Xang architectures may contain a lot of outsider influence, but at some point, they have their own unique style of architecture. Lan Xang temples can be divided into two part; Buddhawat and Sangkhawat. This chapter will discusses only on the Buddhawat area which cantains of That (ธาตุ), sim (สิม), Ho Wai (หอไหว), Oob Mung (อูบมุง), Hotrai or a library (หอไตร) and Ho Klong or a drum tower (หอกลอง), 3.1.1.1 That (Pagoda or Stupa) That (ธาตุ) in Lan Xang architecture is a Buddhist monument which can refer as a Chedi or pagoda (in Thai Architecture).
  • Women in Cambodia – Analysing the Role and Influence of Women in Rural Cambodian Society with a Special Focus on Forming Religious Identity

    Women in Cambodia – Analysing the Role and Influence of Women in Rural Cambodian Society with a Special Focus on Forming Religious Identity

    WOMEN IN CAMBODIA – ANALYSING THE ROLE AND INFLUENCE OF WOMEN IN RURAL CAMBODIAN SOCIETY WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON FORMING RELIGIOUS IDENTITY by URSULA WEKEMANN submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF THEOLOGY in the subject MISSIOLOGY at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: DR D C SOMMER CO-SUPERVISOR: PROF R W NEL FEBRUARY 2016 1 ABSTRACT This study analyses the role and influence of rural Khmer women on their families and society, focusing on their formation of religious identity. Based on literature research, the role and influence of Khmer women is examined from the perspectives of history, the belief systems that shape Cambodian culture and thinking, and Cambodian social structure. The findings show that although very few Cambodian women are in high leadership positions, they do have considerable influence, particularly within the household and extended family. Along the lines of their natural relationships they have many opportunities to influence the formation of religious identity, through sharing their lives and faith in words and deeds with the people around them. A model based on Bible storying is proposed as a suitable strategy to strengthen the natural influence of rural Khmer women on forming religious identity and use it intentionally for the spreading of the gospel in Cambodia. KEY WORDS Women, Cambodia, rural Khmer, gender, social structure, family, religious formation, folk-Buddhism, evangelization. 2 Student number: 4899-167-8 I declare that WOMEN IN CAMBODIA – ANALYSING THE ROLE AND INFLUENCE OF WOMEN IN RURAL CAMBODIAN SOCIETY WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON FORMING RELIGIOUS IDENTITY is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references.