The Rainmakers

[FranklyB]

The rainmakers were out the other day, If anyone has not seen them before, When theres been drought for a certain period the ladies of the Baan come out in to bring the rain, well the forecast was for rain and storms, so they picked the right day to come out.

Heres how it goes they make a instrument from anything connected with rice, which has spiritual qualities, because there has been no rain they believe there is a ghost stopping the rain from coming, so the ladies and a local medium come together they place the instument in between two ladies and the medium calls on the ghost to come speak with her, when the ghost is ready to talk the ladies pick the instrument up and the ghost speaks through it and the instrument sways from side to side, the ladies stand up and off they go swinging this thing around at a force i am surprised they do not hurt themselves, it is supposed to take them to the point were the ghost is, whilst chanting pee baah we need to find you because if we not have rain, we can not eat rice were are you.

Well this years turn out was pretty full on, and the ladies were at the best going all over the village, ( god help you if the ghost is found inside you home) well finally after about three hours they found him but he was not a ghost it was buddha himself, but not a Thai buddha but a buddha statue that had of recently been set in concrete and contributed by a Local monk who now resides in chonburi, well after the medium having had a chat with buddha, he informed her that he was not happy with his present location and felt it better if he was moved to a specified site inside the temple, he also told her to come back the next day as he wanted to speak to the families of the Baan.

Well the next day arrived at the specified time they went through the normal things they do and what a surprise it stated p-ssing down so they stopped, could not of been that important what buddha had to say so they will be returning today to try again.

Well after a bit of investigation i was able to establish when the statue was given to the temple, our claimed medium and her family were agianst were the statue was put, what a clever lady no doubt she will get her way after all, but so it seems the monk who gave the gift has the last say, i am waiting for fireworks.

[saf]

Lord Buddha would turn in his urn at such a carry on in his name. It's amazing how the teachings of great people are distorted and embellished to enhance the personal power of small men, big business and politicians. It's time for a new religion in Thailand with a farang as the god.

There is a better solution to the lack of rain around here. The village PA was used this morning to invite rice farmers to register for a grant to compensate them for their lost crops. Oddly, when I drove past the village hall later, there sat three kids from the amphur and no farmers! Still. it rained last night so no-one will remember the lack of rain in previous weeks.

[Alfie]

Nice story, Handsome.

Well the next day arrived at the specified time they went through the normal things they do and what a surprise it stated p-ssing down so they stopped, could not of been that important what buddha had to say so they will be returning today to try again.

I'd have thought she would have been able to predict it would rain!

Well after a bit of investigation i was able to establish when the statue was given to the temple, our claimed medium and her family were agianst were the statue was put, what a clever lady no doubt she will get her way after all...

One of the perks of the job, mate. Better to be a medium than a union leader.

[FranklyB]

Lord Buddha would turn in his urn at such a carry on in his name. It's amazing how the teachings of great people are distorted and embellished to enhance the personal power of small men, big business and politicians. It's time for a new religion in Thailand with a farang as the god.

There is a better solution to the lack of rain around here. The village PA was used this morning to invite rice farmers to register for a grant to compensate them for their lost crops. Oddly, when I drove past the village hall later, there sat three kids from the amphur and no farmers! Still. it rained last night so no-one will remember the lack of rain in previous weeks.

Last year Saf my wifes family applied for the lost rice crop compensation and got turned down because they had a farang family member .

I have photos of this bizarre ceremony will post in future have lost my lead for camera

[FranklyB]

Nice story, Handsome.

Well the next day arrived at the specified time they went through the normal things they do and what a surprise it stated p-ssing down so they stopped, could not of been that important what buddha had to say so they will be returning today to try again.

It obivously was not that important what buddha had to say as they did not return, Maybe it was a holiday of some description in the spirit world

[FranklyB]

Well we had the conclusion of the Fiasco yesterday, now this was a real fly on the wall documentary, channel 4 would of been nominated for a award for this

The monk who gave the statue to the temple and village was contacted, to be asked what he thought about moving the statue, he was informed that our medium friend had of spoken to the statue, and the buddha had informed her that he was not happy were he was placed and would be of help if moved and then rain would come. well i do not know the whole conversation but the monk was supposed to of told the elder ladies in the thai way that they were playing a game with the village to get what they wanted and he did not want the statue to be moved

Well yesterday the usual ladies came again as its custom to resolve the rain problem in three days of the first ceremony, well they all sat around, doing the usual chanting etc etc, something was said because the women wanted to prove there ways were long held beliefs and had true spirit status,They had someone hide something that was five metre away from them, so they did there usual sprinkling of the instrument to give it some whiskey laos to give it the power they started rocking the instrument and stood swinging it around and around they came into are garden, and my wife on hold informed them that if they broke our double patios windows they would have to pay a lot of money , they automatically changed direction and went straight to the hidden object, with one women stirring the other in its direction, how i stoppped myself is beyond belief aanyway i could see the whole scenario was becoming amusing to some of the locals as well the connection with the spirit kept getting broken if the instrument touches the floor whilst getting swung around they have to start again, well the were people fallng on the floor, which is not good, as one observer told me the spirit not very hapy whats going on.

Well the old ladies reached the same conclusion as before, statue has to be moved, there was a lot of jak jak, village is split now with believers and non believers.

There i was last night sitting outside and the shop is just across the road from us, theres my wifes mother telling all that would listen, that handsome man had of told her that the world is changing and the seasons may become more shorter hence less rain etc etc.

Handsome mans conclusion if that statue gets moved theres going to be hell to pay.

[saf]

It may be too late now but you could claim to be a C of E vicar or mormon evangelist sent to help the village. Have a little prayer session, sprinkle some holy water and tell them to give you money and beer (for spirit, of course, not yourself) so that the village will prosper in years to come and have a lot of rain. If it doesn't happen before you leave, tell them that someone in the village must be either gambling or fornicating and the whole village will suffer - unless they give you more money and beer. Believe me, it's worked for all religions for centuries and the animists in your village already believe the same stuff.

[FranklyB]

Saf how about a scientologist that would completely stump them, could even be Colonel ron Hubbard do not question me just do as i say because you are a sinner and your life is not worth living with out me, if only my wife on hold would listen to that one