Frontier Towns On the Mekong

By Sheba Suphannahong

This ebook is for the modern traveler -- the bold, the brave, and those that want to use technology for new insights.

Our quirky Frontier Town (Nakhon Phanom) is the perfect place to use as a base for adventure, research, exploration, chill-out and more:
* The most spectacular river-caves in the world are across the Mekong in Laos
* Ancient stone walls (equal to those in Angkor Wat) can be found meandering the Mekong
* Relics of the Buddha are enshrined in many of the Khmer-style temples throughout the region
* The Rua-Fai-Festival to honour the Naga-spirit is awesome, and the means for making these candle-lit boats remains unchanged for centuries
* Chill-out could be a day (or days) wandering among Mom & Pop restaurants providing deliciously healthy food, in unforgettable ambiance -- and the modest costs will also surprise you
* Beautiful pictures to enhance each subject.

This part of Thailand, Isaan, remains remote. The formidable power of iPads/eReaders harness the technology, and Frontier Towns provides the information, so that visitors can enjoy unique and unforgettable days in Frontier Towns on the Mekong.

• Language: English
• Publisher: eBookIt.com
• Release date: Apr 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9781456619893

Book preview

review.

Chapter 1

Introduction

1. IndoChina on the Mekong

2. Isaan, Thailand

3. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej

4. Nakhon Phanom

5. Ancient traditions & modern technology

6. Languages in Isaan

1. IndoChina on the Mekong

Frontier towns are notorious and most will have their stories of intrigue.   Nakhon Phanom, on the Mekong and in the heart of IndoChina, has a history which is unequaled in length of time – as well as upheavals.   Spending a few days in Nakhon Phanom will tell you much about IndoChina on the Mekong -- various ethnic groups and life-style are still shaping the history of this region. IndoChina 2013 Google map, Chapter 2@Map Heart of the Mekong

We shall not bore you with details, however, a quick overview cannot be avoided because few places on earth have such a long -- and action-packed history:

• Less than 300 kilometers north-west of Nakhon Phanom is the Ban Chiang Archaeological site, this is the most important prehistoric settlement so far discovered in south-east Asia. Already in the 5th millennium BC this place was humming with remarkable human cultural, social, and technological activities. Ban Chiang is now a UNESCO site – more about this at: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/575

• Less than 500 kilometers to the south is Angkor Wat, (Siem Rep, Cambodia) capital of the Khmer Empire from 790 to around 1300 AD.   Recent satellite imaging has revealed Angkor to be the largest pre-industrial urban center in the world!     Although little is known of the Khmer people, they are generally acknowledged as the world’s greatest architects – Angkor Wat is one of the best examples.   Most of the Wats / Temples mentioned in Frontier Towns are Khmer in origin. chapter 8@Birth-day & Temple / Wat

• According to chronicles in the Cham Museum in Da Nang, Vietnam, the Champa kingdom , founded in 192 AD left traces of its civilization over vast territories, throughout the present day IndoChina Peninsula. http://www.chammuseum.danang.vn/English/Home/

• A round the start of the 1st millennium, the Tai tribes began migrating south into south- Asia (west of the Khmer Empire) - with large-scale migrations taking place between the 7th and 13th centuries (the Khmer referred to these people/tribes as Syams).

• The Champa Kingdom, a federation of several smaller states called Mandala -- comprised of several ethnic groups started to grow around the Mekong Basin in the 1500’s; as the Khmer Empire crumbled.

• Only a few centuries ago, the land on both sides of the Mekong throughout this region belonged to the Sri Kotrabun Kingdom.

It was when the French landed on the shores in the South China Sea (Golfe de Cochinchine) that an attempt was made to forge these various ethnic groups into more modern-style nations, however, the endeavors of the French were stopped on the west side of the Mekong!   Chapter 12@The Mekong -- from Source to Sea.

As the French forces moved westward, from the South China Sea, they sponsored the notion of modern nationhood amongst the disparate Lao territories, primarily in an attempt to remove the Lao people from the cultural orbit of neighboring Siam.   

Along the Mekong, they encountered the courts of the King of Siam and were outwitted mainly through capricious and unconventional tactics – which proved more appropriate than military-might.   Perhaps it was the subtle-confusion-tactics that the rational European mindset could not surmount.   Chapter 1@languages explains another part of the subtle-confusion-tactic!

Whatever, under the Convention of 13 February 1904, a new frontier was drawn, and the Mekong became the eastern border of Siam, in this Isaan region.   Therefore, the Eastern part of Siam always was populated by people originating from various ethnic groups in Asia.

2. Isaan, Thailand

This North-Eastern corner of modern-day Thailand was named Isaan -- a term adopted from Sanskrit (pronounced: Ishan) meaning in a north east direction; Phak ta-wan ork, chiang nuea is the real Thai pronunciation referring to north east direction.   For the curious; Isaan is another example of how the Siamese Kings assimilated various tribes into their Kingdom – the acceptance of this name made it clear that the authority was coming from South-West (Bangkok)!   Today the people here refer to themselves as Kon Ishan (translation: people Isaan).   Once again, the subtle-tactics of the Siamese Kings have succeeded.

Today, our Frontier Town on the Mekong, Nakhon Phanom, has a beautiful walkway, with a majestic view on Laos and the limestone mountains on the opposite side of the Mekong-- apart from the French tourist visiting "Indochine", there is little left from those years of colonialism.

In its more recent history, Nakhon Phanom was home to one of America’s most strategic military bases during the Vietnam war -- oddly enough the Americans built the base almost next-door to the home where Ho Chi Ming lived for many years.   Today the locals fondly refer to this as Uncle Ho’s House, chapter 5@Uncle Ho’s House.   The air-base is now a modern airport (and the Americans are mostly forgotten).

The Naga of the Mekong is perhaps the real force that has shaped the lives of the local people for centuries.   Long before the colonial powers and still today, the Naga-spirit has remained a constant throughout history.   One thing that the various ethnic groups all agree upon – that is the need to pacify the Naga-spirit and it seems to mingle everywhere in the everyday lives of the people.   chapter 9@Naga and the Rua Fai

The cover picture of Frontier Towns on the Mekong shows the Naga that guards the port in Nakhon Phanom; Laos is visible on the opposite side of the Mekong.

3. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej

In 1932 a bloodless coup resulted in the absolute monarchy being abolished and the institution of a constitutional monarchy (along with a name change to Thailand).   

His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the deeply-loved King of Thailand -   The light of His land, the pride of His people and a shining example to all peoples of the world.

On 5 May in 1950, King Bhumibol Adulyadej was crowned King Rama the Ninth of Thailand.   His vow is oft repeated:     We will reign with righteousness for the benefit and happiness of the Siamese people - and in all the years which have passed, the concept of righteousness has dominated his reign.

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Thais commonly refer to her by reducing such title to Phra Thep (Princess Angel), has continued in the footsteps of her Father.   Each and every day she is active on the projects established by the King, as well new projects addressing more recent concerns – such a biodiversity and eco-sustainability.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej has received awards, honors, medals and recognition for his hard work from around the world.   In May of 2006, the year that King Bhumibol Adulyadej celebrated the 60th anniversary of His accession to the throne, he also received the "Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award" from the United Nations.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the longest-reigning Monarch in the world – and to this day, the reverence for him continues to grow: The light of His land, the pride of His people and a shining example to all peoples of the world.

4. Nakhon Phanom

The name Nakhon Phanom, meaning city of mountains, was given to the city by King Rama I.   There are no mountains within Nakhon Phanom itself; the limestone mountains (Hinboun Mountains) take up most of the territory behind the city of Thakhaek, Laos, on the Eastern side of the Mekong and they extend to the Vietnam border.   Many believe that this is the most stunning view over the Mekong -- particularly early each morning, when the sun rises from behind the beautiful Hinboun Mountains.

The first indication of construction/settlement dates back to 607 AD, when Phraya Ammat (Pom), the army commander-in-chief from Vientiane, settled his troops here and built the first That.   This is the basis for the logo of Nakhon Phanom and Wat Maha That can be found a short distance from the center of Nakhon Phanom, on the Mekong.   More in Chapter 8@Saturday; Wat Maha That

With such a rich history, many will find it curious that it is not yet an international tourist-mecca.   There are NO shopping malls, NO McDonalds, NO Starbucks, NO large spa-resorts – rather the visitor will find the serene life-style of the locals, living their version of the modern life-style:

• Pick-up trucks selling fresh produce directly from the farm

• Local produce markets with FRESH-everything

• Evening markets selling whatever is in season

• Small Mom & Pop open-air restaurants everywhere

• Delicious & healthy food

• Beautiful Buddhist temples

• Local festivals for the Naga

• Occasions for various ethnic groups to celebrate

• Sky-labs (local version of tuk-tuks) serve as Taxies

• Hotels, restaurants, etc. – ALL owned & managed by locals.

Visitors arriving from the stressed lifestyle of the cities can immediately feel that the people in the region still live in harmony with the Mekong.   

In 2013 the United Nations gave Nakhom Phanom the distinction of being the Happiest place in Thailand!   The region around Nakhon Phanom is one of the poorest in per-capita-revenue in Thailand.   On the other hand, this study concluded that this is the Happiest Provence in Thailand based on subjects such as community values, family contentment, pollution, employment, education opportunities, etc..

Indeed, this Frontier Town has much to boast about.

There are many Frontier-towns on the Mekong, and all have an element of intrigue,

however, we have chosen to use Nakhon Phanom