Thailand ~ Course Description
INTRODUCTION
Land of Smiles and the heart of Buddhist Southeast Asia, Thailand is a land rich in natural beauty and cultural heritage. Supporting an ethnically diverse population including muslims in the south, independent Hill Tribes in the north, and ethnic Laotians in the East, Thailand is a crossroads for cultural exchange. Of special interest is the predominance of the Buddhist religion in this country. Monks lining the streets for their morning alms rounds embody the Buddhist ideal of equanimity. In addition to its rich cultural heritage, Thailand boasts over 33 National Parks that house unmatched ecological diversity.
Touch down in Bangkok, Thailand's City of Angels, for a weeklong orientation into Thai customs and geography. Enjoy a spirited day of Thai language training and learn how to ask your Thai waiter to hold the chili peppers! Learn firsthand about the social landscape and pressing political issues facing the land of Smiles. Tour age-old Buddhist temples and learn about the Buddha's influence on Thai customs and values.
ORIENTATION
Central Thailand, the basin of the Chao Phraya River, is a lush, fertile valley. It is the richest and most extensive rice-producing area in the country and has often been called the "Rice Bowl of Asia". This is the heart of Thailand, the region where the original Thais first settled and the place where you’ll be introduced to this diverse and thriving culture. Early settlers were attracted to this region by the incredibly fertile lands found on either side of the Chao Phraya River and its tributaries. Much of Thailand's early history was focused on this "basin", with successive capitals, Sukhothai, Ayutthaya, Thon Buri, and finally Bangkok, being located in the region. A number of these sites will be the focus of our orientation, as we continue in the Footsteps of the Buddha.
Thailand presents an incredible diversity in religious belief, including but not limited to: thousands of Theravada monasteries and over a quarter of a million monks; a ubiquitous belief in spirits and ghosts; a corresponding interest in astrology, palmistry and the occult; Brahman rites and ceremonies (confined mainly to the royal court); and finally the Mahayana Buddhism, Confucianism and ancestor worship associated with the substantial Chinese population. Religious minorities of Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Christians complete a rich variety of thought, philosophy, dogma, ritual, belief, superstition, worship and endeavor that is fashioned into a tolerant society with Buddhism as the dominant spiritual factor.
While in Bangkok, students will live comfortably 2-3 per room in a centrally located hotel with close access to Bangkok’s largest city Park, national museums and temples. You will be housed in the heart of one of Asia’s greatest cities. Later, in Ayutthaya, we will spend one night in a comfortable hotel within the city limits. Our central location will allow for easy access to the ruins where a good part of our day will be spent. Finally, students will retire to a long-house, sleeping side-by-side on woven mats or camping mattresses. With the jungle out your back door, the Khao Yai National Park provides an exciting contrast to the fast pace of life in the city.
After a 12-hour flight, touch down in Bangkok, Asia’s City of Angels, for the beginning of our orientation period. A city of 13 million, Bangkok is one of Asia’s most decadent cities. Home to Thailand’s ruling monarch, Bangkok is famous for its unmatched cuisine, rich Buddhist temples, and meandering canals. From the airport, commute thirty-minutes to your hotel and begin to enjoy the splendors of this fascinating city, embodied by Thai culture.
Our day begins with a presentation on Thailand Geography. We'll compare and contrast: the island and reef environments found off Thailand’s southern coast, the fertile rice fields in the central interior, the colorful traditions of the eastern or Isan region, the monsoon forests dotted with a diverse hill tribe population in the north, and the mountainous terrain of the western region.
Following our slide show, make your way to the famed Chao Praya River. Board a long boat and explore the colorful river front communities that dot the shoreline and the smaller canals that support the famed river markets.
Following dinner, enjoy a video presentation on Thai Buddhism and its influence on Thai culture and customs.
Your morning begins with an introduction to Thai language. Learn some of the basic words and phrases that will follow you into the internship period. Following this language immersion, enjoy a presentation from your in-country specialist about Thai culture and customs. Learn about male and female roles and expectations for proper behavior, the sanctity of the head versus the impurity of the foot, codes of conduct during Thai festivals and other useful traditional customs.
Following your morning discussions, board a bus for the Royal Palace and Wat Pak Khao. Home to the sole remaining monarchy in Southeast Asia and the only ruling body to escape colonization in Southeast Asia, the magnitude of temple can be imparted only through a personal visit.
Wat Pak Khao, one of the most impressive Buddhist temples in all of Southeast Asia, is a short walk from the Royal Palace. See the famed Emerald Buddha who reigns over the compound. Colorful murals on the temple walls invite visitors to step back into the time of the Buddha; these stories, told through pictures, are worth a thousand enlightened words.
Having seen two of the most sacred sites in the Land of Smiles, take in some of their profane counterparts. Learn about the history behind Thailand’s infamous prostitution trade that is readily seen under Bangkok’s neon lights, and hear about the black market trade of endangered animals that threaten to decimate Thailand’s National Parks.
Politics, in Thailand, have a rich amalgamation of content and wizardry. Our featured speaker will provide background on some of the key political events that shaped Thailand in the 20th century, such as, how the Thai environment has become effected by recent political trends. This discussion will also touch base on Thailand's wilderness, and where it will be heading in the near future.
The afternoon is dedicated to individual exploration. Visit key sites including Sua Lom, Bangkok’s single green lung and a city park worthy of exploration, or head over to Khao San Road for a glimpse of Asia’s backpacker culture. In the evening, venture off to one of the world’s greatest night markets where riches of the Thai environment are funneled into a single paved street and the scent of the Asian landscape is yours to enjoy, and sometimes endure.
Wake up early and board a bus for a 90-minute drive to the ancient city of Ayutthaya. Explore the ruins of the old capital (1350-1767) and “the grandest of cities,” as seen through the eyes of early European travelers. Discuss what the environment and forest looked like during the age of paradise lost. Walk through a period when spirits ruled the heavens and powerful kings ruled the land. Overthrown by Burmese invaders in the 18th century, the ghosts of the Thai landscape lay haunt to this ancient city of stone.
Board a long-tail boat to the far reaches of this ancient city and climb atop a stupa that affords a panoramic view. Discuss the ways that modernization has affected the life/ways of the average Thai, and consider the natural and political boundaries of Old Siam and how modernization has redefined the man-land equation. Explore the topic of Buddhism and Ecology, and the ways that religion may provide the framework for environmental renewal.
Another early start sees you traveling two hours east to Khao Yai National Park. Khao Yai boasts one of the most diverse monsoon rainforests in Asia. It is a place where chang--the great elephant herds—move juggernaut through rattan under story; where soft-footed tigers stalk grahting by the hunter’s moon; and where white-handed gibbons greet the rising sun in howling tandems.
A Park researcher will introduce you to the on-going efforts to documenting gibbon behavior and feeding patterns. As you hike through the forest in search of these howling primates, keep an eye out for Malayan sun bears, barking deer and spotted leopards. On the trail, catch a glimpse of dynamic family units at work, and discuss the threats faced by gibbons as a result of modernization.
Our staff will provide you with detailed information on current threats to the wildlife: poaching, the introduction of exotic species, and inadequate management. Following this introduction, meet with key officials to discuss how modernization has defined Park boundaries. Then, head out for a morning of bird watching.
With over three hundred species that call the Park home, Khao Yai is an avian enthusiast’s paradise. Along the way, take in some of the two hundred tree species in the Park. After your hike, assess the protection afforded this unique resource and work to create an improved management plan. At dusk, head out on an evening safari in search of elephants, porcupines, civet cats and other night dwellers.
