Bridging the River Kwai
You were born on a Tuesday, on a beautiful full moon just like tonight. The new year will bring you glorious blessings of love, peace, joy and prosperity,” our Thai tour guide Simon enthused as we gently pushed our kratongs (handcrafted boats from banana stalks) adorned with lavender orchids and perfumed incense down the River Kwai in Kanchanaburi, capital of Thailand’s third largest province. During this Loy Kratong ceremony, we toasted to a celebration of past commemorations and warm welcomes for the coming year. That night, we joined the millions of Thai people and international guests who had traveled far and wide to be one on this auspicious occasion.
It is difficult to surpass the beauty of Loy Kratong, held on the full moon night of the 11th lunar month. “Paying homage to the spirits of the water, it is the festival of lights that transforms the country into a fairyland,” shared the distinguished Thai Minister of Tourism and Sports Weerasak Khosurat.
In retrospect, Loy Kratong started in Sukhothai where a lovely lady Noppamas of the court, seeking to please her royal master King Lithai, deftly folded banana leaves into the shape of a lotus blossom, which she then adorned with flowers, incense sticks and a lighted candle. The innovation pleased the king immensely so that Loy Kratong became an annual event, celebrated today by setting thousands of little boats adrift on rivers and canals throughout the country.
The romantic mise en scène unfolded in Kanchanaburi, which borders Myanmar and is known for its arresting scenic beauty, mountains, waterfalls and river valleys that have propelled hydroelectric power and labyrinthine reservoirs. A comfortable two-hour drive from Bangkok, passing fertile agricultural lands, historic towns, imposing Buddha shrines — this is where the Kwae Yai and Kwae Noi rivers unite to form the Mae Klong River.
It is truly amazing how the beauty of Thai culture is always in evidence; somehow its monarchy has managed to adapt itself to the demands of the progressive world while still preserving its rich tradition and ceremonial grandeur.
Our rambunctious group led by Thai Airways sales manager Malu Duenas, Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) Khun Rewat and Elaine Seah, Trikaya’s Khun Pong, Maurice Arcache, Raul Manzano, Pepper Teehankee, Marbee Go and Jason Penalosa gravitated towards this lunar milestone at the sprawling five-star Felix River Kwai Resort. What better backdrop than the historic and memorable Bridge Over the River Kwai, which now stands as an ode to thousands of heroes who symbolized valor and courage in the name of peace. The black iron bridge was transported from Java by the Japanese army and reassembled under Japanese supervision by allied prisoners of war. This formed part of the “death railway” that joins Thailand with Myanmar. Today, this bridge is still in use and it is worthy to note that the curved spans of the bridge are its original sections.
As I slowly walked across the existing bridge, I could only begin to imagine what transpired in the past. War has that peculiar quality that brings out the best and worst in men. Throughout history, peace has been the quest of kings and queens; it has also been the prayer of ordinary men and women who have suffered the horrors of war. There are questions that only the heart and the mind can answer or even dare ask, for that matter. In life, there are some things we ought to remember even as we mourn for them in the process. Perhaps it is the suffering borne from this past that teaches us to appreciate the future. History was once an observer where war was common and peace came only in interludes. Today, peace reigns and is here to stay. Such a plight was immortalized in Pierre Boulle’s novel The Bridge On The River Kwai and the classic 1957 movie of the same name. The bridge was a key part of the railway line and while the original was bombed by the Allies in 1945, the reconstruction is now Kanchanaburi’s biggest tourist attraction and the focus of a spectacular light and sound festival that celebrates its history from Nov. 28 to Dec. 9, 2008.
Although Kanchanaburi is blessed with exhilarating natural surroundings, the shadow of the Death Railway is apparent at almost every turn. Two Allied war cemeteries contain the graves of some of the prisoners of war (POWs) who died there. The town is also home to several museums, of varying quality. Today, this infamous bridge connecting Burma to Thailand serves the lives of those who benefit from it. Yes, the best way to realize our blessings is to realize what they are and how they came to be. I stood on the bridge and transfixed my gaze on every nail, wooden plank and bullet mark that punctuated it as I said a prayer or reverence. Time stood still as I experienced the grace and beauty of silence.
At the lush Felix River Kwai Resort, we enjoyed our luxurious suites surrounded by lovely forests, landscaped gardens, vast swimming pools and all the modern amenities one desires. At this resort, history came alive before my very eyes; all I had to do was imagine. I toured the sprawling grounds on a rented bicycle and keenly observed that scenes that surrounded me looked very much like movie sets. All that was needed were the warm bodies for “Light, camera, action!” moments.
An authentic Thai massage assuaged our tired muscles from the elephant ride earlier in the day. It is a surreal experience riding atop a huge elephant through the jungles and streams as well as watching a baby elephant perform its amusing stunts and tricks at Taweechai Elephant Camp, a very popular amusement camp in Kanchanaburi.
Another highlight of the province is the tiger forest temple called Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua Yannasampanno, founded in 1994, which has become a sanctuary for numerous wild animals. We were welcomed by Dr. Somchai who took us around. We learned that the abbot Phra Acharn Phusit has been caring for abandoned tigers since 1999. Word soon spread and more abandoned or injured tigers were brought to the temple. By 2005, there were 17 tigers at the temple. Seven were orphans rescued from the wild and 10 have been born and bred at the temple. When the adult tigers are brought out, visitors can follow them down into the tiger canyon where they will have a chance to have their picture taken with a tiger in their lap. The monastery is situated in an area lying adjacent to Burma. Protected areas and national parks along the Thai-Burma border are believed to contain the largest surviving populations of tigers in Thailand.
I marveled at the loving kindness exhibited by the monks and volunteers at the Tiger Sanctuary. Minister Khosurat was so right when he said, “The greatest treasure of Thailand is our people who are hospitable, kind, loving, giving and wholeheartedly wish to serve and please. Even if you don’t speak English, the genteel body language of universal compassion is felt.”
True to their very nature, Thai farmers patiently wait for rice to grow just like fishermen wait for fish to bite. The monks allow time for enlightenment and embrace detachment from the material world believing eternity is now and tomorrow is yet to come. Temples continue to exist, sparkling like bejeweled wedding cakes in emerald green rice fields, a hushed oasis of tranquility amid the bustling cities.
I did not have to wait long for the blessings of joy, peace, loving kindness and prosperity to take place. Simply being there, witnessing the glorious fireworks that frame the full moon, watching the billowing lanterns carrying fervent wishes towards the ethereal heavens has placed a perennial smile in my heart lasting much longer than any lifetime can take.
Thai Airways flies twice daily to Bangkok. Please call sales manager Malu Duenas at 812-4744. For tourism info, call TAT’s Dave de Jesus in manila at 911-1660 or log on to www.tat.or.th. For Felix River Kwai Resort, call GM David Gooi at +66 (0) 3455 1000-23 or log on to www.felixriverkwai.co.th. For the best Thai food in Kanchanaburi, check out Nopparatana Restaurant (www.nopparatana.com).
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E-mail the author at miladay.star@gmail.com.
