Thailand villages revisited

Fresh vegetables from the garden will be sold at the local daily morning market. A bunch of long beans sells for 5 baht (15 cents).

Once again I had the opportunity to travel outside of the bustling metropolis of Bangkok and visit three of the northeast's small country "moobahns" (villages). Life in Thai villages is similar to that in traditional villages everywhere, and even in developed countries to some extent. The pace of life is slow, most people have little money yet are happy, food comes from local gardens instead of supermarkets, and yearly income may be only what is sold from the family's rice field or backyard garden. People in villages often sit for hours on a platform or in a hammock, chatting with occasional passersby, or gather vegetables or eggs to sell in the market, work on home improvement projects, or prepare vegetables and meat for meals. 

Construction workers in a small village. The man makes 300 baht ($10) per 10 hour day, the national minimum wage, while the woman makes 200 baht ($6). That is the way things are in rural Thailand. The woman told me she is happy to have the work so she can pay for things her daughter (7 years old) needs for school.

It is important for people to connect with one another in the traditional villages, and if not done walking by a neighbor's house, then it is most certainly accomplished at the local market, regardless of its size.

A woman proudly displays her beautiful 100% Thai silk. This intricate piece (2 meters long) required 5 days of work. Small village markets in Surin Province have the most sought after Thai silk at very reasonable prices. I bought three.

A baby sleeps while her mother shops at the local market.

This woman sells "mahg", the Thai version of betel nuts and does a brisk business. Like many places in Asia, people chew on the very bitter and dry flesh of the nut and frequently spit into, well whatever is available or just on the ground. When I asked why one would want to chew on something that tastes so bitter (I tried it), I was told it is because of the "buzz" one gets, kind of like chewing tobacco (which is also done by many in Thailand).

Mahg (Thai betel nut)

One can buy herbal cigars at the market. Older people gather herbs to make them using traditional methods. This particular herbal blend is for sinus problems. 

Every morning at the same time, these monks from the village temple make their rounds gathering alms and then chanting blessings in return.