Wedding Bells in Thailand

I just returned to Bangkok from my weeklong holiday- but I'll get to that later. I landed at Don Mueang International (Bangkok's smaller and older airport which mostly handles short-distance flights) around 3 PM on Saturday afternoon. Last month my buddy James and I decided to get new bespoke suits. Mine was finished just in time. I had a wedding to attend that evening! I didn't have any time to go back to my apartment though, and I had to drag my luggage downtown to Sukumvit to pick up my new suit.

This year I inherited a Saturday tutoring gig from one of the girls who worked at our vocational school last year. Every weekend I meet up with P'Ja (a Thai teacher) and we teach four students for two hours. She tutors two in Thai while I tutor the other two in English. Then we switch. It's a good job.

I already knew P'Ja, because some of my friends and I traveled with her and her family to Kanchanaburi last year. She and her family "adopt" some of the American teachers each year. The year before I arrived in Thailand they adopted Katie and Grant, and last year they picked up my colleague Kelsey and me as well. P'Ja invited us to her daughter's wedding.

When Kelsey and I arrived at the banquet hall, we felt very lost and confused. We didn't really know what was going on and we didn't see anyone that we knew. In fact, we had never met the bride before! Luckily I heard someone calling my name- P'Chai, our Thai "dad." It was really great to see him again. He and his son Boom showed us to our table, where we met another old friend: good old Uncle P'Jo, whiskey in hand. We had a happy reunion.

meeting up with an old friend

Thai weddings are big productions. Kelsey and I joked that it felt like the first thirty minutes of prom for four hours. Everything is one big photo op, and P'Ja and P'Chai were born to throw big parties like this one. The family that P'Ja and I tutor on Saturdays was also there.  These boys spend a lot of time attending extra tutoring classes, and Kelsey tutors the same boys during the week. We just call them "Tutor Family." It was nice to talk with Tutor Mom and Tutor Dad, and to see the boys. They told me that they had gotten good scores on their final exams and that they were enjoying playing games on their holiday.

Kelsey and me with P'Ja

P'Ja even took some time out of meeting and greeting to come sit with Kelsey and Me and tell us that she wanted to take us on another trip sometime! She is the nicest lady, and it's really great to be a part of the "family."

The wedding party went until late Saturday night. Still tired from traveling, there was no time to rest. I had to put my suit back on just six hours later to attend wedding number two. Just after 6:00AM we were waiting outside of the school gates where our Thai boss Aj. Piyawan and British boss Geoffrey met us. Sunday was a very special day for our school: the wedding of American teacher James and Thai teacher Nan. James has been in Thailand for four years and is the only foreign teacher that kind of knows what's going on at any given time, mostly because of his Thai girlfriend. They are both teachers and met at the school.

The wedding was in Rayong, about three hours east of Bangkok, and the school had arranged transportation there and away. It was a hot day, and Geoffrey and I were sweating in our suits. "At least two of us look smart," he whispered to me. The ceremony took place outside. James and Nan kneeled in front of a line of chanting monks. The bride and groom held onto a white string which was passed to the monks as well. I'm not sure how long the chanting took, but it seemed to go on forever. Whenever monks are chanting you are expected to put your hands together in a wai, but everyone's hands were drooping by the end. Then James and Nan kneeled on some pillows as the guests came forward to pour flowered water from a seashell over their hands and wish them their best wedding blessings. 

Someone stole James's shoe. Apparently that's a tradition at a Thai wedding.

James stole my line as I came forward to greet the couple and bless them with water, "nice suit." We had gotten our suits made at the same time and place. Then it was picture time! There are two things that make a Thai event complete, and the first one is taking (lots of) pictures.

The second thing is karaoke, and later in the banquet hall when we were seated at the farang table with James's mom (and Nan's sister who translated), some of the Thai teachers got up on the stage to sing. Then James, Nan, and their friends made speeches (in Thai and English). Great 80's music chosen by James's mom played while a full multi-course Thai meal was served. All of the important teachers from our school attended, and it was a big, happy event. We got back to Bangkok late that evening, and I've been resting since. Congratulations to the new couples this weekend!

the "Mathayom Boys"