Picnic in Phana turns political

Just before we left Phana for our summer sojourn in England, Khun Prachoenlab, the mayor of Phana Municipality, invited us to a picnic on his farm. The mayor is no farmer, he is a lawyer and, I suspect, an aspiring politician on a bigger stage. But many people in Phana have farms but are not, themselves, farmers. It is not difficult to find someone who will farm your land for you. Many people who really are farmers are able to farm more land than they own, especially if they have several family members who can help them, and if they have no other full-time occupation. More often than not it is relatives who do the farming, partly because their own fields are likely to be nearby; and also because in some sense it continues the custom of helping each other with the labour required in the fields. When someone farms your fields for you, it is customary that they keep two-thirds of the crop and you get the remainder. The rice they harvest on your land is usually surplus to their own needs so it can be sold, and this is how they can generate extra cash.

In the past, people in Phana would spend several nights sleeping in a hut in their fields during the harvest. They rarely do that nowadays because they can get to their fields quite easily by motorbike and often even by pick-up truck. I'm told that it was considered really sanuk to sleep like that out in the fields, and to have your meals there. So nowadays it is quite common for people to invite others to share a picnic with them out in their fields in the dry season after the harvest. And so it was that the mayor came to have a picnic in a new sala he had had built next to his fields, and most importantly, next to his fish pond.

It was a small group at the picnic. We had one of Pensri's sisters from Bangkok with us as well as a younger sister and her husband from Ubon. Our friends Add and Nid were there and so was a  mayor  from a nearby tetsaban. Our mayor seems to be confusing his role with that of sheriff. I don't know what the germanic-looking shirt is all about but the ceremonial pakamaa asserts his farming credentials.

 

 

 

These picnics in the field invariably rely heavily on fish. And on men to catch and grill them.

The fish was served in a variety of ways and we all tucked in.

But my favourite on the day was this laab made of red ants, red ant eggs, a little minced fish and the usual herb ingredients. Delicious. Saeb saeb, as we say in these parts.

We had finished our meal when news came through that our two MPs were in Phana opening a small road project in one of the villages, sponsored by the National Housing Authority. The senior of the two MPs (they are father and son), Suthat Ngeunmuen, is a former Minister of Justice and what Americans would call Phana's favourite son. He lives in Amnat Chaoen now, and is returned to parliament on the party list. The news came through  the tetsaban radio and by means of the radio he was invited to join our picnic. The tables were hastily cleared and then set up again with just the one place laid. As always enough food was found somehow. Our mayor took off his hat and put on a jacket, as did the other mayor. Pensri rushed home to get some copies of her History of Phana to give him.There was a sudden injection of excitement into the occasion as you can perhaps detect.

 When Pensri gave them to him he asked for them  be dedicated (in English,he insisted) and signed by Pensri. The first he wanted dedicated to Khun Abhisit (Prime Minister), the second to Khun Chuan (former Prime Minister) the third to a former Deputy PM, and then Pensri signed one for him and one for his son. It seems unlikely that Khun Abhisit has found time to read it yet.

And then before leaving Khun Suthat sat down for a photo op with us all:

 

We sat around for a little while afterwards, picking over some of the things he had said. There was nothing very revealing, of course, although he did say that after thirty-whatever years in politics this was the first time he had no idea at all how things were going to turn out.  

 

Comments

[Mike]

Lawrence very interesting. I think you might well be right about the PM and reading the book!

Looks like it might hot up in BKK today?

[Martyn]

Lawrence, what a smashing post and once again you've forwarded my village education. Your explanation of farmers working other peoples land for two thirds of the crop fills another gap in village life for me.

Some of your photos remind me so much of life in Wilai's village and laab reminds me of the amount of times Wilai cooks it, though not with ants, it's always pork or beef. I've eaten it myself and it tastes not too bad. I'll upgrade that to pretty damn good.

I reckon Khun Abhisit might now be reading Pensri's book and pondering about perhaps settling for a quiet life somewhere up country. She must be really proud to think Thailand's PM has at least thumbed through all her hard work. That's some achievement.

[Lawrence]

Mike, I think unless things in BKK hot up, they will just go on and on. As long as the man's money lasts, Pensri says. And that could be a very long time. The PM dosn't seem to be taking any decisive action so he may as well ge reading. (So far I have admired his restraint, but perhaps he is being restrained rather than choos that path. Who knows.)

[Lawrence]

Martyn, Keep reading my blog and you won't need to go to Wilai's village!

I never touch the beef laab, it is always uncooked (also re your comment on the gecko/chameleons). So were some of the prawns on offer at Kaeng Sapheu. I think laab at its best is my favourite Isan food. Duck laab is very popular in Phana, but you have to be careful how you ask for it so as not to confuse duck and chilli-hot.

[Michael Hare]

Which wife did Khun Suthat bring to the lunch? He is a real old smoothie and charmer of ladies. Old style politican who wants people to remain in their place. That is, be humble and grateful for educated people like himself (a lawyer), who know what is best for the people.

[Lawrence]

Thanks for your comment, Michael. Have you thought of starting a gossip column? I have met him lots of times in Phana but he has always been alone. However, I have heard one story and it seems quite romantic to me.
Don't all politicians "know what is best for the people"? (Well, some are only interested in what is best for themselves.) How else could they operate? Some aspects of his political journey are clearly careerist, but again, how else do you make any headway in politics?