Background (History)

   

  Ban Son is located in Sakat Sub-Disrict, Sangkha District Surin, Thailand. It is 65 kilometers from the province. You can go there by bus, your own car or even a motorbike. Presumably, Ban Son was first established in 1857. Originally, the village was the home of the Khmer ethnic group who migrated from Khukan district. People have lived their happily and peacefully since the old days, in the  past the village was   small, there were not many families. The first leader of Ban Son was Khunkrai. Now, there are over 900 people in the village. It has gradually become bigger when time goes by. The name of kind village was Ban Son.It was named by kind of tree; pine tree. the pine tree like Saron in khmer language  so that Ban Son was named by pine tree until present time.

Attraction

        

           Wat Sonsatharama is a well-known temple in Sangkha district. It has many beautiful buildings such as the hall, the church. Now, Praajarn Oak Arpatharo is an abbot of Wat Sonsatharama. There are 14 monks in the temple. It is an attractive temple. The most famous one is Salamaidaeng hall. Salamaidaeng Hall is the biggest hall in Sangkha District and it is the third biggest hall in Surin. It has red roof and big red pole. When you enter the hall, you will feel cool, and peaceful. It is quiet because it is located in the middle of the forest.

Offerings of Saentontar Day

Offerings of Saentontar Day

Before Saentontar Day, the people in my village will prepare offerings for the ceremonies as follows.

1.bananas

2.coconuts

3.fish,chicken,curry

4.sticky rice

5.drinks as alcohol,beer,Coke, etc

6.Fruits as grapes ,oranges, etc.

7.desserts called  Kaotommut(cook stingy rice with coconut milk,wrap rice with banana or coconut leave and boil it) etc.

8 other things as money,clothes,silk ,cigarette, candle etc.        

  I hope you are eager to visit my village.You can come any time but the best time to visit is during  early October every year because you will see a wonderful  of Khmer culture. Please come to visit us at Ban Son.

Culture

       The wonderful old ceremony of the khmer people.

             There are many cultures in Ban Son, such as Songkran Festival, Loykathong Festival or Seantontar Ceremony. What I am proud to present most about my village is Seantontar Ceremony.

Saentontar Day at Ban Son

Saentontar is one of many important ceremonies which has been practiced for along time among Khmer people in order to worship the ancestors every year. “Saentontar” is Khmer language of Surin people. Saen means “sacrificing” (give some food to the ancestors’spirits) , and Tontar means “the ancestor”, (great grandfathers and great grandmothers who died) .This ceremony is held on 14 th lunar day of October. During, this occasion, teenagers and relatives who work in another provinces will come back home to worship their ancestors and their parents. This ceremony reflects unity, gratefulness and love among family members and relatives.

Moreover,the ceremony also aims to show love and respect to parents. People will cook some food to give to the monk at the temple in the morning. There are many  kind of food such as grilled fish, grilled chicken, bananas, oranges  and Kaotommut  (cook sticky rice with coconut milk, wrap rice with banana or coconut leaves and boil it) etc.

In the morning of first day ,the villagers will cook Kaotommut(cook sticky rice with coconut milk, wrap rice with banana or coconut leaves and boil it).In the afternoon, they will cook some food  such as grilled fish, grilled chicken and curries etc. At around 4 pm, people will go worship at the ancestors’ pagoda in the temple.

On 2 nd day, the villagers prepare a lot of food, fruit and drinks and so on. They put the food on a big tray together with silk, clothes, money and cigarettes. They light the candles and incense stick to worship the ancestors. They pray in order to invite the spirit of the ancestors to eat some food in the plate (During this occasion, some relatives or guests may visit one another to join in ceremony). This time is a good occasion to visit relatives and have dinner among member of family. In the evening, they put all things in a bamboo basket and take them to the temple. They will stay at the temple until 5 a m. After the ceremony, the villagers take the food baskets and put them inside the church.

On the third day in the morning, the villagers will go to the temple again to give the monks some food and listen to the preaching about Saentontgar day. When they go back home, they will put some food, coin and cigarette in the coconut shell and float in the pond or the canal.

People

The villagers of Ban Son are very nice and kind. They like to help others people and always make merit at the temple on the Buddhist holidays. Most people in the village are farmers. They grow rice only once a year during the rainy season. Most young children graduated from Bantamome School. They leave school at a very young age due to poverty. They usually go to work at Bangkok or another provinces in order to support their family. Few people in Ban Son are merchants and government officers.