Lue Blog

This last season of assessments has taken me to west coast of Thailand on its southern isthmus.  Along with a couple of friends, I hopped on a long tail boat (see photo) and went to a few little islands just off the coast to seek out one of the three Sea Gypsy people groups-the Moken (roughly pronounced maw-can).  One particular trip was a night excursion between two island villages.

This week I’m doing a survey with the Eastern Bruu people group in N.E. Thailand in an area known as the Korat Plateau.  I’ll going to an area that is only a few hours from the Laos border.   I’ve visited four villages already and have another four to go.   Most of my time is spent with the village leaders, shop owners, and farmers.

I don’t speak or comprehend E. Bruu.  You might be wondering, “How you can tell whether or not the people are using the local dialect?”

A teenage friend of mine was in a motorcycle accident last week.   He was riding behind the driver (like the girl in the photo) when their bike collided into the rear of another motorcycle that had three people on it.  Tragically, the passenger that was closest to the impact on the other motorbike was killed.   Thankfully my friend came away with just a few minor scratches and a black eye.

“Why doesn’t the family of the deceased turn back to see the coffin burn? Why do they leave so quickly after the fire is lit?  It is because they don’t want to be haunted by the spirit of the dead,” my friend explained, “The ghost will see and remember and then go and harass the family.”

At the end of a funeral ceremony the body is to be cremated as is custom among those of the Buddhist faith.   I’ve always wondered why everyone exits so quickly once the coffin is alit.  I just happened to hear the reason for this in the last week while chatting with a good friend. Making sure that one does not upset the spirits of the dead is reflected in many actions and customs.

I have a new job for the next six months.  I’m the new People Group Assessment Coordinator for my organization.   I’ll be overseeing comprehensive surveys of several people groups that live in the far corners of the country.   I’ll be going to the Khorat plateau in the  N.E. near the Laos border, to the mountains  near the country’s center,  and then all the way down to the coast (on the Andaman Sea side) on the southern isthmus.  The language groups are just as varied.  Austronesian groups in the South, Sino-Tibetian groups in the central part, Mon-Khmer and Thai groups in the N.E.