Thai Trip 19 Mukdahan and Khok Samran

Page 5

 

Gill eats a delicious pizza at the Food Box Mukdahan.
As I said on a previous page, Mukdahan is a favourite town of the OCA. Another favourite is the River Front Hotel which is quite close to another favourite, The Night Box food court. From being a remote backwater not too many years ago, Mukdahan is booming with lots of choices for tourists. The food choices at the Night Box are many and varied. From the local Isaan food like Som Tum to beef burgers and delicious pizza as demonstrated by our very own favourite, Gill Allison.
We had a free day on Thursday 14th and went off to do our own things. A favourite pastime of mine is to rise early and watch the sunrise from the balcony. Having a good quality zoom on my camera allowed me to take the picture right which hopefully, whets your appetite enough for you to want to join us on our next trip? That night our good friend Aek Chaimongkol visited us in the hotel lobby. He had bought some gifts for his friends in OCA from Rose, Rita and himself. Sadly for Aek they were all out when he arrived, so I handed them over after breakfast on the 15th.
The sun rises over the Mekong and Aek's gifts are given to his friends.
The groupmeet the Nyock and Balat to hand over artifacts.
Friday 15th and we left Muk to travel down to Ubon. On the way we were scheduled to call into the Obajors Office in Khok Samran. We were bearing artifacts for the Airfield Museum they are planning to create. Nyock Mit took time out from a meeting to greet us along with Balat Kham and Headman Glom. The artifacts we were delivering are two 35mm cameras which were handed over as the group picture shows. Cedric Williams who owned one of the camera's, can be seen carrying it in the rollover. Also donated were original B & W prints given by Derek Taylor.
Greetings over and Balat Kham invited us to follow him. He formed us up behind Neil who 'Piped' us across Highway 212 and into the school gates. As we progressed along the drive we passed classrooms to our left. The sound of the pipes bought the children out of their classrooms and on to the balcony loudly and excitedly chattering as we passed by. Neil turned right to lead us between the sports field and more classrooms. The children lined the road and greeted us as we passed then Neil turned to come to a halt.
Neil Campbell leads the group into Khok Samran school.
The OCA visitors are introduced to the school children.
 Balat Kham then seemed to take over the school. He sat the children down and spoke to them at length as we all looked on from the front. It became obvious he was using old but living and breathing relics, namely the OCA visitors, to give an on the spot history lesson about Crown Airfield. He had enough English to get us to introduce ouselves and to tell the kids which country we came from. Neil was asked to demonstrate the bagpipes but when the little girls were asked to dance, it was Jim Curtis who jumped up to assume the role as Dance Major.
The children sit attentively and Arthur and Neville give football coaching.
 It was at this point that the children were split into two groups, utilising the methods he'd learned at Hong Khong school, the Balat again employed Arthur and Neville as football coaches with the boys outside.
Indoors or I should say under cover of the building Neil was again given more gainful employment of playing his pipes for the second group. Jim Curtis continued to give the girls lessons in dancing the Highland Fling. With a gusto belying his years, he improved on his previous attempts at tuition. It was obvious he was no master of the dance but arms aloft, he soon had some of the girls copying his jumps and steps and starting to get the basics of the dance (see rollover). Given some proper training and those girls would have been fantastic.
The schoolgirls listen and dance the Highland Fling.
Neil teaches the bagpipes meanwhile, Nev decides to roll back the years.

Games over but the fun continued with both staff and students being encouraged by Balat Kham to attemp to play Neil's bagpipes. The picture left is the most humorous but check out the slideshow for more. With Balat Kham firmly in charge the children were told to line up and form two avenue's. The reason for doing this didn't become clear until later but in the meantime our prime mischief maker avoiding detection decided to roll back the years and join the kids (rollover). We were then requested to return to the front.
Again the Balat spoke to the children at length as we sat and faced them. This time it became apparent the visit was almost over. The welcome's we've had over the years have been memorable as indeed was this one. But now it was the departure that took on another dimension. Neil was again called upon to play, but this time it was the strains of Auld Lang Syne that his playing delivered. The Balat was using everything he knew to make our visit so special. Our final act from our position at the front was 'Hip Hip Hooray' to the kids.
Auld Lang Syne and Hip Hip Hurrah end the fun and games.
The children form a farewell corridor.
The welcome's we've had over the years have been memorable, this was no exception. But now it was the departure that took on another dimension. The children were asked to stand and the reason for them forming two rows revealed itself. In front of us now was a horseshoe shaped corridor of schoolchildren. We followed the example of the Balat to extended our arms to touch each childs hand to say 'au revoir'. With Gill and Dave Allison leading the way, the group slowly passed between the lines of children.
See the slideshow for more pictures of the group saying goodbye. As we ran an enjoyable gauntlet of happy smiling excited children, our own smiles grew broader as demonstrated by Jim Curtis and Noel Jackson. But our departure grew closer as we followed Balat Kham. He led us and the children to the sports stands that the OCA donated in 2016. It was time for the farewell picture of our visit. As we walked we spoke among ourselves of how again our trips seem to outdo the previous one but maybe that's just down to our imagination.

Jim Curtis and Noel Jackson move along the corridor of happy children.
The children and visitors of Khok Samlan school.
 This was the end of our visit to the school but back over the 212 our business was not concluded. In the Obajors office Balat Kham had more to say which will be reported by your committee at the next AGM. Our final act before boarding the transport to Ubon was another photo call. The Balat produced a bottle of a home made rice wine to make a toast, it had quite a kick but as none of us were driving we all joined him. The toast was to our continued involvement with Khok Samlan and their efforts to promote the airfield.
A toast given by Balat Kham in the Obajors office.

Slideshow

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