Kalahomutit School

One of the many signs around the campus.

 Kalahomutit School


Kalahomutit School is a government or public school that was donated by the military.  It is located in Nonthaburi Province outside of Bangkok.  It is located a short distance from the Chao Phraya River and was flooded last November.  The school presented a video showing how the flash flood knocked down the surrounding wall and rose to 1 and 1/2 meters in just three minutes.  The school is still working on renovations.  A Throne Hall (visible in the picture) is located on the campus and a temple is just across the street.  Kalahoumutit School has more technology than the other schools I visited.  Classes are larger in this school than in the private schools.  Thai culture and Buddhism are part of the instruction.

A mural in the stairwell about sharing and creating harmony.

A third grade classroom.  Students stood to greet us.

The temple

Lunch - rice, chicken crab, vegetables

Kindergarten class in the canteen (they bring their cup and toothbrush along for after lunch!

Thai Dance

Students preformed songs, dance, and traditional Thai dance and storytelling.

Traditional craft

Storytelling

PacRim Future Leaders Project

The ballroom at Swissotel.

PacRim Leadership Center (the company hosting me in Thailand) presented a seminar for schools, corporate partners and guests from the Ministry of Education (an audience of about 80 people) at the Swissotel Concorde.  The program started with information about The Leader in Me and the 7 Habits.  I presented information about English Estates Elementary and the Leader in Me program successes.  The program also included teachers, students, a parent, and Dr. Aree the director of Satitbangna School. The audience was very interested and it was a very rewarding experience.  After the event guests received a copy of the Leader in Me (translated into Thai) and lunch at the hotel.  My host, Mak, then took me shopping for gifts, Thai silk, and later for delicious Japanese food at Zen restaurant.  We traveled by subway and Skytrain - must faster than the busy Bangkok roads.

Grand Pearl Candle Light Dinner Cruise on Chao Phraya River

It was a beautiful night for dinner and a trip on the river at night to see the lights and activity along the river.  Lively music and a lovely breeze on the deck made it very pleasant.

Rama VIII Bridge

Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn) 

Tantrarak School

Tantrarak School located in Pattaya City.  Pattaya is located off the Gulf of Thailand, and is approximately 145 km south of the city of Bangkok.  It is a very popular beach resort.  Tantrarak School is also a private school.  Thailand honors the King with displays such as this at the entrance to the school.

A primary classroom.  All students and teachers wear uniforms.

Students in grades 3-6 have cooking classes.  Here they are making a herbal juice.

The final product packaged for sale as a class project.

A view of the beach from the Hilton Pattaya where our hosts treated us to lunch.

Another view of the Gulf of Thailand.

Rotary Meeting

President

I was able to attend a Rotary Club meeting on Tuesday night.  The hotel staff helped me find the closest club located at the InterContinental Hotel.  When I arrived I was surprised to learn that it was a Japanese speaking club - so instead of Thai I heard Japanese.  An intern from one of the companies served as my interpreter.  It was another interesting experience!  I have a lovely banner from Thailand showing a famous temple to bring back to the Lake Mary Rotary Club.

Satitbangna School

Satitbangna School is a private school that is implementing The Leader in Me.  Dr. Aree, the director is 84 years old and going strong.  She retired as a university professor and started as the director of the school 18 years ago.  The school includes K-12 students.  I visited the primary classes and met with the Lighthouse team.  I felt like a celebrity!  Many Thai schools have a system of Kindergarten 1-3 (Age 3,4,5 classes) and Primary 1-6 (like our grades 1-6).

Sample of 3rd grade work

A music classroom

A primary classroom

The high school Red Wolf media team - my own paparazzi!

My friend El was very fluent in English and guided me around the school.

Visit with PacRim Office

On Monday I met with the PacRim staff to learn about the Leader in Me schools I will be visiting and about the presentation on Thursday.  Everyone is so welcoming and friendly.  Mak and TP took me to lunch at another wonderful Thai restaurant and then Mak took me for a two hour Thai foot massage.  Really more that the feet!  I sat in a reclining chair with an ottoman for the massage.  For the foot massage customers change into a pair of loose pants and leave on the rest of their clothes.  It was located in a local mall.  Malls in Bangkok include just about everything you could imagine from a food store, to massage, to clothing and home goods.  I was introduced to some wonderful Thai fruits.  Traffic in Bangkok is crazy! It rained in the afternoon as we left and we have a two hour trip back (only 30 minutes in the morning.)  Bangkok drivers have to be very patient!

Traffic includes scooters, cars, trucks, buses.  Scooters are always veering in and out of traffic
and lanes don't really seem to matter!  Vehicles drive on the left side of the road.

TP, Lek, Me, Tui, Pe

From the top: Lychee (purple), Langsat (green), and Rambutan.  All are delicious! 

Food store fruit display

Grand Palace

The Grand Palace as seen from the River

The Grand Palace was build in 1782 and was the home of the King.  Wat Phra Kaew houses the Emerald Buddha carved from a single block of jade dating to the 15th century.

Phra Siratana Chedi - The golden chedi

Detail of figures with masks

Chakri Maha Prasat Hall - Formerly the Residence of the King

Temple of the Emerald Buddha

Section of the beautiful murals telling the folk tales and history of Thailand

Thai Food, Skytrain, River Taxi

Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn) from the River

Today I met my hosts for lunch at a Thai restaurant in Central World - a seven story shopping mall, restaurant, and entertainment complex.  Lek met me at the hotel and we walked to the Skytrain to go to Central World (a large shopping complex).   Lunch was a sampling of many delicious Thai dishes and ending with Sticky Rice and Mango - a tasty desert.  After lunch we took the Skytrain again to the river taxi on the Chao Phraya River and enjoyed the ride to the Grand Palace.

A boat on the Chao Phraya River

Long-tail Boat 

Standing Buddha

This temple featured Buddha on the outside of the building.

Standing Buddha

Display at the entrance of the Temple showing Monks

Offerings of flowers
Visitors bring gifts to honor Lord Buddha and for the Monks

Siam Niramit

A Look at some of the beautiful costumes

I saw this incredible show on Saturday night.  Incredible costumes, the world's biggest stage, a cast of hundreds, elephants, lightning, thunder and rain in the theater.  You are not allowed to take photos of the show - but it is worth a visit to their website to get a taste of the show: http://www.siamniramitshow.com/photo.php
Before the show I enjoyed a Thai dinner buffet with some delicious shrimp and other dishes and coconut ice cream.  The complex includes replicas of Thai villages and elephant rides.

Music before the show

Wat Pho

Details of the Chinese Porcelain covering the Temples.

Part of the Wat Pho complex

Reclining Buddha Made of brick covered with gold leaf

Wat Pho (Wat means Temple) is home to the gigantic reclining Buddha and traditional Thai massage.  It was a center for public education during the reign of King Rama III.  It has many murals, inscriptions and sculptures to teach about massage, warfare, astronomy, and more.

Teaching about Thai Massage

Anatomy for Thai Massage