CU Foreign Friends

Many of you might already know that, in Chulalongkorn University, there are more than forty student clubs in 4 categories: academic, sports, social development, and arts and culture. But did you know that there are student clubs dedicated to regional Thai arts and culture as well? Since preserving Thai arts and culture is one of Chulalongkorn University’s missions, The main role of the Thai regional culture clubs is to organize activities related to the culture of their respective region. Today, CU Foreign Friends will get you to know more about the following clubs: CU Our Southern Home club, CU Isan club, and Lanna Chula club.

⭐️CU Our Southern Home

The first Thai cultural club in our list is CU Our Southern Home or ชมรมปักษ์ใต้. As the name suggests, this club organizes cultural activities related to the Southern Region of Thailand. Every year, the club holds practical workshops concerning arts and culture to interested students such as Menora dance and traditional Southern music. And before the pandemic, the club used to organize field trips to one of the Southern provinces. For example, 2 years ago, the club brought interested students to observe the traditional long boat race festival in Chumphon. Lastly, the club is responsible for organizing the Sai Yai Bai Yang Festival (กลิ่นศิลป์ถิ่นใต้ สายใยใบยาง) in Chulalongkorn University. This annual event takes place during late March. The main attractions of this events are traditional Southern dance performances and delicious Southern cuisine. Better yet, CU Our Southern Homeis not exclusive to students from Southern provinces. Everyone interested in Southern culture can join the club and participate in the club events.

⭐️CU Isan club

Another Thai cultural club in Chulalongkorn is CU Isan Club or ชมรมศิลปวัฒนธรรมอีสานจุฬา. CU Isan Club was established in 1967. It focuses on advocating and preserving the cultural values of the North Eastern region of Thailand through voluntary camps and traditional Isan dance and musical performances. For example, CU Isan Club has their own band called Pong Lang Chula (วงโปงลางจุฬาฯ) as well as an annual event named Chula Pa Lang (จุฬาฯพาแลง), which has a meaningful definition of “a set of dinner for the evening,” signifying the family-like relationships among the members of the club. If you are interested in North Eastern culture, be sure to visit this club once the university reopens.

⭐️Lanna Chula

Lanna Chula or ชมรมศิลปวัฒนธรรมล้านนาจุฬา was founded 40 years ago and has been the club that helps prolong Lanna or the northern region’s culture for so long. Lanna Chula has created many programmes and events which represent the beautiful culture of Northern Thailand so well. Some of the activities are Huk Sa Heet Lanna (โครงการฮักษาฮีตล้านนา สืบชะตาคนเมือง), which aims to preserve the Lanna’s traditions in the students studying in Bangkok’s minds; and Heritage of Lanna: Khan Tok Chula, which aims to replicate the environment of Chiang Mai in our university campus. Unfortunately, Lanna Chula has to temporarily cease all of their activities during this semester and until further notice. However, the status as the university’s cultural club will remain.

CU Foreign Friends hope that these cultural clubs can intrigue you to learn more about Thai culture that goes beyond central Thailand. If you are interested for more details, please feel free to visit the clubs’ pages listed here:
CU Our Southern Home - https://www.facebook.com/CuOurSouthernHome
CU Isan Club - https://www.facebook.com/club.isanchula
Lanna Chula - https://www.facebook.com/Lanna.Chula

Right in the center of the city, where our university is located, stands one of the oldest communities in Bangkok. We might visit these areas everyday as our hang-out place but do we know about their long history, the livelihood of their people, and what could happen to this community in the future? Today, CU Foreign Friends wants everyone to know more about the community that has stood besides Chulalongkorn for decades: Suan Luang and Sam Yan.

Origin as a Chinese community 🏠

Sam Yan - Suan Luang was at first a small community consisting of wooden shophouses but after Thai-Chinese community from Chinatown on Yaowarat Road had expanded into Sam Yan - Suan Luang, it has become the well-known commercial community that we know and love to visit today. Sam Yan Market can be considered the center of this community; it was founded even before 1957 but was modernized and became a prominent market in 1965. Sam Yan Market is where people would come to shop for fresh ingredients and food from a variety of restaurants surrounding the market. Other than the market and family businesses in Suan Luang - Sam Yan, another embodiment of the Thai-Chinese community was the Chinese gods and goddesses shrines. In short, Sam Yan - Suan Luang is a vibrant area with its own culture and tradition.

Lifestyle of Sam Yan and Suan Luang community🏡

Sam Yan - Suan Luang community is famous for being one of the most well-known districts in Bangkok. Initially, Sam Yan - Suan Luang is one of the “Sieng Kong'' districts. This word refers to a neighbourhood where many spare parts vendors are located. After WW2, the spare part business became more lucrative as the number of cars increased overtime. During the heyday, there were over 200 spare part vendors and automobile repair shops in the Sam Yan - Suan Luang area. Nowadays, Sam Yan - Suan Luang is a place offering a variety of dining experience in Bangkok. Many well-known restaurants and street food vendors are located in the community. For example, the Jok Samyan serves delicious Thai congee with big minced meatballs and eggs, Today Steak, also known as Steak Sam Yan, is a popular steak shop located on the top floor of Sam Yan Market, and Sanae Larb Koi restaurant is one of the best Isaan restaurant in the community.

New development by PMCU and its consequences 🏠

Due to recent development from Property Management of Chulalongkorn University (PMCU), a lot of changes have been done in the community. This affects not only physical features but also the lifestyle of the people living in the community. In 2007, Sam Yan Market met a tremendous change when PMCU moved its location from Chulalongkorn 15 to Chulalongkorn 32 and 34; nevertheless, the stylization of the market was kept intact. The old site of Sam Yan Market was finally developed into Samyan Mitrtown shopping mall. Another prominent building affected by the recent development is Chao Mae Tubtim Shrine (Mazu Shrine). The Shrine has been the center of the community for decades and contains an important historical artifact, the incense pot given to the Shrine by King Rama V. Currently, PMCU is trying to demolish the original Shrine in order to build a new mix-use building and relocate the Chao Mae Tubtim statue to a new location. Although the redevelopment aims to generate more revenue to the University, it came at a cost. Many old tenants have been cleared out and local culture is facing obliteration. Consequently, the current development project of PMCU is facing a hail of criticism mainly from CU students.

In conclusion, the Sam Yan - Suan Luang community is facing a huge transformation. Shophouses are gradually being replaced by modern shopping malls. And local culture that has shaped the community for many decades will be gone too if this trend continues. Perhaps involvement from us students might be the key to a fair middle ground between urban developers and local residents so that local lifestyle and tradition can remain in our community.

Sources:
https://www.ddproperty.com/areainsider/%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%A2%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%99/article/%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B9%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%A2%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%A2%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%9A%E0%B8%9A%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%B6%E0%B8%81-5522
https://www.thairath.co.th/news/local/bangkok/1689303
https://www.voicetv.co.th/read/524854
https://bk.asia-city.com/city-living/news/guide-sam-yan
https://bk.asia-city.com/city-living/news/bangkok-disappearing-communities-urban-development
https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/social-and-lifestyle/315834/sam-yan-s-savoury-smorgasbord
https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/social-and-lifestyle/1230792/greener-pastures

Hi friends! We’re back with another episode of CU Food Fighter. Of course, Thailand is the land of delicious food. There are a lot of menus to savor, and many of them have names that might make you exclaim WTF? - not the curse word, but rather stands for What The Food? And yes, today we’re going to introduce you guys to 3 dishes with StRaNge Thai names.

🍴เสือร้องไห้ (Seua - Rong - Hai) - Crying Tiger🍴

Oh darn, why is the tiger crying? Is it sad that we’re eating its meat? No, this dish is not made from tiger meat, absolutely not. It is actually made from the best part of beef meat, around the chest, marinated with fish sauce, palm sugar, pepper and ground roasted rice, then grilled on hot coal. This north-eastern side dish is so delicious and juicy that the tiger is crying because it doesn’t have a chance to taste too!

🍴พระรามลงสรง (Phra - Raam - Long - Song) - Rama going to Bath🍴

Well, you might be curious as to why this dish is named after the protagonist of Ramayana aren’t you? Here’s the reason. This dish consists of scalded water spinach which is green like the skin color of Rama - the protagonist of the literature. Then, they bathed the veggie with satay sauce, the same one you eat with moo satay (yellow pork skewer). Now you see, Thai people have a great extent of imagination. MIND BLOWN.

🍴ล่าเตียง (Laa - Tiang) - Bed Hunting🍴

This dish seems like it really wants to hit the sack so bad. But wait, that’s not it! It was one of the well-known snacks for the royal family and the upper class back in the day. Consisting of many ingredients and needing a delicate cooking method, Laa-Tiang is one of the most difficult Thai dishes to make. It includes various steps, such as pouring beaten egg in the shape of a grid square and wrapping it around other ingredients to form the shape of a bed. Maybe after the pandemic it might be a good time to hunt Laa-Tiang in Thai restaurants to taste this bed, or else we can try making one during this (almost) lockdown too.

Sources 🔗
Crying Tiger - https://www.wongnai.com/recipes/sua-rong-hai
Rama Going to Bathe - https://www.silpa-mag.com/from-the-fingertip/article_345
Bed Hunting - https://www.wongnai.com/recipes/fried-prawns-and-nut-wrapped-in-an-egg-net

Hi! Today we are bringing you to a place in Chula that provides relaxation amongst the hectic life in the city, Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park. Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park is a green park located in the middle of the city created to celebrate Chula’s 100th anniversary. The park, under the concept of “Urban Forest”, contains a lot of facilities, such as green space, pond, tunnel and walking/running track.

🌳Green Space
More than half of the park here is made of a green space. It consists of big trees, gardens, running paths and sitting places. The green space here can fill many activities for people and suit those who want to chill outside.

🌳Pond
A pond here is the place where you can sit by its side and enjoy the nature of flowing water. It also has a special feature, water turbine bicycle where you can ride a stable bike to drive the water turbine.

🌳Tunnel
The tunnel provides a wide scenery of a grassland as well as the toilets inside it. Up above the tunnel, there is a small park for people to go up there to view the scenery of the park and take beautiful pictures.

Images source: PMCU - Property Management of Chulalongkorn University’s page

Hi friends! For today’s post, we’re going to talk about a school for kids in CU. Yes! In CU, there is not only for us, university students, but also school kids. Let’s go to school and don’t be late!

Satit Chula (Chulalongkorn University Demonstration School) enrolls approximately 3,000 students on its Grade 1 to 12 campus, located in Chulalongkorn University. Founded in 1958 by Thanpuying Poonsap Noppawong, The Chulalongkorn University Demonstration School was established for teacher training and education research. The school symbol is Phra Kieo and the school color is pink, the same as Chulalongkorn University. The school motto is “ความรู้คู่คุณธรรม” which means Knowledge that goes hand in hand with virtue.