Electric Tram Ride Activity

Today's activity, the children rode an electric tram to see the city on the route of 4 moat-corners and 5 gates, along with stories and legends of the founding of Chiang Mai.

They saw the landscape around the moat and learned about the importance of the Inthakhil pillar, the city pillar, and the 200-year-old Yang Na tree that is the city's symbol.

They paid homage to Phra Attharot at Wat Chedi Luang and heard the story of the construction of the largest pagoda in Lanna.

They heard the story of King Mangrai, the first king, about why he chose this location to build a new city and how it became the capital of the kingdom.

They also heard the origin of the names of the 4 intersections and 5 gates, including astrological beliefs and the city's ascendant...

...In addition, children will also learn how to cut Lanna Tung and plant trees to fight dust.

Lanna Tung Cutting Activity

Lanna Tung, the word Tung is a local dialect of the North, meaning a flag used for hanging in Lanna art. It can be found in the North of Thailand. People in the North will use Tung as an ornament or in various religious ceremonies, traditions, festivals, or celebrations. The materials used to make Tung in Lanna come in many forms. The material sheets are made from cloth, paper, wood, metal, brass, or palm leaves, with the ends of the wood hung as long sheets. This is according to the beliefs of Lanna people about Tung made to offer to the Buddha and used in religious ceremonies for both auspicious and inauspicious occasions. The sizes, shapes, and details vary somewhat depending on the beliefs, rituals, and popularity of each locality. However, Lanna people believe that giving or donating Tung will bring great merit and benefits, bringing peace and happiness. Some books have also believed that when someone dies, they will go to heaven or when they fall into hell, the edge of the Tung will swing and pull their soul up from hell to heaven...

(Source: Ratchamangklaphisek National Library, Chiang Mai)

Today, the children learned how to cut the Sai Moo or Sai Chang Tung. The Lanna people usually cut Sai Moo Tung during the New Year festival by hanging it on bamboo sticks and sticking it on the sand pagoda on the day of Phraya Wan.

Planting trees to fight dust

Green, beautiful, fragrant and the civil society network support the increase of green spaces, environmental conservation, etc. in both urban and forest areas.

Therefore, we organized this activity with the children so that they would learn how to create green spaces, not limited to planting small trees or tall trees.

But please just take the initiative to do it... from a small point in the heart.

"... Forestry officials should plant trees in people's hearts first. Then those people will plant trees on the land and take care of the trees themselves..."

(Royal speech of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, given to forestry officials at the Tung Jo Watershed Management Unit, Mae Chaem District, Chiang Mai Province, Saturday, January 31, 1976)

Finally, I hope that the children will be able to gain knowledge, think critically, and understand the connections between the past, present, and future of Chiang Mai, which is an important foundation for being a citizen who participates in the conservation and development of society, not only in terms of the environment, but also in the dimensions of Chiang Mai's arts and culture.