Siam

Part of the Walt Disney "People and Places" series visiting Siam.

With a regular and lengthy inundation each year, Siam is a rich nation for fishing, umbrella manufacture and for planting rice. Using the water buffalo as their preferred beast of burden, they plough their paddy fields before polishing and milling the rice - all under the gentle gaze of a friendly gibbon or two. Apparently they eat twice their bodyweight of the stuff each year - which doesn't seem that much to me. When their hands are nor planting or picking, the ladies don intricate golden fingernails and perform a dance as a tribute to Buddha. Also by way of thanksgiving, there is the money-tree concept where the banknotes are turned into intricate examples of origami, before being attached to a delicate wooden structure. Each citizen of this country is expected to spend some time of their life in the priesthood, meditating and studying the teachings of Buddha. They do so in some of the most elegant and beautiful temples. In the forecourts of these buildings, we witness an intricate and naturally choreographed ladies' dance carried out in full regalia. The men, meantime, are in the ring practising their kick-boxing rituals and demonstrating their fighting skills. You can't bite your opponent - just in case you wondered. Mighty elephants (or "Chang") are also an integral part of rural society, merrily lugging things around under the guidance of their life-long mahout, in return for some bananas and, yes - more rice. Rivers play an huge part in the life of Siam and many of them converge on the city of Bangkok where people routinely live and work onboard their sampans - where we get our first glimpse of a Siamese cat! Ever fancied an original Thai curry? Coconut milk and a myriad of chillis and spices straight from the plant give that authentic aroma (that doesn't work so well on film) before the family wash and dress for dinner. These rivers are also a source of employment with an huge variety of goods transferred and fresh produce caught just by reaching over the side. Clearly there was no room for a sound engineer on this trip, and after a while I did tire of the score and sound effect discs - some authentic sound would have added loads to this documentary especially, as luck would have it - this crew just happened to be in town upon the death of the King and the enthronement of the new King Bhumibol. He is carried through the city to inspect the royal elephant in great and colourful ceremony. It's a bit too long, but still presents us with what must have been quite a fascinating glimpse into a country still largely unknown to the West.