Colours in Suvarnabhumi

Suvarnabhumi
Most Thais are confused by a breakdown of unity in this country. You are branded as belonging either to a Yellow camp or a Red camp. Almost all of a sudden, there emerged the Blue camp during the turmoil during the Songkran Festival to further complicate the situation.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva escaped a narrow death on the pre-Songkran Day of April 12, 2009 at the Interior Ministry. His inability to organise the Asean Summit in Pattaya rendered him as a lame duck prime minister. His death would have amplied the chaos to the point that a military intervention would be justified to initiate a regime change. Since this plot was reversed in a total defeat on Songkran Day, the conspirators kept the crisis situation alive by attempting an assassination on Sondhi Limthongkul on April 17. Ever since Thailand has been on tight rope walking.

The silent Thai majority are watching the political turmoil with grave concern. Thailand's stability is at stake. The thais have their friends and relatives joining the Red and the Yellow. Many of the Red are good. So are many of the Yellow. Most of the Blue are opportunists, however.
So what is the true colour of the silent Thai majority?
I would say that the silent majority's colour is gold. We all know that gold is pure. If you have a pure heart for this country's future and prosperity, then you are for gold. But please do not wear golden shirts so that this colour is destroyed again by the political conflict. If your heart is gold, keep it to yourself.

I belong to this golden silent Thai majority, though my job entails me to speak rather than to remain silent. Like most Thais, I have found it difficult to remain my balance or neutrality in the current political climate. But in my heart, gold is the ultimate colour.

In Suvarnabhumi, gold is the true symbolic colour. Suvarn (gold) bhumi (land) is literally Golden Land. This land is rich with natural resources (nai nam mee pla nai na mee khao). These resources amount to wealth, which can be turned into gold.

Suvarn, suphan or thong are very common words in Thai language. Suvarn, suphan or thong represents purity, wealth, and majestic grandeur. Thus, we have Suphan Buri, or City of Gold. I am sorry to tell you that my only disappointment with Suphand Buri is that Banharn Silapa-archa is from this province. My last name is Khanthong or gold bowl.

An Isan girl's dream when she gets her first pay is to buy a gold neckless so that she can wear with with a Buddha amulet.
When you make merit by offering food to a queue of monks in the early morning, you can see that the colour of their robes turn to gold at the first ray of the sun. Buddhism is Gold.

Buddhist mooks wear yellow robes, which in fact are gold. Behind is Golden Mount, a landmark of Old Bangkok.
We attach gold leaves on Buddha statues after praying with candle, joss-sticks and a lotus. In so doing, we would like gold to radiate the Buddha's Dharmma.

Gold leaves attached to Buddha statues.
His Majesty the King belowed the name Suvarnabhumi to the Suvarnabhumi International Airport. When you arrive to Thailand for the first time at the airport, you get the first impression that you are visiting the Golden Land.
There is a famous Thai saying: phut pai song phai bia, ning sia tamlung thong. This can be translated into, "The more you speak, the more you make no sense. Silence is gold."

Another famous saying is pid thong lang phra (or sticking gold behind a Buddha statue's back.) You are brave and honourable if your deeds help the country or your organisation without your trying to advertise yourself for the credit.) Many people have died for this country, without their names being known to the general public. They preferred to be those who stick gold behind the Buddha statues' back.

Official names or titles of our kings and the hierarchy of monks are inscribed in Suphanabut (Gold Certificates).
About two months ago, a 62-year-old taxi driver from Samut Sakhon told me that he could still vividly remember stacks of paddy at the backyard of his childhood home.
"You know what, when the sun radiated on the paddy, I could see it turn into gold. Such a beautiful sight that I would never forget," he told me.
I could see gold in the taxi driver's eyes.
Paddy is gold in Suvarnabhumi.

'When a grain of rice breaks into a thousand sprouts, each of which yields a thousand shoots, each grain of rice yields two thousand two hundred and seventy-two wagonloads plus sixteen...and eight cups; and when those plants grow up by themselves without sowing and they ripen and become unhusked rice, pure and natural, that's when, Phra Malai, I will go quickly to be born to help all living beings in the three worlds to flourish. When everyone is at ease and comfortable, nor seizing each other's cities or paddy fields, not seizing elephants or horses of any colour; nor seizing gardens or paddy fields, not attacking or stealing, that's when I will go, Phra malai, lord arahant, to help living beings of all kinds who are good-hearted to enter nibbana. those who wish to see me should not threaten to speak with hostiity; then they'll meet phra Sri Ariya as the result of their kind-heartedness. (Page 97, Buddhist Scriptures)



Gold is the colour of the throne of the Thai Monarch.

Now you can see that paddy, with its hidden golden colour, represents the wealth of Suvarnabhumi. Monks wear yellow robe, but the true hidden colour is gold. The Thai Monarchy reigns on a golden throne with virtue. The Buddha's dharmma is gold.If you love this country, salvage the gold in your heart and mind. We already have gold in our paddy in our land. We also have gold in the Buddhist monks and Buddhism and the Dharmma. We also have gold in our Monarchy.
This is the spirit of the Thai Trinity, which represents the true vision of Suvarnabhumi.