The Merit of Tambon Bangchalaong

3 March, 2553 (buddhist calendar year)

From time to time Absy (Dr. Absorn) brings us obscure documents she receives that she has translated from Thai and wants us to further correct and Engli-fy; today happened to be one of those days. First it started with a letter from the governor of the district that she asked Michelle and Ryan to take a crack at, so we thought the rest of us were safe. Little did I know she had another document stashed away: The Merit of Tambon Bangchalaong (pr. bong-sha-lohng) aka the motto of the district of Samut Prakan province in which we live sent to her by the Director of Education for the province. She presented Irma (a filipino teacher) and me with this 9 sentence wonder and immediately Irm-dogg smiles at me through her multi-colored braces saying, 'oh natan i teenk you do dis. you better engrish me.' Well I couldn't really argue with her, although seeing as she had Emily correct the final draft of her English final I think it would have been great to see what she came up with.

So, I brought in the original Merit to Dr. A and asked her what she wanted to me to do exactly. She goes, 'something like this' and proceeds to read me the document in Thai. 'You see how the vowels carry over from one to another' Well, I guess..? 'Okay you do that in English. Make this English poem." I kind of stared at her for a second unsure how I was going to take these sentences and form something from them, but alas I didn't have any classes left to teach so I gave it a shot. Below I have transcribed what I was given and what I turned it into. Enjoy :)

Merit of Bangchaloang Tambon
Join Por Luang Shrine Festival
Adorn holy places
Witness Suwannabhum Airport
Glorify Thai culture
Beautiful Wat Bangchaloang
Preserve local experts
One Tambon two religions
Visit snake farm
Scenic view of canals both roadsides

by Mrs.Thanaporn Khlajring

So you can see how I had a little trouble with some of the sentences like "visit snake farm" and "scenic view of canals both roadsides," etc. However, in the end I think it turned out okay and Dr. Absorn sent it off the to the Director of Education the same afternoon I turned it in asking her to give me credit for the poem and using it as the English version; that'd be pretty cool if you ask me! Here's my version:

The Beauty of Tambon Bang Chaloang

Blend culture and religion rich and fine
Witness the festival at Por Luang Shrine
Surrender to the Beauty of Wat Bang Chaloang
Chase the canals as freely they roam
Enrich your mind with wisdom vast
A preservation of Thailand, now and past
Expert craftmen, bustling streets
A farm of snakes and exotic beasts
A religious acceptance, two-not one
As planes from Suvannabhum soar past the sun
Bangchaloang Tambon with head held high
A celebration of all things Thai

Final Translation by Nathan Fuller