Day 2 (05.01.15)

So today we went to the Full Dome Pro Studio, the Museum and to the Temple!

It was such an insightful experience being able to watch a short clip in a full dome (a new screening technology which creates the illusion of traveling into a new time and space). Honestly, it was so soothing and relaxing that I dozed off a couple of times. Nonetheless, it helped me to realise how technology is ever changing! I foresee such technology being used in preserving heritage and culture. During the lectures yesterday, I learnt that a single artefact on its own, in a museum, is unable to allow us to understand the context of it, regardless of how well preserved that artefact is. It is essential to see the item in its surrounding and how people interact with the artefact. Using the Full Dome technology would help to foster better understanding of the culture and help us to greater appreciate human experience. Documenting these places and situations using the full dome technology helps to preserve the experiences accurately without much tampering by subjective human impression and interpretation, allowing individuals to experience these historic moments for themselves.

During the museum trip, we had our first encounter with a ladyboy tour guide who was very welcoming and friendly. I’m amazed at how accepting the Thai culture and society is. I’m almost certain that Singaporeans are nowhere as tolerant as they are. This reminds me of what Professor Vithi Panichapan casually mentioned during his lecture on Day 1. That if the Norther Thai family did not have a daughter, the son would either have to be gay and find a husband or request his future wife to move into his house (which was a taboo action in that time). Maybe Singapore would one day be like this, maybe she would not. In either case, we need to learn to love each other more.

The temple was such an interesting visit as it hosted a function hall that was used by 6 religions as a place of worship. There is so much inter-religious tolerance here that it’s pleasantly surprising. Due to the many clashes between various religions, and their varying impressions of what is holy and clean, I would assume that the different religions would prefer to use separate worship areas to prevent clashes. But wow, they can work things out. It’s similar to how Singapore is able to host so many places of worship within one area.

Yet it’s so different! Being within an area near each other as a part of a area regulation and urban development criteria is very different from proactively agreeing to use the same hall for worship. I’m amazed and startled by the amount of love they have for each religion. This is something that we can learn as a country, to not only tolerate each other’s differences but to embrace our differences.

Dinner was so fancy and I felt so underdressed! I realised how the social psychology theory of conformity was in effect. It’s completely fine as long as all of us are equally underdressed! HAHAHAHAHA