Day 4 [7 Jan]

For Day 4, we went to Chiang Mai University for a lecture on globalization and the history of Chiang Mai. Going for the lecture again reinforced what I had already expressed before in my pre-trip projections, that the trip provides many opportunities that probe me to think more deeply about issues that I might not have given as much consideration to in the past. Usually, when I think about Chiang Mai, what first comes to mind would be their rich heritage and cultural diversity, along with their long 700 years of history. The lecture however triggered thoughts of Chiang Mai with respect to modernization. It was enlightening to learn about how different aspects of globalization (like the rise of the internet and liberalization) shape the direction and development of Chiang Mai. As modernization and globalization are also topics highly relevant to Singapore, with Singapore being relatively more advanced in this path of transition and progress, this lecture was not only able to offer me more information about Chiang Mai, but also allowed me to gain greater understanding about the changes that my own country has been through.

To make use of some free time we have on Thursday, my group decided to go and see the Sakura Cherry Blossoms! It was truly a pleasant surprise since I had no idea that Northern Thailand has its own cherry blossoms. When we reached the top of the mountain, the sight that greeted us had many of us left entirely in awe. I think the whole group took so many pictures that we all lost count.
  

Although the highlight of visiting the place was the cherry blossoms, I found the drive up to the top of the mountain an equally interesting experience. Both the vehicles going up and coming down the mountain had to share the same one lane. How do the drivers not crash into one another? They honk. Seriously, the drivers just keep sounding the honk incessantly to let another party that is nearby know that they are in each other’s vicinity. When drivers get close enough to be in sight of one another, they may then switch to communicating by hand signals. I found that highly intriguing, perhaps even more so than others since my major is Linguistics. I could see so many overlaps with what I have learnt in school, about iconic and arbitrary signs and about sign language. For arbitrary signs, there is no inherent direct connection between shape and concept. As such, it is highly likely that over time and over practice the drivers have, by convention, established their own connection between the ‘form’ and ‘meaning’ of a sign and hence able to understand one another. This place thus has added meaning and significance for me since I was able to relate it to my major, which is also my area of passion and interest. On the whole, the place was simply amazing and will be one I will surely re-visit if I travel to Chiang Mai again.

At night, we went to the office of the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary and met with its manager for an interview. The most significant lesson I derived from the interview was that there is always room for more critical consideration and deliberation before solidifying any judgment or concept. Generally, we have always been told and have always assumed that elephant camps are categorized into “riding camps” (conceived as less ethical) and “non-riding camps” (conceived as more ethical). People often regard the use of chains and hooks on elephants to be brutal and cruel. The manager of the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary actually revealed to us that even the “more ethical” elephant camps use equipment such as chains, just that that piece of information is intentionally omitted as many who visit these “ethical” camps cannot easily reconcile themselves to the idea of elephants being chained up or physically restrained. These constraints are however absolutely necessary to safeguard and protect the mahouts, staff working at the park and even tourists as elephants are still wild animals that can easily overpower a human. What is in fact most crucial is for the parks to not abuse the use of these equipment and constraints but employ them in an appropriate manner. Just as how people often chain and leash their dogs when bringing their pets out, we should not be too quick to also judge the act of chaining elephants when it is in fact sometimes required. The complexity of these issues have yet again prompted me to think more critically, and I am glad for having the chance to hone such a skill.

The week has passed so quickly and we have just one day left! We will be meeting the professors from Chiang Mai University the next day and I look forward to being presented with their take on the subject matter.