In Buddhism, Wan Khao Pansa means the day of entering the rains retreat for the monks. This day is also regarded as the founding day of the Buddhist Sangha (monkhood).

Today, as we are reaching our full rainy season, I couldn't miss to tell our readers why rain is so important to us here. Therefore I wanted to blog it with my students.

Why is rain so vital for us?

Because here, in our Northeastern village of Non Nam Thaeng, all our families are rice farmers. By the end of June to the end of July we all need plenty of rain - so we can plant rice in our paddy fields surrounding our village.


        

For generations, rice has been our staple food. Once our rice has been planted at the pic of the rainy season, we can harvest it later in November. Here, in our Amnat Charoen Province, we are proud to grow one of the best quality rice in the world - called Hom Mali Rice. This rice has a very high nutritive value in vitamins and minerals.

This rice has also sustained our rural society for hundred of years. Without this bountiful nature-given rain, there would be no rice. Without rice, there would be no food for our families and our village wouldn't exist.

Our families are not "financially rich" people...but rice has made them self-sufficient for generations. This is why today Thailand is the No1 rice exporter in the world. Rice feeds our families all year around and the surplus is sold to the market at guaranteed price.

Remarkable Rain, Rice and Riches!

Today we can all sing:
RAIN, RAIN, RAIN!
RICE, RICE, RICE!
NICE, NICE, NICE!