When it was first built, the road in front of the house was for the carts pulling by the water buffaloes. From Bangkok, we had to take train to Prachinburi, then boat to Taprachoom, and then we took a small bus to Kokpeep. Until I was about 10, there was a soil road from Panomsarakam, Chachoengsao coming to this village. When the rain falled, we used to spend the night in the car because the car got struck on the flooded soil road. Now it took about one and a half hours from Bangkok to this place
Before I was born, my grand father used to run the grocery shop for the village. He went on foot to buy goods from Panomsarakam which was about 20 kilometres in distant.
My grand father was a migrated chinese who came to Bangkok, made a living by pulling the tricycle. Then he moved to Kokpeep by which his relatives persuaded him for a good fortune. He died at the age of 60 plus with the cardiac disease because of working hard and opium addiction. That was the time when I was about one year old. When I was just born, he was so glad my father got me as the son. He went out to announce this news to relatives.
Saying that my life has been brightened up until now because of this rice barn. We were not farmers, but we got lands for rice farming. Farmers rent the land and transported rice to my aunt by water buffaloes pulling carts. She did not care about the quantity but she looked at her farmers living. This was why the people really love her. She made a living with these paddy and was never rich. She lived until the age of 80 plus. I got a small part of land from her and farmers of the same farmily still grow rice on our land.
The top view of this house. There should be souls living in this building but the stories about them have been diluted, except the verbal conversation from the old relatives. From now on the stories could be forgotten, people come and just look at the building and think of the wood value instead.
My father built this style of stairs in my house in Bangkok where I am living. He said that, my house's stair case were for the memory of Kokpeep house. On the floor middle of the stairs, there was the stair rest where my aunt put the buddha statues set on the wall, In the morning before dawn, she sat there for praying in front of them every day. Her noise was so loud and woke everyone up to work.
Under the stair case, it was the dressing room for my aunt and her nephews including me. She put her wardrobes under the stair rest. We took a bath outdoor and came to get dress here. The old style toilet was event far to the back end of the boundary wall. Before going to sleep, Each one took a bowl for night urinated. When the lamps were put out, everything was in silent until morning.
Every thing had been there before I was born, this cup-board was for storing beverages, whisky, etc. When I was a boy, there were many old alcoholic drinks being kept in this cup-board because nobody cared for them until I grew up and was ready to drink but they all disappeared. There must be the older brothers stole them before me.
The area where we set the dining table. There were two places for dining, this area was for adults and the youngs would go to the outdoor table in front of the kitchen at the back of the house. The food regularly was rice with some food. The Thai style sauce[or dressing] was called "Plara" or boiled fish fermented was the routine set. Food was available 24 hours because of Plara with fresh vegetable by which villagers and guests could come and took them.
My grand mother, grand father, my well known aunt and my youngest uncle[picture near the door]
My grand mother usually sat at this coner and made the betelnut and betelvine leaves for chewing when she woke up before dawn. After day light, she went out to process the bean sprout which she had germinated the days before by cleaning and packing. She also had some plots of vegetable growing at the back yard. She was with us until the age of 89. I felt close to her because she was permanently at home.
My family kept my grand father body at home for over 10 years and we buried him at our cemetary farm not too far from our house. When my grand mother died, we also kept her for almost 10 years and put her beside my grand father tomb. My father's body has also been there near his parents. [My mother's ashes is at Wat Sawang Arrom, Rachaburi which was her home town]
Some pictures were still hanged on the woody wall of the house. These pictures reminded me of my past. Showing that I am no one but a permanent member of this family. Again, I am so proud to be one of them. On the other side of the wall was my grand mother bed room
My cousins' pictures when they entered the monkhood. One of them has already passed away some years ago. However, he left us his child and grand children to continue his bloody line.
The cup-board at the coner of the stair rest. I could not remember what kind of things were put in this cup-board.
Other cup-board on the opposite side of the wall.
The wardrope for keeping pillows, blankets, mosquito nets, sheet clothes and kapok mattresses. We, the children slept in this room and other room near my aunt's.
The pictures brought me back to my childhood. I have often missed my family and relatives I was with in the village. The annual temple fair which I was anxious to visit and join rumwong [traditional dance for one baht a round]. Songkran or water festival which brought the children a lot of fun. Besides playing water, we had some spirit haunted dance, and some games.
There were many stories telling the children about our past. Presently, no one live in this house and it needs developing. It takes quite a sum of money and we have not provided them yet. We are discussing how we are going to maintain this house. However, we try to visit the place every years in some traditional holidays. Selling this house is never coming to our thought. Our ancestors spirits are there.
