Thai Style Muslim and Chao Leh Drinking
Satun province is located close the border to Malaysia, so you find a lot of Thai Muslim people here.
When you speak with them during the day, they will tell you they neither eat pork nor they drink alcoholic beverages. (The Chao Leh do everything)
In the evening you see the same guys sitting around one! glass of beer. They all drink out of this single glass, to show they just drink so little, that's actually nothing (but with 15 already emptied bottles under the table).
If you send them a harty chock dee: they will not respond to you. Of cause not: they don't drink alcohol.
On Bulon you find also a nother group of people, the Chao Leh ( Leh is an abbrivation af "Taleh" = Sea). The influences to this ethnic group come as far as India, Africa or even Portugal. They are animist, they are fishermen and pirates, and they drink! Best Drink is the cheapest : Lao Kao - White Spirit.
I was eyewitness of a Chao Leh Party on Koh Lipe. The music they performed reminds strongly to african rhythms, even the movements of the woman dancing. While the men are sitting around, the women were dancing and drinking large quantities!!! of Lao Kao. Very impressing. And for gods sake I didn't carry my camera, but they loaded me that I wanted to switch my religion .
Here just a mastershot of some Sea Gipsy kids on Koh Lipe.
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