Pattani March 2016: Attend Unusual Wedding

Thailand Imigration

Once my friend from Thailand, TuanArina, posted about her sister wedding's invitation in our WhatsApp group, thoughtlessly, I directly said, "Yes, I am in!!". The reason was because I wanted to see their culture on how they celebrate the wedding.

While I am still here in Malaysia, that was rare and unique experience for me. Imagine, mostly I attended any wedding parties at the same city, sometimes outside the city but the same province, yet still the same country. Likewise, I had attended the wedding in Malaysia, the country where I stay at the moment to pursue my study.

This ceremony required me to cross the countries, between Malaysia and Thailand. In fact, that was not as easy as crossing a line on a map. Each country has its own policy of state sovereignty, language and behavior. Therefore, everyone of us must follow, obey and respect their attributes.

Relying on the distance from campus to the border, we only needed for about 15 to 20 minutes to reach the border. Sadly, only 4 of us went to this ceremony. This was understandable since some of us needed to apply visa before entering Thailand. Thus, some of them, were busy with their tests and assignments.

We actually in diverse trip, Zerkiny from Cambodia, Khin Lan San from Myanmar, I'm from Indonesia.

I was lucky that 2 to 3 of my classes on the next day were canceled due to my professors were attending the conference. And the other class, I had permission from my lecturer to leave the class.

After Thailand border

This was our van which was sending us to Pattani

One of the money changer nearby Thai border

When I heard about Pattani, the first idea was about conflict between the group of people who want to separate and Thailand military. Since I was kid, I loved to watch documentary in one of the TV program. That time, the presenter recorded the condition where they called "Red Zone" in Pattani. Across Malaysia-Thailand border by bus, I thought it was cool journey. I still remembered that he recorded Changlun and surrounding C-mart. Now, I experienced it like him in the TV.

As I know, after passing Thailand border, the transportation that can easily be found are Tuk-Tuk, van, and taxi. It took around 2-3 hours to reach her house by using van. Surprisingly, the price is cheap around  RM 5-6.

Along the journey, there were a lot of checkpoints from Thai soldier. It was freaking out since this is my second time came to Thai and first time to pass these checkpoints on the journey to Pattani. It was in the evening, and when the day was getting dark, the situation was more gripping.

Occasionally, the soldiers stopped us. The driver should turn off the car light and turn on inside the car. The torch was on, hitting our sleepy face. I acted normal, then they let us passed.

I was trying to enjoy the trip but nothing much to see in the darkness. So, I slept for a while until we stopped in the one of the night market in Songkhla. The Street foods in Thailand were very satisfying. Luckily, this market was mostly halal food.

One of the food similar with "Rangin"

Street sign

It looked like fruit but inside was green bean. It tasted sweet

Coconut ice cream

Tuan Arina talked with the Coconut ice cream food seller, maybe she felt strange about us who talked in English and asked many questions what is this and that.

"From from ?" She tried to ask me.
"Ahhh, hai I'm from Indonesia kakak (sister), they are from Cambodia and Myanmar", I replied

Surprising news, there was a car bom attacked this market about two nights before. I got little surprised and more curious by asking many questions yet I was little bit afraid if they put another tragedy in this place while we were still there.

The van continued the trip until our destination. Food here was a champion, after we arrived, we were looking to the restaurant nearby until her sister picked us up.

Thailand used LPG as transportation energy.

Dinner meals

This is wrapped leaves.

Khin was waiting for the tea at the road side.

I was trying to eat this leaf.

The Weddings. . .

Their day had come, the groom and the bride were on their best look. They were like King and Queen of the day. The culture of Melayu was so thick in this place because they were originally part of Malaysia in the Kelantan side. 

I did not notice any different between their wedding ceremony and Malay. The foods, the clothes, the environment except the language, there was no couch for the bride and the groom, and the guests.

I was thinking a bit strange when I did not see the couch for them. They just stood up one another to took pictures and they sat with the guest. It was kind of new thing for me. However, in Thailand, One thing I saw was they used their own calendar on the tagline and it was similar with Myanmar, as my friend Khin told me. In my culture too, in Java, we had our own calendar. Then I realized, it was because Buddhist influence.


The wedding ceremony was last until night. The one which little bit scared us was the guest who brought riffles and guns. Evidently, the commander of rebels also was invited. He came with his wife and child plus his comrades who protected him.

Before he got down, four of his soldiers were checking the situation. Until they saw us were talking in English. One of them looked at me, then I stopped talking and told to my other friends.

"Hey, shut up, there are people who come with riffles are looking at us now", I whispered. 
"Where?" they asked. I just used my eyes to point at them.

Even Tuan herself also little bit afraid, I could see from her eyes. 

"Just silence, we talked slowly. I dont want them to blow our head off here. I still want to study and marry" I said.

Then the commander and his family got down. Some of the soldiers were eating and some in duty. They were switching in sequence. It was good experience to see those in front my eyes. One question which still has no answer, "How could they pass the checkpoints 100 meters from the wedding area?"