Suara Pattani
http://voicepeace.org
The expanded violence in the southernmost provinces of Thailand, still it has many good stories to present to the world. But that would not be as most famous as the narrative history of an old fruit- gardener of Saiburi River met a stranger in his durian garden in a twilight evening unexpectedly in September 1992, before he knew latter that the great man before him was the King or ‘Our King’ whom he only ever heard the name. The conversation went on a few sentences in Malayu language about the local soil and water. But it made ‘Wadeng Puteh’ or ‘Pak Deng’ remembered it just as the minutes passed.
Along with the violence in the southernmost provinces which has been broadcasting every day, all of Thai people know ‘Wadeng Puteh’ as His Majesty’s friend from Saiburi River. It becomes as a symbol of loyalty to the Royal institution. After the Isara News Center, Thai Journalist Association (at that time) disclosed the story of His friend from a remote land who always lives with love to his great friend. Then, every year before the celebration of King’s birthday on Dec. 5 or when the King is ill, Thai people would be familiar with the picture of an old man wearing Kapiyoh ( Malay hat) with a basket of fruits grown in his farm to present to the King and the dynasty.
In the previous few months, the rumors spread out through around Pattani that Wadeng Puteh was seriously sick. However, now he seems to be better and fatter than before. It’s because he strictly quit smoking. “He’s never done something which is very serious like this before”. A grandson teased his grand-old-father which could make him smiled with shyness.
“I was really sick at that time and not feeling well. I just quit smoking not so long, I had something trouble with my pulmonary but after I visited the king and came back my health improved. It’s just as I had got a very good willpower which no one understood but I did”. Pak Deng said in Melayu language and let his grandson to translate it into Thai.
Now it is the season of Eid day where four of his sons and daughters together with another of more than 10 grandsons and granddaughters are coming home to celebrate Eid day together with the family at his old historical house, in Baan Balo, Paseyawor sub-district, Saiburi district, Pattani province. Therefore, most of the time now, he spends for talking and teasing with the children. Part of it, he looks after his plantations i.e. chili and lemon grass. Sometimes he uses the broom which is made by coconut leaves to clean the forecourt which he always keeps it to stay clean. However, he cannot let the time pass without sitting in front of the television to monitoring the news of ‘Rajo Kito’ or ‘Our King’.
“I cannot let it pass without having a look. I must follow His condition and want to know how His Majesty is. I always concern over His health and I could not sleep if I do not see Him”. Pak Deng said.
The 95 year-old man knew well that His Majesty was not yet in good health and still must be in the care of physicians for a period of time. The only thing which he can do now is praying to God to give a bless to His Majesty Rajo Kito to be in good health and a speedy recovery.
“At first when I knew that His Majesty was sick I asked the villagers who were praying in the mosque to pray and ask the God’s bless for Him and everyone did it. I’m very delighted that everyone loves His Majesty. I believe that all of Thai people do not want the King to be ill because we love Him. He is the father of all Thai people”. He said through his translator with some tears in the eyes.
Pak Deng visited His Majesty on October 30 but did not meet the King. However, he joined with the other Thai people to wish His Majesty the King good health at Siriraj hospital and brought some fruits as usual. He said that after Eid celebration he would go to Bangkok again because the durian in his garden was almost ripe and His Majesty could have his durian. He also had an intention that if the weather was good and his health also was in good condition he would like to stay there till 5 December because he wanted to join the auspicious candle-lighting ceremony to pay attribute to King Bhumibol at the capital’s Sanam Luang together with all of Thai people.
He was granted the status of ‘the King’s friend from Saiburi River’, when Mr. Manoon Mookpradit, a King’s follower recorded the event during His Majesty visited him in Paseyawor sub-district, Saiburi district. The visitation was to observe the area of the Pru Khea Khea Development Project and also to dig the irrigation canal for agriculture and solving the flood problems in 1992.
An old man wearing sarong (Malay simple clothes like a tube skirt) without any shirt once had an audience with His Majesty and told him in Malay language that “Today His Majesty comes to my area but I do not know what to present to him. I just sold my fruits from the garden and got 20,000 baht but I’d bought a feed pump already. Now I only have an unripe durian in my garden”. He said.
Then a King’s follower teased him about his new feed pump that he should present it to His Majesty. He said that then just took it and present to His Majesty. His sentence made His Majesty smiled at him and all of the followers were imbued with the spirit of ‘Wadeng Puteh’, the great old gardener.
In the morning of the next day, His Majesty asked him to row a boat for Him to survey the Thung Khed canal. He asked Wadeng and then opened a map to see how the irrigation should be done. His Majesty also asked Wadeng to be himself and felt easy to row the boat. “Make yourself easy…and tell me the true what the problems are”. Wadeng told Him that in the rainy season, it would be flood where the farmers could not do the paddy farming. Thus, when the dry season was coming they also could not do the paddy farming because they had no water. So people were facing trouble with the water. His Majesty asked again that what the people’s occupation were. He answered that every family had its farming lifestyle and planting the vegetables.
Latter His Majesty probably wanted to test him about his land to be the place for His Majesty’s project. Without had to think much about it he presented it to His Majesty delightfully. His Majesty smiled and then granted him the status of ‘the King’s Friend’ from that time on for his honesty. “Wadeng is an honest man…I appoint him as a friend of the King”. His Majesty said. The king then, asked Wadeng and his family to visit Him in Bangkok and always asks him to have an audience at the Thaksin Rajjanivej palace whenever the King comes to the southernmost province of Thailand.
Recently, Wadeng Puteh still continued to live with a sufficient life style rigorously even he became a well known person and easy to find out a new larger house. However, he is happy to live in his old blockhouse which is almost a hundred year in the middle of the fruit garden and always opens to welcome the visitors.
“The only thing that I need helping is about the toilet because whenever the visitors come here they have to go to the jungle. I have already bought some stones, bricks and cement tiles but no one to build it. I’m not strong enough to do it by myself. My descendants they have rarely been here. Anyone who wants to help me, he is invited to my house for the benefit of everyone who comes to see me”. Pak Deng said at last.
