Khantoke Dinner

On our last night in Chiang Mai, we were treated to a traditional khantoke dinner at a local cultural centre.

Khantoke refers to a traditional Northern Thai (Lanna) dining experience and was named after the toke, the round, wooden (or sometimes, rattan) serving tray in which several small dishes are laid out. We had a long, low table set up in front of a stage and as we dined seated on floor mats with small pillows, we watched a show featuring local and indigenous dances. It was the perfect way to cap our Thai adventure.

There we were, sitting under the moonlight, feeling the cool mountain breeze against our faces, watching the flames on the torch lights flicker all around us, and savouring the new flavours of our hearty feast of northern Thai specialties (which are quite different from the Central Thai cuisine we are accustomed to).

The table set-up was exquisite. We had dinnerware and cutlery made of bamboo, coconut, and lacquer. And though there were wooden ladles and serving spoons, we were told that the traditional way of eating was with the fingers of the right hand – getting a small bite-sized portion of sticky rice, kneading it into a tight ball, dipping it in the sauce of the main dish and melding a portion of this dish into your rice, then popping it into your mouth. For our tour group, this was nothing new. It is very similar to the kamayan-style of eating in the Philippines.

We enjoyed the Lanna chicken curry, Burmese pork curry, succulent fried chicken, northern-style sausages, spicy chili dips, crispy noodles, sticky rice, banana fritters, and the northern delicacy of deep-fried pork skin, similar to the Filipino chicharon. The meal came with soup, fresh veggies, and fruit bowls. The serving bowls were small, but unlimited refills were available to diners. Drinks, such as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as coffee and tea, were also served.

The cultural show started halfway through the dinner. There was a small orchestra playing traditional instruments and dancers in gorgeous costumes. Most of the dance routines mimicked daily rural chores, such as planting and harvesting, or the movement of farm animals like the “Magic Fowls” dance. Others were more dramatic like the ferocious “Sword Dance” or graceful, like the “Fingernail Dance.” We were told that Thai dancing is a pageant of “poetry in motion,” and I could see why. 

The dances performed that night were authentic Northern Thailand dances from various hill tribes, with slow and gentle movements that are quite distinct from those performed in Bangkok and Ayutthaya that are characterized by energetic and more dramatic movements (and we watched one such performance at our Bangkok hotel a few days back).

The costumes here were simple, with soft silhouettes inspired by nature, mostly made with indigo-dyed cotton, and featured flowered tiaras or wound cloth on the head, unlike the Central costumes that are ornate and intensely colourful, typically made with silk and often styled with intricate beadwork, and come with elaborate headgear. The former reflects the people’s connection with the mountainous landscape of the region, while the latter is inspired by myths and legends, and is designed to evoke power.

I noticed the difference right away because I recalled that in grade school, I was assigned to represent Thailand at a United Nations Day celebration and I had to wear a Thai costume. The one I wore was based on Central Thailand royal attire, the most widely recognized of all Thai costumes, but was nothing like what the dancers in Chiang Mai were wearing that night. And two nights ago, when we had our pictorial at the night market, the costumes given to us were the more elaborate versions of the ones I was seeing at the cultural show.

I began to understand that the North has more Burmese and Laotian influences, while the Central and Southern regions are more similar to Malaysia and has Islamic and maritime nuances. This is oversimplifying it, of course, because Thailand has many sub-regions with distinct cultural expressions, but this is very interesting indeed!

 At the very end, the dancers formed a circle. This dance is called the Ramwong (Circle Dance), wherein the audience is invited to participate. Some of my tour mates volunteered to go on stage. The dancers taught them the steps, which looked fairly easy, then they were asked to join the circle. It looked fun, but I was contented with just watching and taking their pictures.

After the dinner and performance, we gathered around the dancers for a group shot, then went back to the hotel to rest for our early morning flight to the Philippines the following day.

I arrived in Manila in the early afternoon. After unpacking and taking a power nap, I called my boss to let her know that I was back. I had to quickly switch on my “work mode,” as the grand celebrity wedding that our network was covering was already underway.

She informed me that she and the rest of our production team (hand-picked by the actor groom) were already in Baguio City for the VTR shoots of several pre-wedding events, but that my timing was perfect. There was going to be an early-morning pull-out of the engineering crew the following day from the broadcast compound. She was hoping I could go with them so I wouldn’t have to travel to Baguio all by myself. I told her it was not a problem.

I packed again after dinner and the next day, I was on the road to Baguio, a good nine-hour drive from Manila.

Upon arrival, I immediately headed to the location of the next VTR shoot. They were taping one-on-one interviews with the bride and groom, and their family and friends at the park across the hotel.

As I approached my colleagues, the groom, with whom I had the pleasure of working for years on his top-rating sitcom, walked over and teased me about being late. My boss told him, “Be nice to her. She just came back yesterday from an overseas trip and is still jet-lagged.” 

He asked where I had been and and was surprised that I spent my brief, personal holiday in Thailand. “Really? Why? What’s out there?” he asked again.

That was how odd it was to go to Thailand for vacation in those days, that even a celebrity, who traveled extensively, found it a bit strange. He wouldn’t have asked “why” had I said I went to Hong Kong or Singapore instead. But those were the days…

A couple of years later, he himself, went to Thailand to shoot an episode of his other TV show.

Nowadays, nobody will ask you those questions anymore for Thailand has become Asia’s most popular travel destination. I do, however, feel very fortunate for having the opportunity to see Bangkok and Chiang Mai years before Thailand evolved into a major tourist hub.

Thank you, Thailand, for a most memorable holiday. Khàawp Khun Khâ!