A penchant for khwqaam sanuk combines with a natural gregariousness to ensure that both spontaneous and formal leisure activities are vital parts of the Thai village's social fablic. Rice cultivation demands consistent hard work, but the communal gathering that result set thae stage for all types of group activities from feasting to courting. Some evenings after a hard day's work, many villagers, instead of going to bed, gather around bonfires to talk.
Young people sing and court.
Older people chat, smoke, and drink home made rice liquor, a mild or potent brew depending on the brewing's skill and the ingredients at hand. There may be a phyming song contest and a lot of friendly banter between old and young as individuals try to outdo each other in composing choruses with familiar themes. Local musicians may play reed instruments, bamboo flutes, hand cymbals, and drums to accompany singers, providing both inspiration and humour. Ordinations, particularly when a number of families pool resources for a group ceremony, are often celebrated with similar festivity. Enormous feasts are prepared.