Expats Club Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai Resident Tony MacGregor Describes his Historic Pilgrimage across Korean Peninsula to Honor Buddhist Saint Wonhyo
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Tony MacGregor – Describes his historic pilgrimage across Korean Peninsula to honor Buddhist Saint Wonhyo
CHIANG RAI – On Saturday November 2 Chiang Rai resident Tony MacGregor will describe a historic pilgrimage he undertook in Korea to honor a beloved Korean Saint, Wonhyo.
MacGregor, a journalist, lived in Korea for about three years and became entranced with Wonhyo, Korea’s most beloved and controversial Buddhist saint. He has made the Wonhyo Pilgrimage twice, the second time to make documentary film.
Bogwangjeon hall at Bunhwangsa, Gyeongju which is a dedicated shrine to Wonhyo.“Wonhyo was an extraordinary person. He trekked across Korea in the seventh century and found enlightenment in a cave at the end of his crossing. We attempted to follow in his footsteps – the first time anyone had ever tried to do so in 1,300 years – and we also attempted to emulate his spiritual insights,” MacGregor said.MacGregor will give the Power Point presentation, which includes video, at the meeting of the Chiang Rai Expat Club on Saturday, Nov. 2 beginning 10.30 am in the fifth floor of the building that houses the Hill Tribe Museum and Education Center, 620/25 Thanalai, adjacent to the Cabbages and Condoms Restaurant.MacGregor said that the pilgrims covered about 500 km, much of which was walked along back roads and mountain tracks. The journey took them from Gyeongju, ancient capital of the Korean Shilla kingdom, to what is known as Wonhyo’s cave near Dangjin, on the west coast of South Chungcheong Province, just south of Incheon.
On the way, they visited 11 monasteries and interviewed several abbots and many monks and recorded their conversations for the film. “Through the film, we hope to share the wisdom of these monks who spent many years in the monasteries, and also share Korean Buddhism, which has unique qualities.”
MacGregor said the ultimate aim of the Wonhyo pilgrims is to establish a permanent Wonhyo pilgrimage trail across the Korean peninsula. For more information, www.inthefootstepsofwonhyo.com.
Wonhyo (617 – 686), one of Korea’s most beloved and unconventional monks, was a great scholar with more than 80 commentaries and essays to his credit. Born into a simple family in the Silla Kingdom, Wonhyo, a monk for many years, renounced the formal religion life to teach ordinary people. He was known to carry a gourd, dancing and singing around the country, encouraging people to chant and recite the Buddha’s name. He called himself a “muae-geusa” ,unhindered practitioner
Introduction of Tony MacGregor to Chiang Rai Expat Club,
Nov. 2, 2013
Tony MacGregor has lived in Chiang Rai for about five months. He is a new father. His wife gave birth to his baby daughter Sara about five weeks ago.
Tony is a Canadian. He is a journalist and retired from a community relations job with a government-owned electric utility in British Colombia in 2005.
Before coming to Chiang Rai he studied Buddhism in Bangkok for about five years at Mahachulalongkorn Univesity, and before that he worked as a journalist in Korea for three years. While he was in Korea he became fascinated by Wonhyo, Korea’s most beloved Buddhist saint, who lived in the 7th Century.
He and some friends conceived the idea of a pilgrimage to honor Wonhyo and to recognize and pay tribute to the spiritual side of Korea and Koreans that is so often overlooked.
So Tony is here today to tell you about that pilgrimage that he and his friends made across the Korean Peninsula. It was an historic pilgrimage – the first time in 1,300 years that anyone had attempted to emulate Wonhyo’s journey across the Korean Peninsula. They stayed in monasteries, some of which Wonhyo had founded, and talked to the monks about the search for happiness. Thank you Tony.
In the Footsteps of Wonhyo
Press Releases:
- Foreigners Plan Footsteps of Wonhyo Project Korea Times on January 13, 2009
- The Wonhyo Trail Project February 2009 Issue of Bulgyo Munhwa, Monthly Journal of Buddhist Culture
- The Footsteps of Wonhyo The Marmot’s Hole blog on January 14, 2009
- In The Footsteps of Wonhyo The Marmot’s Hole blog on October 22, 2011
- The Way of Walking Dongguk University News on October 10, 2011
- In the Footsteps of Wonhyo — A 21st Century Pilgrimage The Three Wise Monkeys blog on November 14, 2011
- KBS INTERVIEW Radio interview in Seoul on November 29, 2011
- Four Expats Begin Pilgrimage Across Korea The Three Wise Monkeys blog on December 5, 2011
- Expats undertake Buddhist pilgrimage across nation Korea Times on December 6, 2011
- Walking in the footsteps of Korea’s most beloved monk Yonhap on December 23, 2011
- Expats carve paths for Wonhyo Project Korea JoongAng Daily on January 10, 2012
- Image of Korea: Wonhyo pilgrimage Korea Times on January 12, 2012
- Korean Pilgrimage Diaries Groove Magazine, December, 2012
CONTACTS:
Tony MacGregor, [email protected] Cell: 089-207-7806 Home: -052-021-421
Chris McCarthy, [email protected]
Facebook: In The Footsteps Of Wonhyo
From left, representing the expats: Jantima and Jim Vierling, Tony MacGregor.
Representing Mae Fah Luang University: Dr. Romyen Kosaikanont,
Kuhn Nuya Leewanich and Kuhn Thanya Thamjai .
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CHIANG RAI – Mae Fah Luang University has offered free tickets to members of the Chiang Rai Expat Club to a classical guitar concert by Hucky Eichelmann. Eichelmann is from Germany and a long-time resident of Thailand. He has a diverse musical repertoire that brings together Western and Eastern cultures and integrates classical music with folk and popular music.
The concert is entitled “The Music of ASEAN.” It is free but picking up tickets beforehand will ensure a good seat. The concert takes place on 20 Nov. at 19:00 (7 pm) at the C4 building (auditorium) at Mae Fah Luang University. If you would like to attend, please reply to this note let me know how many tickets you want. I will order the tickets. You can pick them up at the Nov. 8 meeting or, if you’re not planning to attend that meeting, you can pick them up from me at a time arranged (089-207-7806).
This offer resulted from a meeting of the CREC executive and the university to arrange speakers from the University. They are very interested in developing a relationship with our club, including the possibly of having our members share their expertise with short presentations to their faculty and students. We are hoping for additional opportunities in the coming year.
CHRISTMAS PLAY
Club member Patricia Solar is working on bringing us a Christmas play, “The Christmas Choir”, which may become a Christmas dinner/play. That event, to be performed by The Gate Theatre of Chiang Mai, is scheduled for Dec 23. Patricia has developed a program to sign up sponsors and raise funds and has already signed up some sponsors for the show. Now she would like some help in carrying out the program. If you can help, please contact Patricia at [email protected]. This will be CREC’s Christmas event. Please help make it a success.
SURVEY/QUESTIONNAIRE
A survey about the areas of interest for speakers and activities you would like the club to pursue will be circulated to you shortly. It will be a big help for planning purposes, so please take the time to fill it out. We hope to offer one event per month besides the regular meeting’s speaker.
NOVEMBER’S MEETING
The next speaker, scheduled for November 8, is Kim Roberts, who will be talking about expats and mental health. I’ll send more details closer to November 8.
DINING CLUB
Another activity being developed is a “Dining Club”. This will involve a “tasting event” at a different restaurant every month as well as a short presentation from the host about whatever makes the restaurant proud – food preparation, food sourcing, kitchen tour, etc. Then a sample will be served of all the menu items that make the restaurant unique or noteworthy. There will be a set prepaid charge based on the restaurant’s normal pricing, the range of food items offered and the number of attendees. The first event is scheduled for the end of November. You will receive an email this week with more details.
Peter Brierley speaks to Expat Cub members about house building in Thailand Oct. 11, 2014.
OCTOBER’S MEETING
Thanks to Peter Brierley for the great talk he gave October 11 on building a house in Thailand. Attendance was high. Questions were stimulating and post-meeting comments were positive. Thanks also to club member John Ellis who provides the monthly meeting space for CREC for free. John’s new bistro was functioning for the event and service and coffee were great.
Mark Carlson, chief of the consular section of the US Chiang Mai consulate, talks to about 30 expats at the Meridien Resort in Chiang Rai on Sept. 12, 2014
CHIANG RAI – US consular chief Mark C. Carlson covered a variety of issues during his talk to Chiang Rai expats on Friday ranging from health insurance to grants to non government agencies (NGO’s).
Mr. Carlson, Chief of the US consular section in Chiang Mai, spoke in the Chamcha Room on the first floor of Le Meridien Resort from about 8:30 am to 9:30 am, Sept. 12.
He was in Chiang Rai with other staff to provide consular services at Le Meridien Hotel. These services included passport renewal applications, voter registration etc.
In his closing remarks Tony MacGregor, President of the Chiang Rai Expat Club, thanked Mr. Carlson for fielding the many and varied questions on the minds of expats living in the Chiang Rai area.
The next meeting of the Chiang Rai Expat Club will take place Saturday, October 11 on the second floor of the Condotel in Chiang Rai at 9:30 am. The speaker will deal with building in Thailand.
By Tony MacGregor, Chiang Rai Expat Club, [email protected]
U.S. Consul General Ken Foster is joined by Mark C. Carlson and his wife (Centre), Mr. Mark Magreath and K. Thawatchai.
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CHIANG RAI – Mark C. Carlson, chief, US consular section in Chiang Mai will deliver a talk to the Chiang Rai Expat Club on Friday September 12.
His talk will deal with a variety of issues facing expats in Thailand. It will take place from 8:30 am to 9:30 am in the Chamcha Room on the first floor of Le Meridien Chiang Rai Resort. There will be a question and answer period.
The expat club is inviting all expats regardless of their nationality or whether they are club members to attend. Cost is 150 baht per person to cover hotel expenses. Coffee will be served.
Carlson has spoken to the Chiang Rai Expat Club on previous occasions and his talks were well received. The consular staff will be in Chiang Rai to provide consular services to US citizens from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm at le Meridien. See message from US consulate below.
Le Méridien Chiang Rai Resort is located at 221 / 2 Moo 20 Kwaewai Rd, Tambon Robwieng, Amphur Muang. Geo Coordinates are 19.922096,99.854242.
US Consulate Message
A Message to all U.S. Citizens in the Chiang Rai Area:
Consular staff from the U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai will conduct a consular visit to Chiang Rai on Friday, September 12, 2014. We will be available to provide services from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Le Meridien Hotel.
The following consular services will be available:
– Passport renewal applications
– Notarial services
– Social Security or other federal benefits questions
– General voter registration information for the upcoming U.S. elections
NOTE: We are sorry that we cannot accept applications for Consular Reports of Birth Abroad or for additional visa pages in passports. Applicants must come to Chiang Mai for these services.
Appointments are not needed for these consular services in Chiang Rai. Please review this page for information on specific services, and fees required. We are sorry that we cannot accept credit cards, and all services are payable in cash (Thai Baht or U.S. Dollars). You will also find information regarding documentation you are required to present for passport renewals, including specific requirements for passport renewals for minors. You will also find the common forms of notarials on our website, although we will have general blank forms available for you to complete on arrival. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].
We look forward to seeing you on September 12.
CONTACT: Tony MacGregor, 089-207-7806, [email protected]
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