Lao Voices

7 Responses to “ Dok Huang Pheung ”

1. 
   Laocook Jul 5th, 2008 at 1:39 pm

   Nice to see the Pick-Up Trucks out in force!

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2. 
   saopakse Jul 5th, 2008 at 4:53 pm

   dok huang pheung = dok khoun?

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3. 
   salat Jul 6th, 2008 at 2:06 am

   I’ve never seen a tree like this before, it’s very interesting.  Do you know if the bunches of yellow flowers have a strong floral smell?   I would think so.

   Yes, those pic-up trucks must be a sign of the growing middle class in Laos.  Keep on truckin’

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4. 
   Darly Jul 7th, 2008 at 6:15 am

   Hi Sao Pakse,

   That is correct. It’s called Dok Khoune or Dok Yor. I was confused with the name of Dok Huang Pheung which is also yellow in color but from the forest, in the same family as orchid. I was thinking of Pasad Pheung and thougth the name is dok huang pheung. You have to excuse me for getting the name wrong. I called my aunt in Vientiane and she told me it is actually dok khoun or dok yor.

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5. 
   Darly Jul 7th, 2008 at 6:20 am

   Hi there Salat,

   These trees are grown all over in Vientiane when I was a little kid. They are in full blooms usually around Boun Pee Mai Lao. I used to collect them along with dok champa for this special occasion. It is called dok khoun or dok yor. You put them around your house for new year so you can have khoun or to yor you up. Khoun is a term associate with khum khoun and yor is to push up or raise up.

   I was surprised to see these trees in bloom in May. I thought they would be gone by now since dok champa are all gone already in Vientiane and we have to wait till Vat Phou festival to see them in full bloom again.

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6. 
   Sirivanh Jul 7th, 2008 at 10:41 am

   Hi Salat, or anybody that live up north.
   It’s well known as “Dok Koun” in Thailand, they even have Movie about it in the early 70’s called “Dok Koun Sieng Kaen” it’s very beatiful but there’s not strong good smell to it, it did not smell bad either.
   If anybody want to see it, it’s in Florida where they grow in wormer climate. Darly is right! Most Lao people, especially in St. Petersburg Florida plant it on purposely just to bring good luck to the house (to kum koon the house) They use at all kinds of Lao cerymony. It blooms aroud April, May sometimes June, it depends on the rain weather. I even see it at few Lakes, City Park. I mean it just stuning yellow perfectly beautiful flower. St. Petersburg, Florida. that’s where it’s at.

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7. 
   Ginger Jul 7th, 2008 at 6:54 pm

   When I was little living in Thailand we’d use ‘Dok Khoun’ to decorate the house for PeeMai (New Year) and Thai people on the countryside would hang the flowers at each corner of the room or inside the house for ‘Kom Khoun’ (prosperity), to me when I see Dok Khoun, I’d think of PeeMai.

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