Chapter 09: Story of Flight Sergeant First Class Nipon Sritong‐in

Flight Sergeant First Class Nipon Sritong-in

Following is the story of the day that Luang Poh Jarun made a trip to France and was kind to visit my house. At that time I have not moved my native district back to Thailand yet.

Mrs. Susan has a close friend called Tongthui. Both were classmates since childhood. Mrs. Tongthui’s husband is Mr. Sangpej Indrakumara. I have known this couple since Mr. Sangpej worked with the US. Embassy in Thailand twenty years ago.

Mrs. Tongthui has one brother called Tonghai Kunkwamdee, who is the father of Miss Nidjitra Kunkwamdee – nicked name Bebe – the key person in this story.

Around a week before Luang Poh Jarun’s trip to France, Mrs. Tongthui came to my house in Villepinte and told Mrs. Susan, my wife, that her niece has been in a peculiar state since childhood. It was like being disturbed by unseen spirits. Some times she felt like someone was calling her, causing her to be crazy. She had to turn to the temple, observing Precepts and practice meditation to make her conditions improve. Some times Bebe dreamt of Kuan Yin Bodhisatva and a sacred Thai monk who could cure her from this ailment.

To be straight forward, I did not think much at that time, just listening like that. A week after that, I received a phone call from Khun Trirat that he had arrived in Italy, accompanying Luang Poh Jarun. Luang Poh would visit a Thai temple in France on his way to England. Khun Trirat advised me to invite Luang Poh to my house for the sake of auspices.

So, I phoned Khun Sangpej and Khun Tongthui, inviting them to pay respect to and ask for blessing from Luang Poh, in case I had an opportunity to invite Luang Poh to my house.

My house was 20 kilometres on the outskirt of Paris further out from Charles de Gaulle airport. I drove from home to wait for Luang Poh at the hotel in Paris. On the way while driving, I asked my wife what should we ask, if he had no time to accept our invitation.

On his arrival night, Luang Poh had to visit Thai temple. It was quite late before he returned to the hotel. There were so many people, Thai and Laotian, including my wife and I, waiting to pay respect to him. When we saw the crowd, my wife said that Luang Poh must have been very tired. Could we have a hope to invite him? What could we tell relatives that we told them to come and wait at home?

Unexpectedly, when Luang Poh arrived he walked straight to the crowd of relatives and patrons. As soon as he sat down he started talking to us. (He talked alone.) Would you believe that he spoke of what my wife and I have prepared to ask? It might include others’ questions. He talked for about one hour. No one asked anything except about the trip of his group. For me, I certainly received the full reply. So, I decided to invite him to our house. He accepted. Some people asked if they could follow him for further audience at my house. Khun Trirat also came along.

When we arrived, I invited Luang Poh to sit. My wife’s relatives paid obeisance to him. He blessed and talked to every one. I rushed to phone Khun Sangpej and his wife to come and pay respect to Luang Poh. Both took their niece, Nidjitra, with them. When they arrived, Bebe saw Luang Poh. She pulled the arm of her aunt, Tongthui, and called Mrs. Susan into the kitchen. She said, “It’s him. This is the monk I dreamt about, whom I said he was a sacred monk that would come to cure me. ”

Next, you are invited to read the biography of Miss Nidjitra or Bebe from the letter. I asked Khun Sangpej Indrakumara to interview his niece and noted to me in Laotian language. I have translated and edited the story in Thai as follows.

Credit: eBooks. Wat Amphawan.