Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Golden Boy

Yesterday, in a taxi, I spotted a miniature-sized golden statue of a boy standing near the air-conditioning vent. I asked the driver about it, and he told me his name is Gu Mon Tong, and that he's a young Thai ghost. It struck me as unusual and a little creepy. And, it was surprising since most Thais are genuinely afraid of ghosts.

So, then I asked him, "What is this ghost doing in your taxi?". And, he replied by explaining how he helps attract more business. I would have thought the opposite is true. From my experience, ghosts scare people away - even ghosts with a slight grin on their face.