In Thailand, one can pick from an array of gods, goddesses, and deities to worship. In Bangkok taxis, the combinations of these talisman and icons often seem completely random. But, if you talk to the drivers, you realize each object has been carefully chosen to correspond to the beliefs and wishes of the cabby. When I asked the driver some questions about his menagerie of statues, he told me that he's wishing for peace. I wonder if that was his polite Thai way of telling me to stop bothering him with questions?
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Monks, Dogs, and Elephants
In Thailand, one can pick from an array of gods, goddesses, and deities to worship. In Bangkok taxis, the combinations of these talisman and icons often seem completely random. But, if you talk to the drivers, you realize each object has been carefully chosen to correspond to the beliefs and wishes of the cabby. When I asked the driver some questions about his menagerie of statues, he told me that he's wishing for peace. I wonder if that was his polite Thai way of telling me to stop bothering him with questions?
