The general consensus in Thailand is that plastic is fantastic. In many ways, this synthetic material has become a symbol of modernization in this developing country. Never mind all those scientists warning us that plastic is detrimental to the environment and perhaps our health. Many street vendors who once wrapped their treats in banana leaves now use plastic bags, and the convenience stores here should get an award for contributing the most non-biodegradable materials to landfills. In Bangkok taxis, cabbies often protect parts of their car interiors in plastic. In this taxi, the driver even left his lucky charm in the original plastic sleeve that the seller had put it in.
The first time I saw these swirly decorations in Bangkok taxis, it brought me right back to my primary school days when we used to make handicrafts out of bendable pipe cleaners. Back then, we constructed all kinds of things out of them, including various creatures and human figures. These embellishments in the taxis, however, are sacred symbols that represent the Buddha's enlightenment. I wonder if the Thai monks who create these Buddhist insignias have as much fun making them as we did in school when we played with pipe cleaners.
