Monday, June 27, 2011

Taxi Piggies


Lately, I've been noticing a lot of pig characters in Bangkok taxis. So, one day I asked a cab driver with stuffed toy porkers on his dashboard about the Thai fascination with this creature. He told me that anyone, including himself, with swine decorations was born in the Chinese year of the pig. That's probably true in most cases, but I'm guessing that some Thai cabbies just can't resist collecting chubby little playful piggy novelties.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Bangkok Headbanger

When I got into a taxi today, the first thing I noticed was the driver's big hair and eyeliner. He looked as if he was on his way to a Bon Jovi concert circa 1984. And with the stickers of skulls and crossbones on the steering wheel and a black bandana tied around the rearview mirror, the cab itself was a throwback to the days of glam metal. When the driver popped in his Best Hair Band Hits of the 80s CD, it was confirmed that it was going to be a head-banging ride back home.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Happy Buddha

One of the goals in Buddhism is to achieve a certain level of happiness. The monks depicted in the statuettes, however, apparently haven't found joy yet. But the driver of this cab wanted to ensure that the Buddha would be content, so he painted smiling red lips on the golden face of his Buddha charm.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Law of Attraction

According to the "law of attraction", money draws in more money. I guess that this is the theory of Bangkok cabbies who decorate their taxis with coins. Apparently trinkets and lucky charms attract more knickknacks, as well.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Poultry in Motion

In Thai culture, chickens are symbols of luck and prosperity and they're also believed to offer protection. But this is the first time I've seen statuettes of fowl with fake foliage tied around their necks. I asked the cab driver about his poultry garnished with silk plants, but his answer was vague. I'm confused: does this have something to do with black magic or is this display in honor of a popular dish in Thailand, Pad Ka-Prow Gai (Chicken with Holy Basil)?

Thursday, June 2, 2011

DIY Cabby

Want to jazz up the interior of your car, but don't want to spend a fortune at a shop that does custom interior trim work? Don't worry, you can do as this Bangkok cabbie and make designs on the door panels using colored tape. This DIY mentality is common among Bangkok taxi drivers. In most cases, they need to be frugal out of necessity. But it never ceases to amaze me how resourceful cabbies here can be.