Thursday, August 30, 2012

Anti-upchuck

If the driver of this taxi didn't constantly swerve in and out of traffic lanes, had newer shocks, and would shift gears more smoothly, he wouldn't need to post this sticker in the rear passenger window of his cab.   

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Green Mascot

It's unusual for me to take the same cab twice, but today I found myself in a taxi that I had been in a few months ago. This time I noticed the addition of an Incredible Hulk action figure on the dashboard. After chatting with the driver a while, he reminded me that last time I had mentioned that I had once seen a Hulk figure in another taxi. The next day he went out and bought his own plastic Hulk. Wouldn't it be funny if this enraged green character became the mascot of all Thai taxi drivers?  

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Nutty Gods

The gods in Thailand are sometimes offered betel nuts, a type of seed consumed in Southeast Asia for its narcotic-like effects. Pure sliced betel nuts are usually chewed, but sometimes the seeds are ground, mixed with spices, and then wrapped in fresh betel leaves to make it more palatable. Unfortunately, betel nuts turn your teeth black, a look that is not very attractive for the gods.     

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Tranquil Taxi

In the taxi this morning, this serene white-on-white Buddha image above me was reassuring. Despite the heavy traffic, the road construction, big trucks honking their horns, and the fact that the cab almost ran out of fuel, I felt completely calm and unfazed. At one point, I even closed my eyes and smiled just like the Buddha.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Queen of Thais

Happy Birthday, HM Queen Sirikit.
Long Live the Queen!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

It's History

The popularity of the image of Ganesh in Thailand can be attributed to King Rama VI (reign 1910 - 1925) who demanded that the representation of this elephant-headed God be used as a symbol of the national Literature Club and Fine Arts Department. The King had adopted the concept from the Indian epic, the Mahabharata, in which Ganesh is viewed as the God of arts. I asked my taxi driver if he was aware of this bit of history, and his response was that he doesn't like to think about the past. For him, this statue solely represents the potential to attract more business.  

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Get a Life

The adage on this plastic frog-flower knickknack in this taxi is an accurate description of the life of most Bangkok taxi drivers. A majority of the cabbies in this city work twelve hour shifts everyday with few days off. I bet many taxi drivers here wish they could say the opposite: I had a job...My life ate it.