Burmese Taxis

I just returned from a trip to Yangon, Myanmar. It turns out that taxis are a good way to get around there. They're plentiful and many of the drivers are quite friendly. Some of the cabs even have Buddha statuettes, fresh flower garlands, and other decorations, including flags. Unlike the taxis in Bangkok, the cabs in Yangon don't have meters, so you need to haggle sometimes. The fares generally cost somewhere around 2000 or 3000 Myanmar kyats within the city limits which might sound really expensive. But we're actually talking about only two or three US dollars. Not a bad price for getting around town.  

Roll of the Dice

Thais seem to appreciate anything that's considered "classic", so I guess it shouldn't be too surprising to find fuzzy dice dangling from a rearview mirror in a Bangkok cab. These automobile accoutrements have been around since the 1950's. Like most of the other decorations and charms in Thai taxis, they're yet another symbol of good luck. Even more auspicious is the fact that the dice are showing "snake eyes".      

King and Father

Today marks the 86th birthday of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Because Thais consider the King to be the father of the country, father's day is also celebrated in Thailand today.

Happy Birthday to the King and Happy Dad's Day!