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West meets East - March 2006


khunsanuk

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In the midst of all of the anti-government protests, many of which I can hear from my own apartment, something surprising is apparently going largely overlooked. What I mean, of course, is the superstitious nature of even many educated Thais. This can be seen from both sides in the current political crisis.

 

It all began when no less than the prime minister himself, Thaksin Shinawatra, made a visit to a famous elephant village in Surin and took part in traditional ceremonies to make him more powerful and ward off evil. Thaksin was photographed riding on a male elephant, the kind ancient leaders used to ride into battle on. This was clearly exploiting the ancient belief that a warrior who can control such an animal will be virtually undefeatable. The PM also knelt down and crawled under an elephant's belly, another Thai superstition that is thought to bring good luck. Rumours claimed that Thaksin had even visited a Khmer "witch doctor" to have himself blessed and his opponents cursed.

 

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