Last decade saw raise of economic prosperity in Thailand. Today progress can be seen in every nook and corner. Thai upper middle class is burgeoning at a steady pace. At the same time, we can still notice the simple and poignant things all around. Few examples here:
- Last year I went to see a movie in MBK (MahboonKrong, one of the popular malls in Bangkok). When the movie was about to start, suddenly all the people in the theatre started standing up. I was confused as to why they were trying to leave when the movie is about start. I was wrong. They were all standing respectfully as short clip about King Bhumibol Adulyadej was going to be shown next, that is before the movie. I felt so moved that I too stood reverentially.
- During my recent visit, at the buffet dinner in the hotel, I saw unusually more number of vegetarian dishes. There were also few yellow flags around these dishes with Thai letters. My Thai colleagues explained that for nine days, Thais practice vegetarianism, some of them very strict. These nine days coincide with Dasara or Vijaya Dashami or Dussehra days!
- Nationalism is pervasive all around. Every day at 8am and at 6pm the Thai national anthem is played invariably in all the channels both radio and TV!
During my childhood, cinema theatres were ending shows with our National Anthem - Janaganamana being played, with all of us standing up with respect. God knows, why and when this practice was stopped.
Why don't we have the Indian national anthem played everyday at 8 am in all Indian channels? How difficult is to bring such measures? Or it doesn't matter?
- Last year I went to see a movie in MBK (MahboonKrong, one of the popular malls in Bangkok). When the movie was about to start, suddenly all the people in the theatre started standing up. I was confused as to why they were trying to leave when the movie is about start. I was wrong. They were all standing respectfully as short clip about King Bhumibol Adulyadej was going to be shown next, that is before the movie. I felt so moved that I too stood reverentially.
- During my recent visit, at the buffet dinner in the hotel, I saw unusually more number of vegetarian dishes. There were also few yellow flags around these dishes with Thai letters. My Thai colleagues explained that for nine days, Thais practice vegetarianism, some of them very strict. These nine days coincide with Dasara or Vijaya Dashami or Dussehra days!
- Nationalism is pervasive all around. Every day at 8am and at 6pm the Thai national anthem is played invariably in all the channels both radio and TV!
During my childhood, cinema theatres were ending shows with our National Anthem - Janaganamana being played, with all of us standing up with respect. God knows, why and when this practice was stopped.
Why don't we have the Indian national anthem played everyday at 8 am in all Indian channels? How difficult is to bring such measures? Or it doesn't matter?
