Thais have a fascinating relationship with their monarch, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. They respect, admire and even worship him. In Bangkok, in almost any direction you look, you will see a shrine to the King. At first, I didn't know what to make of this. There have been so many examples in history where the language and imagery is the same and but the object of adoration was a creep. 'Dear Leader' in North Korea as an example. Quickly you see that the love of the Thai people for their King is genuine and they feel deserved for his lifetime of good works. I've heard people say with pride that he is the heart of Thailand. Very interesting to have this unifying feature across society. Alex has always said the kindest culture on earth is in in Thailand and it could be true. People are polite, gracious and proud but without arrogance. Clearly, they dig being Thai.
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