Visiting the King...

I can’t really sufficiently explain to you how important the King is here. He is beloved. The colors on the Thai flag—red, blue and white—stand for Thailand, Buddhism, and the King. Though officially removed from political power since the 1932 coup that implemented a constitutional monarchy system like Britain’s, the king is anything but a figurehead. Over the course of his sixty-year reign, he’s been the protector of stability and order in the midst of military coups, political violence and widespread protests. More than just respected, he’s also deeply loved by the Thai people. He’s a symbol of unity in a politically fractious and volatile country. Before every movie, audiences stand to listen to the national anthem played over a montage of clips of the King. People in the theatres cry. And while I can’t tell you what every Thai person says in private about the King, in public the only sentiments expressed are abundantly positive and loving (saying or publishing anything negative about the King is against the law).

In September, the King fell ill and was rushed to the hospital. There’s a general sense of held breaths and hushed tones surrounding his health. Particularly with the violence of these past few years protests, and continued questions over the viability and legitimacy of the current constitution, the stability offered by the King is much needed. Since he fell ill, Thai people have been visiting his hospital in droves.

This past weekend we decided to go to the hospital to offer some well wishes. Absolutely every activity we embark on is fraught with fear of being culturally ignorant and offensive, and this was obviously no exception.

Our confused taxi driver dropped us at the hospital inpatient doors (our Thai is so poor the best we could do was to communicate that we needed to go to the hospital), and after a decent amount of wandering around sickbays in a gigantic hospital compound, we found the courtyard we’d seen on the news, filled with incense and flowers and so many well-wishers. Vendors offered food and flowers to visitors. People milled about, periodically glancing upward to the floor where the king is staying. We bumbled around a little and lit some incense, offering a prayer and hoping we weren’t doing anything too wrong. We were about to leave when a woman beckoned us up into a large room to sign one of the many books available for well-wishers. As we sat down to sign the book, the press photographers in the room jumped up and swarmed our table, documenting our signing. We tried to retreat with swiftness and subtlety, but the photographers asked Anna and I to sit and pray in front of the statue of the King. We obliged their wishes, awkwardly (The attention we get here—both positive and negative—for being foreigners is…confusing. I am never sure how to respond).

It was all very beautiful and interesting, and for me brought up only more questions about the institution of the monarchy. It’s a very different type of thing for an American to get their head around, this apolitical but at the same time very powerful institution.

Here’s a picture from the hospital:



And a couple of news stories about the King:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6843789.ece

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/10/31/national/national_30115568.php

(The link to the wiki is blocked in this country)



Okay that is all for now. Happy Halloween dear readers.


Yours,
Rebecca