Day #146: Thai Monarchy

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One of the first things I noticed when I arrived in the maelstrom of Bangkok was the extraordinary prominence of the Royal Family. Outside monasteries and public buildings, at major sights or just at street junctions, are portraits of the Royals - especially the King and Queen, but other family members also - framed in elaborate, distinctive gold frames. Sometimes there isn't even a portrait, just the stylised gold pattern in various shapes, symbolising His Majesty. The King is now in his eighties and in ailing health, almost never appearing in public, and the often-faded portraits look twenty or thirty years old, with everyone dressed in outmoded fashions.

Thailand is a democracy, but the royal family seem to have a greater role in parliament than in most modern democracies. It's against the law to criticise the monarchy in Thailand, and socially unacceptable too - there are warning signs for tourists at the major sights. It's therefore impossible to tell how popular the royals here really are, but censorship certainly is alive and well.

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