Patriotism and the King

I get the impression that the Thais are a very patriotic nation. While we were in the train station waiting for the train to Chang Mai they played the national anthem over the intercom. Immediately everyone in the station stopped and stood to attention until it finished. Very unusual to watch.

Similarly the King of Thailand appears to be a national icon and is taken very seriously. Pictures of him are everywhere in very regal positions. When the coup happened here late last year the king came out and said that everything was okay, so everyone calmed down. He's about 80 now and lives down south somewhere and his wife lives in Bangkok in the grand palace (I'm told) ... they don't talk about that.