"Umm...I think we're supposed to stand." Somewhat hesitantly, Andy, Ashley and I got out of our chairs while we heard giggles behind us. On screen were the words, "Please stand to pay respect for the king."
Part of the reason we were able to find cheap tickets was that the return flight included a 13 hour layover in Bangkok. Sitting in the airport for that long didn't really appeal to us, so we decided to go into the city, even though it meant we had to pay an airport tax. We went to a restaurant that Andy had been to the previous year, and then we walked around for a bit. Nearby was a mall, and we figured if the tickets were cheap enough, why not catch a movie? The showtime was 3:50, but we quickly realized that was the time they were going to let us into the theater. After the usually run of previews, they showed a propaganda piece on why their king was so great, told through the eyes of a little kid. Then there was a short film that seemed to be conveying a message that people shouldn't riot next week when they release the verdict on a former gov't official, because it disrupted people's lives the last time there was unrest. These were in Thai, but it was easy to figure them out. Then the words flashed on screen. Unsure, we hesitated until figuring it was the appropriate thing to do. Why else would they have it in English as well? What followed was what I assume was the national anthem with grainy old videos of the king through his life, helping the people and the country of course. I've never experienced anything like it. Sure, we pay respect to those in high positions, but only when they are there in person. More often than not, we stand for the national anthem or the like, which transcends an individual. An interesting encounter with monarchy.
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