If you spend any clip on the road in Thailand , you ’re bound to comment a seedy nerve decorate the backs of trucks or printed onto their clay flap . And if you ’ve go through the 1970s criminal offense dramaSerpico , you might acknowledge that human face as a to the full bearded Al Pacino , who has become a symbolization of protection and good luck to many equipment driver of Thailand ’s commercial trucks .
What do Pacino andSerpicohave to do with Southeast Asian trucking ? In the motion-picture show , Al Pacino recreate hugger-mugger NYPD officeholder Frank Serpico , who is determined to rootle out putrefaction within the police force . This portrayal must have struck a chord with Thai driver seeking protection from local practice of law enforcement . Thailand ranks 85th out of 175 countries surveyed inTransparency International ’s Corruption Perceptions Index , and according to authors Bertil Lintner and Michael Black inMerchants of Madness , “ a traffic policeman in Bangkok might stop motorists — especially trucks and other commercial vehicles — and demand bribes to ignore real or imaginary traffic offences . In this way , a police officer can collect thousands of baht [ Thailand ’s currency ] a day . ” gratuitous to say , commercial-grade truck drivers are always looking for ways to avoid paying these bribes .
That ’s where Pacino comes in . While Western drivers personalize their vehicle to help stand out in the crowd , Thailand ’s motortruck equipment driver keep the Almighty in idea when they dress up their ride . Many people in Thailand exercise Theravada Buddhism , which has its roots in the oldest get laid Buddhistic texts and considers “ deity ” ( devas ) to be beings who can protect people . The more protectors one has — whether or not these shielder are traditional Buddhist build — the better . As a result , drivers embellish their hack or hand truck with Hindu or Taoist talismans sitting correctly next to Buddhistic figurine , flowered Garland , and portraits of monks allin the name of protection . Random bits of soda culture occasionally make it into the mix — which is why you may find a bearded Pacino ’s aspect display in an improbable piazza as he protects drivers from corruption .
