Markets in Everything: Uncle Boonmee edition?

Thailand is a fascinating country that I very much plan to visit again. This past weekend, Tyler convinced Mrs. A and I to watch "Uncle Boonmee who can recall his past lives" on Netflix.

It's different and to American eyes way out there, but we loved it.

Lyrical and funny, with many scenes as beautiful and moving as I've ever seen. I'm looking forward to checking out the director, Apichatpong Weerasethakul's other films as well.

I'd call him the Jim Jarmusch of Thailand.

However, this article in the NY Times made me think that the plot was not as "out there" as it seemed to me. Apparently Thailand is crawling with ghosts,


"There are more than 100 types of ghosts in Thailand, he says, including the Pi Pob, which enters human bodies and possesses them; the Preta, a tall, thin ghost that seeks vengeance among the living; Phi Lung Kluang, a variety from southern Thailand that takes a human form with a hole in its back, exposing its skeleton; and widow ghosts, prevalent in northeastern Thailand, which seek to steal men away from their families.

The belief in the supernatural, ghosts and otherwise, infuses daily life in Thailand. Ministers inaugurate their offices at auspicious times, and powerful generals have been known to consult seers before a big decision, such as launching a coup — a relatively regular occurrence in Thailand. Fortune tellers are consulted by everyone from business executives forging multimillion-dollar deals to students facing uncertain careers and couples wanting to conceive."