Having spent several years in Thailand, I can say Burnett's
books do indeed describe Thai society.
Rigid? The King is "Lord of Light" and one can go to jail
(and some have) for even minor critical remarks about the
members of the royal family. Until changes in 1932, you
addressed a person with pronouns appropriate for his or her
rank and had to be precise. This carries on in Thai society
where the pecking order is rigidly maintained. "ML after a
name means a minor member of the family, and as a polygamous
group, it has many members. The palaces you see around
Bangkok are reminders of that.
Try a business meeting. No one interrupts or talks before the
chief, and no one disagrees with him either.
Willow
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