Same Same, But Different

It probably should not come as a surprise, but for every odd, annoying, or amazing thing that I come across in Thailand I can pretty much find its equivalent in America. That goes for waitresses that look right at you, but can't see you raising your hand for service, soap operas with ridiculous plot lines, spectacular landscapes, or politicians with questionable ethics. Although we live on different sides of the world, it is still the same world. Thais like to explain it as - Same Same, but Different.

However, there was one thing that I never thought I would find a counterpart to in the US - the little Buddha shrines that Thais (in particular Taxi cabs) put on the dashboards of their cars. There's actually a website/ blog that is documenting the different styles of these mini, mobile altars called, Still Life in Moving Vehicles.

Here are some samples:

Finally, I found their equivalent on the streets of America.

Although, mobile religious symbols are not as common in the US as they are in Thailand (unless you count the Jesus fish), they are out there, and what they lack in quantity, they certainly make up for with intrusiveness and preachiness.

As they say in Thailand - same same, but different.