As we drove we saw mile after mile of rice paddy, and they were large and healthy looking too, not the tiny ones you see elsewhere. Mind you, "large" is relative. These were not as large as the ones we see in California, but still of decent size. This part of Thailand looks more prosperous than Vietnam, I'd guess the export of rice generates decent amounts of foreign exchange.
We see an odd thing here that we've not seen elsewhere. Many, but not all, trucks have a cluster of strips of rubber or leather hanging down in front of the outside edge of the front wheel. Some look new and healthy, some look old and worn-out. I've even seen one or two by rear wheels but the front wheel is the norm. I have to admit I only looked at the driver's side of the vehicle, which here is the right. Thailand drives on the left side of the road as do the U.K., Oz, EnZed, and Japan. Most probably Malaysia, India and Burma could be added to the list as former British colonies. If any reader knows the purpose of this cluster of straps, could you please let me know?
