Earlier this week a veteran taxi driver told me he was a great fan of Elvis Presley. He proceeded to sing Love Me Tender for most of the journey. He wasn't too bad either -- Elvis would have been proud. The crooner cabbie said singing took his mind off the horrors of Bangkok's traffic.
He reminded me of another singing taxi driver a few years ago who said he was a former folk singer, before suddenly bursting forth into song with Danny Boy. Mind you, he had his own lyrics -- "Oh Danny boy, the pies, the pies are calling…"
For years I have enjoyed, or perhaps "endured" is more accurate, the musical radio tastes of Bangkok's taxi drivers, many of whom come from the Northeast. In the old days their preference was for traditional country music, luk thung, which was quite enjoyable and importantly kept the cabbie in a decent mood.
