Who came up with the idea that a tambon should specialize in making cowboy hats, I don’t know, but it is clear that the owner of a restaurant next to the cowboy hat outlet is a huge fan of Carabao. The rustic restaurant is full of pictures from the band’s early years (i.e., late 1970s). There also pictures of the student demonstrations that the Thai military crushed with indiscriminate violence resulting in a swelling in the ranks for the Thai Communist Party.
Carabao was actually formed in the Philippines (hence the name, carabao, which means buffalo in tagalog), but the band - and its frequently changing members - has aged since then. And as the band went more main-stream, the corporate sponsorship deals (primarily beer and energy drink) have greatly enriched the most famous band members.
12 years ago, I often met Aed and other band members as they were (and still are) members of a Harley Davidson club. They often participated in the club’s social activities on weekends.
Since I’m already digressing, let me point out that Thailand’s vastly popular OTOP scheme was copied and implemented in Cambodia a few years back. It’s been copied so diligently that the main products offered for sale are basically the same as in Thailand. However, I guess as long as the sales efforts aren’t focused on export markets (but sales only take place from village shops) then there is no direct competition.
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