Thai aviation warns over child angel dolls
Print Edition
THAILAND’S air safety body warned passengers yesterday that lucky “child angel” dolls cannot be considered real people and must be properly stowed before take-off and landing.
The unusual clarification from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) came in response to the latest superstitious craze sweeping the kingdom, where Thais are pampering lifelike dolls that are believed to contain the spirit of a real child hoping it will bring them good luck.
Known in Thai as “luuk thep” (child angels), the pricey dolls, which can cost up to US$600, were first popularized by celebrities who claimed dressing up and feeding the dolls had brought them professional success.
This week multiple local media outlets ran reports based around a leaked memo from Thai Smile suggesting the airline planned to begin offering airline tickets, including in-flight drinks and snacks, to the dolls.
The memo defined the “child angels” as “a doll that is alive,” adding that the figures should be placed in window seats so as not to disturb other passengers and that seatbelts should be worn during takeoff and landing, according to reports.
But in its statement the CAAT said child angel dolls were “non-human beings that cannot be considered passengers.” “Carry-on baggage must be stored inside overhead lockers or underneath the seat,” it said.
Thai Smile has not denied the memo, but it has not made any formal statement either.
More than 90 percent of Thais identify themselves as Buddhist. But the country’s Buddhism is known for its syncretism, comfortably blending many animist and Hindu traditions into daily worship. Superstition runs deep with many fervently believing in ghosts, good and malevolent spirits and that offerings of various kinds will ward off bad luck.
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