In Thailand, a newly-minted cultural minister once suggested a “wholly original” idea to help prop up the flagging tourist sector: aggressively market carved wooden penises to foreigners. Of course, the minister wasn’t trying to be funny or provocative; carved phalluses, or palad khik, have long been an important part of traditional Thai culture.
If the politician was guilty of anything, it was only ignorance; tourists have long been able to purchase all variety of palad khik at local markets, though they rarely do so. Who knows why? Perhaps a lifelike, intricately-carved wooden phallus wouldn’t make the right impression on the folks back home. Not everyone can be as culturally open-minded as the rest of us.
Of course, Thailand is hardly alone
