In this touching story by Khamsing Srinawk, a Thai farmer must leave his dying son in the hands of faith-healers and herbalists to grovel in front of local officials for a 200 baht government handout. He gets the money but, contrary to what other villagers say, it’s not his lucky day. Major themes are the harshness of nature on farming communities, and the abuse of power by the Thai authorities of the day (the late 1950s) in dealing with them. Other themes include family, poverty, suffering, helplessness, survival, superstition, social class, and “luck”. More…