It makes sense, then, that selfies and protests go hand in hand here in Thailand, as they are essentially filling the same void. Deakin's theory is that selfies provide a kind of "instant self-affirmation," a way to assert one's individuality and gain recognition from peers without disrupting the hierarchy. "Thailand has this kind of illusory image of collectivism," he said. "It may appear to outsiders to be very homogenous, but in reality, it's divided and atomised. There is a hierarchical structure here, a hidden caste system.