BANGKOK — Amateur cartographer Rackchart Wong-arthichart’s “Politically Incorrect” map of how the rest of Thailand and its neighbors are viewed by Bangkokians relegates most of the nation to the status of weekend getaways, dangerous places to be avoided or merely of no consequence.
The provocative map attracted more than 6,000 likes and nearly 800 shares since being posted Saturday to Facebook, as it seemed to touch a nerve with its intended Bangkok audience and was met with amusement by some expats and foreigners.
“The thing is, many think it’s accurate. It’s ugly but true,” said 25-year-old Rackchart, a capital city native studying international relations at Thammasat University.
His “Siam According to Bangkokian” map, which he said was made in English to target the urban middle class, is clearly labeled as politically incorrect.
Many congratulated Rackchart for bringing out closely held prejudices and stereotypes into the open. Others accused him of unfairly labelling Bangkokians in a crude and negative light.
"Very discriminatory,” wrote Facebook user Songsang Boonsa wrote. “People in many provinces may not find it funny, particularly in the three southernmost provinces.