Graphic novel 'Ta Sawang' explores Bangkok motorcycle taxi drivers' political history and struggles

The graphic novel 'Ta Sawang' (Il Re di Bangkok, 2020), crafted by Claudio Sopranzetti, Chiara Natalucci, and Sara Fabbri, delves into the lives of Bangkok's motorcycle taxi drivers, known as moto-sai. It narrates the journey of Nok, a rural migrant grappling with poverty, addiction, and his participation in the Red Shirt movement during the protests of 2010. Through a blend of comic-strip dynamics and surreal elements, the work captures the essence of the migrant experience. Sopranzetti's 2017 research, 'Owners of the Map,' investigates the political identities of these drivers. The rise of motorcycle taxis in the early 1980s was influenced by administrative policies, rural migration, affordable motorcycles, and the city's narrow streets. The narrative also touches on historical events, including the 1997 financial crisis and critiques by Sulak Sivaraksa, with drivers actively participating in the May 2010 protests.