Mel Crawford (Canadian, B. 1925) "Thailand" Signed lower left. Original Mixed Media painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover of the U.N. 20c Thailand Flags of the U.N. Series stamp issued September 25, 1981. Today's visitor to Thailand is immediately struck by the harmonious relationship between the old ways and the new. From modern airports and deluxe hotels to royal ceremonies, colorful Buddhist temples, and age-old canal marketplaces, Thailand seems to span centuries of history within her borders. Although Western dress has become more and more fashionable in the cities, the countryside has changed little over the years, and the ruins of the ancient Thai capital, Ayuthia, seem scarcely out of place. Thailand's modernization has been relatively smooth because traditional social standards, religious values, and the ancient, India-derived conception of governmental authority have remained unchanged. Thus, this southeast Asian country has managed to enjoy considerable economic prosperity, yet retain its distinctive cultural flavor. The economy of Thailand is still closely tied to the ownership of land, and the country produces a tremendous variety of savory fruits, such as mangoes, bananas, pineapples, litchis, and mangosteens. Visitors to the country's magnificent and valuable teakwood forests might very well see elephants being used to haul huge logs, just as they have done for centuries. And it would not be at all unusual to encounter a mammoth statue of Buddha, or a yellow-robed monk, for the industrious Thais continue to practice the Buddhist religion of their ancient ancestors. Image Size: 14 x 12.25 in. Overall Size: 17.5 x 15 in. Unframed. (B07176)