The Bangkok 'Hitler chic' fashion

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Spitfire
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The Bangkok 'Hitler chic' fashion

Post by Spitfire »

We keep seeing this odd fascination with past Nazi Germany showing itself in the form of gaff-prone schools doing ill-advised parades or pop bands wearing the uniform with insignia etc, but it seems it's becoming a real fashion in Thailand that is almost popular.

I guess it must have something to do with ignorance and a complete lack of any history teaching at schools other than the soft and fluffy stuff about myths/fairy tails of distant past popular figures etc.

This is on the CNN site and in the first picture they use an altered Ronald McDonald with a Hitler head giving a salute to appeal for food donations. :?

Can't imagine McDonald's Corporation being too happy about that one.

Apparently it's caused quite a stir, and not just with the Israeli Embassy as would be expected.

Very weird the way they take children's characters and add this image to it.

Have a read of this..................... http://www.cnngo.com/bangkok/life/hitle ... end-138530
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Re: The Bangkok 'Hitler chic' fashion

Post by Takiap »

Personally I don't think they mean any harm, although that doesn't really make it acceptable. I seriously doubt Thai student learnt about Hitler in history classes. In fact, I don't think they taught history in the first place, or at least not any international history.

If the rise in Nazi fashion is in fact due to some sort of admiration, then the Thais would do well to remind themselves that they too would have been considered an inferior race by Hitler.


The problem with the current situation is that the more fuss they make about it, the more popular Nazi fashion will become.


:cheers:
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Re: The Bangkok 'Hitler chic' fashion

Post by sandman67 »

Its a symptom of a society that educates its kids poorly, and instead of any form of complex programming on TV instead just runs endless screechy soap operas and light entertainment chat shows full of walking hairstyles and pop idols. Thais are generally pretty ignorant of their own history, let alone our western history. See how many Thai kids you ask get the right answer to:- when and for how long was Thailand part of the Japanese Empire.

Blame the parlous state of the education system and public broadcasting networks that treat their audiences like a class full of special needs kids with goldfish attention abilities.

:neener: :neener: :neener:

Maybe we need to try this:

"Science flew men to the moon. Religion flew men into buildings."

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Re: The Bangkok 'Hitler chic' fashion

Post by Vital Spark »

One of my students, who's a history major specialising in World War II, decided to print her questionnaire (which was nothing to do with Hitler) with lovely little swastikas for the tick boxes!

She's hoping to study history in the UK, and has been accepted as a student at Newcastle University.

When I explained to her that this sign sends shivers down the back of most Europeans (including Germans), she gave me a lovely, sweet smile and said that she liked the colour red. That's why she chose it. :shock: She had absolutely no idea of the impact of the sign.

I guess she'll join some right-wing Nazi party while she's studying for her Master's in Modern History because of the pretty flag. :?

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Re: The Bangkok 'Hitler chic' fashion

Post by Frank Hovis »

Ambassador Itzhak Shoham, “It hurts the feelings of every Jew and every civilized person.”
Speak for yourself mate. I would consider myself civilised and it's not hurting my feelings. Or is he suggesting that people that aren't hurt by this are uncivilised - where do I remember people being depicted as uncivilised back in the 30's from? Oh that's right, Germany.

How can dressing up a caricature of Hitler as a Teletubby, Ronald McDonald, a Panda or whatever be considered pro-Nazi or even anti-semitic. It's not like wearing a Mao TseTung or Stalin t-shirt suggests that you are a supporter of even greater genocide.
Maybe he should appreciate the fact that this bloke is able to make a t-shirt that pokes fun at someone without fear of retribution from the state, which is what I understood the Allied forces were fighting for.

I wonder what reaction he'd have to a Leopold II Of Belgium depicted as a Clanger t-shirt?
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Re: The Bangkok 'Hitler chic' fashion

Post by The understudy »

Hi there y'all

Sandman your analysis of current history education in Thailand is in deed very poorly. You hit the nail in the head on that one. As of Thai Tv progamming is concerned it's getting better but still the majority of screechy Thai Soaps, and talk shows are utter nuisence in my View and still very bad.
Vital Spark: The underlying reason why your student still puts in those swastika emblem on her questioneer is that it's too far for her and she didn't quiet grasp the severity of the swastika sign and it's meaning though out Europe.
I hope she and her class in Newcastle can organize a trip to Germany and visit some of the concentration camps learn about history of the Nazi era and there atrocities to open her Eyes that this swastika sign with it's red color is not to be taken lightly especially Germans!

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Re: The Bangkok 'Hitler chic' fashion

Post by TingTongJohn »

The origins of the Swastika is not even german it is alot older..the word swastika is of Sanskrit origin and the symbol is one of good luck or a charm or a religious symbol (the last, among the Jains and Buddhists) that goes back to at least the Bronze Age. It appears in various parts of the ancient and modern world. This article mentions Christians did, indeed, consider the swastika for their symbol
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Re: The Bangkok 'Hitler chic' fashion

Post by Takiap »

TingTongJohn wrote:The origins of the Swastika is not even german it is alot older..the word swastika is of Sanskrit origin and the symbol is one of good luck or a charm or a religious symbol (the last, among the Jains and Buddhists) that goes back to at least the Bronze Age. It appears in various parts of the ancient and modern world. This article mentions Christians did, indeed, consider the swastika for their symbol

Correct. In fact, you will still see the swastika sign on several temples/places of worship, such as in Vietnam for example. Hitler and his group of merry men simply fancied the sign, and then adopted it for the Nazi party.

:cheers:
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Re: The Bangkok 'Hitler chic' fashion

Post by PeteC »

More on the swastika. I've seen it all over the place on old temples and shrines in the Japanese countryside. Pete :cheers:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika

http://www.japanese-buddhism.com/swastika.html
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Re: The Bangkok 'Hitler chic' fashion

Post by margaretcarnes »

Takiap wrote:
TingTongJohn wrote:The origins of the Swastika is not even german it is alot older..the word swastika is of Sanskrit origin and the symbol is one of good luck or a charm or a religious symbol (the last, among the Jains and Buddhists) that goes back to at least the Bronze Age. It appears in various parts of the ancient and modern world. This article mentions Christians did, indeed, consider the swastika for their symbol

Correct. In fact, you will still see the swastika sign on several temples/places of worship, such as in Vietnam for example. Hitler and his group of merry men simply fancied the sign, and then adopted it for the Nazi party.

:cheers:

True - but isn't the Nazi version the opposite way round anyway?

SM - you are right of course about the sad lack of history knowlefge in the LOS, but I think even those Thais who do know their history would still deny that their country was ever part of the Japanese empire. Even during the occupation it was denied, and seen as a mutual agreement on the part of the Thai government in order to avoid a permanent takeover. Part of the agreement was that Thailand declare war on the US and the UK - which despite being agreed was only 50% carried out.
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Re: The Bangkok 'Hitler chic' fashion

Post by Johnnywastaken »

swastbud.jpg
swastbud.jpg (76.49 KiB) Viewed 2068 times
.... The Nazis took the symbol and tilted it.... that's how you tell the difference....

The Buddhist symbol sits straight..... and the Nazi symbol sits tilted.... it's painfully obvious...
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swas.jpg (35.56 KiB) Viewed 2068 times
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Re: The Bangkok 'Hitler chic' fashion

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In fact I saw some crazy farang with a Hitler-esque mustache driving his scooter around Hua Hin with a swastika tattoo on his arm and I tried to get my camera out in time to get a snap shot of him but I guess me old hands just dont work as they once did long ago, anyone seen this nutcase? He's about 200 pounds solid and wears a black helmet and he had a beautiful white skinned thai girl with him at the time on his garbage moblie. I think most Thai's also have a negative view of Jewish people and some guesthouses in the past actually put up signs where they said "NO JEWS ALLOWED" and remember in history which side Thailand was fighting for. But- I also agree as said above, HISTORY TEACHERS are not doing an effective job of teaching students about the awful genocide that Hitler once committed. SO when you see someone wearing a nazi shirt or showing off there nazi tattoos just be polite and ask them if they know what it means? If they dont understand Nazi's, teach them about the history (preferably with a Thai translator-your wife or GF) and if they agree of disagree, let them decide if its right or wrong what Hitler did. IF you judge them or spit on them as I've seen some Europeans do while in Phuket for wearing a Swastika t-shirt, you will certainly only worsen the animosity and tension between westerners and Thai's.....
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Re: The Bangkok 'Hitler chic' fashion

Post by richard »

AmnatAndaman wrote:In fact I saw some crazy farang with a Hitler-esque mustache driving his scooter around Hua Hin with a swastika tattoo on his arm and I tried to get my camera out in time to get a snap shot of him but I guess me old hands just dont work as they once did long ago, anyone seen this nutcase? He's about 200 pounds solid and wears a black helmet and he had a beautiful white skinned thai girl with him at the time on his garbage moblie. I think most Thai's also have a negative view of Jewish people and some guesthouses in the past actually put up signs where they said "NO JEWS ALLOWED" and remember in history which side Thailand was fighting for. But- I also agree as said above, HISTORY TEACHERS are not doing an effective job of teaching students about the awful genocide that Hitler once committed. SO when you see someone wearing a nazi shirt or showing off there nazi tattoos just be polite and ask them if they know what it means? If they dont understand Nazi's, teach them about the history (preferably with a Thai translator-your wife or GF) and if they agree of disagree, let them decide if its right or wrong what Hitler did. IF you judge them or spit on them as I've seen some Europeans do while in Phuket for wearing a Swastika t-shirt, you will certainly only worsen the animosity and tension between westerners and Thai's.....
Sorry man, where are you coming from? Long time resident, long time visitor or just a newbie? Be nice to know. Give us some background brother or are you just another troll :?
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Re: The Bangkok 'Hitler chic' fashion

Post by AmnatAndaman »

richard wrote:
AmnatAndaman wrote:In fact I saw some crazy farang with a Hitler-esque mustache driving his scooter around Hua Hin with a swastika tattoo on his arm and I tried to get my camera out in time to get a snap shot of him but I guess me old hands just dont work as they once did long ago, anyone seen this nutcase? He's about 200 pounds solid and wears a black helmet and he had a beautiful white skinned thai girl with him at the time on his garbage moblie. I think most Thai's also have a negative view of Jewish people and some guesthouses in the past actually put up signs where they said "NO JEWS ALLOWED" and remember in history which side Thailand was fighting for. But- I also agree as said above, HISTORY TEACHERS are not doing an effective job of teaching students about the awful genocide that Hitler once committed. SO when you see someone wearing a nazi shirt or showing off there nazi tattoos just be polite and ask them if they know what it means? If they dont understand Nazi's, teach them about the history (preferably with a Thai translator-your wife or GF) and if they agree of disagree, let them decide if its right or wrong what Hitler did. IF you judge them or spit on them as I've seen some Europeans do while in Phuket for wearing a Swastika t-shirt, you will certainly only worsen the animosity and tension between westerners and Thai's.....
Sorry man, where are you coming from? Long time resident, long time visitor or just a newbie? Be nice to know. Give us some background brother or are you just another troll :?

I'm a human being and I've just arrived in Hua Hin a couple weeks ago on holiday so I guess that makes me a new member to your community, would you like a copy of my passport, bank records, email address and phone number or was this answer sufficient enough to define who or what I am? I'm only looking to meet positive people, discuss topics regarding Hua Hin and make friends here, is that ok or do I need a barcode on me beer mug at the local pub?

Nice to meet everyone and have a great day!
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Re: The Bangkok 'Hitler chic' fashion

Post by richard »

OK

Thanks :cheers:

Meet me for a beer tonight down Binta or Poonsuk. Name the bar mate
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