This is NOT about Buddhist swastikas.

This is about various items being sold or being worn (after being sold) that are unambiguously Nazi style swastikas.

So please no discussion here about how wonderful and innocent Buddhist swastikas are, because this topic has nothing to do with Buddhist swastikas.

 

Anyway ... 

 

Over the years, it's never been particularly rare to come across such Nazi graphics in Pattaya, and sometimes even explicitly including heroic portraits of Hitler, but I have noticed recently an UPTICK in such displays.

 

I'm wondering what's up. So people are buying these more? What's the target market other than Thai youth making a fashion statement?

 

Tonight I saw a display of such stuff that labelled itself as World War memorobilia. But it was clearly ALL FAKE.

 

I realize one of the appeals of Thailand is that stuff goes on here that doesn't go on in the west, and vice versa, some stuff popular in the west is surprising "illegal" here, like sex toys.

 

But still ... 

 

... about all that the later generations know about that war; was that they were on the same side as the Nazis, and the Rising Sun...

 

Pretty much everything else that happened during that era, has been silenced from their history 

 

With all the currently suppressed dissent, and the want for 'revolution' - what better way than to display in the faces of the current administration;

the symbol flown in all that 'glory' by utterly almost millions, that happened at the Reichstag plaza for example.

 

... just another symbol for wilfull-in-your-face-protest, and anarchy

They seem to be in tourist areas aimed at non-Thai tourists.

A strange topic, but I can understand some people like to collect historical artefacts, especially of good design and quality from a particular period.

With time, we will know the real history.

 

42 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

They seem to be in tourist areas aimed at non-Thai tourists.

True, the clientele is clearly right-wing westerners. Bikers, some Trump supporters and such. Makes my blood boil when I see it. Grandpa enlisted at the age of 44, having already fought in one world war, to go overseas to stomp that symbol out of exsistance.  I had a friend whose mother survived a death camp visit with his family and fortunately we never came across any. We did drive past AXIS Condo, what's up with that?

53 minutes ago, talahtnut said:

A strange topic, but I can understand some people like to collect historical artefacts, especially of good design and quality from a particular period.

With time, we will know the real history.

 

Cheap knock off obvious fakes is what I'm talking about.

No even half arsed serious "collector" would be interested. 

The memorabilia branding is purely a cover.

I think we already know the real history.

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

They seem to be in tourist areas aimed at non-Thai tourists.

Agree and it is not the Germans who buy them...

10 minutes ago, Basil B said:

Agree and it is not the Germans who buy them...

Yeah, I'm not talking about the Thai youth fashion market. That's really old news and I've actually noticed a DECLINE in Thai youth wearing that stuff from some years back. Not sure why. I can only guess it was just another trend and trends get replaced by new trends. The fashion stuff for youth is sometimes very modern and stylized and couldn't be confused with an attempt at memorabilia copy. I'm really seeing a spike in marketing to tourists of more basic Nazi designs that can't really be seen as a fashion statement. So which tourists?

 

I do realize that the Thais selling this stuff are only in it for the baht and aren't Nazi propagandists. If items featuring images of vagina shaped  butterflies sold well, they'd be featuring those. The buyers might be another story. 

Like these that are found at the Soi Baukhao street market?

 

 

A couple of off topic posts have been removed

9 hours ago, pegman said:

True, the clientele is clearly right-wing westerners. Bikers, some Trump supporters and such.

Is that a fact , or is that what you think just probably happens ?

How many swastikas have you seen being sold to the aforementioned groups?

56 minutes ago, HarrySeaman said:

Like these that are found at the Soi Baukhao street market?

 

 

Please note; they've got Lenin, Putin and Che Guevara items too. Perhaps it's just your heritage that is showing. Some people would complain if American, British, or Australian symbols were shown too. If you don't like them, don't buy them--no demand, no supply.

3 minutes ago, smotherb said:

Please note; they've got Lenin, Putin and Che Guevara items too. Perhaps it's just your heritage that is showing. Some people would complain if American, British, or Australian symbols were shown too. If you don't like them, don't buy them--no demand, no supply.

I can not remember what the pieces of paper attached to them actually says now ? 

 

But I remember when I saw it, I thought he must have got some grief from someone for selling the items.

2 minutes ago, hyku1147 said:

 

Is it becoming homophobic to demonize the Nazi swastika?

 

No .

1 hour ago, HarrySeaman said:

Like these that are found at the Soi Baukhao street market?

 

 

The irony here is that everyone will be oh so offended by the swastika, but Che and Lenin are not even mentioned or even lionized as heroes. Nevermind that Che slaughtered children and gays. Lenin, well, I think we all know where communism leads. The death of at least 100 million people is just progress. Hypocrites.  

Nazi kitsch? Even Prince Harry participated.

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On 1/17/2018 at 8:35 AM, pegman said:

True, the clientele is clearly right-wing westerners. Bikers, some Trump supporters and such. Makes my blood boil when I see it. Grandpa enlisted at the age of 44, having already fought in one world war, to go overseas to stomp that symbol out of exsistance.  I had a friend whose mother survived a death camp visit with his family and fortunately we never came across any. We did drive past AXIS Condo, what's up with that?

I would like to thank your Grandfather for his brave service to us.

Wars never seem to cease..what the hell is going on?

Politicians should be armed with swords..and let them fight it out amongst themselves,  away from the public.

My two cents, they have been adopted as the latest fashion/trend, with next to no understanding of what the symbols represent. Ask Che Guevara t shirt wearers about the exploits of Che, 95% won't be able to answer. Ask the Karcrashin girl how many Slayer albums she has, my bet, none. In this context it is nothing more than a picture on a shirt, and if some people get upset or offended, then maybe the wearer will be happier for it. Fashion=art=provocation, or so I am told.

My two cents, they have been adopted as the latest fashion/trend, with next to no understanding of what the symbols represent. Ask Che Guevara t shirt wearers about the exploits of Che, 95% won't be able to answer. Ask the Karcrashin girl how many Slayer albums she has, my bet, none. In this context it is nothing more than a picture on a shirt, and if some people get upset or offended, then maybe the wearer will be happier for it. Fashion=art=provocation, or so I am told.

Good post, but hardly the latest fashion trend. Punks in the late-70s used lots of Nazi imagery including swastikas. Causing offence and provoking people has always been part of art.

 

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11 hours ago, Jingthing said:

They seem to be in tourist areas aimed at non-Thai tourists.

Where EXACTLY in case someone would like to buy some?

19 minutes ago, lvr181 said:

The history of the swastika is: The swastika is an ancient religious icon used in the Indian subcontinent, East Asia and Southeast Asia, where it has been and remains a sacred symbol of spiritual principles in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. But in the 1930's it became the symbol of Nazi Germany and became much hated.

OP covered that in the the original post

 

"This is NOT about Buddhist swastikas.

This is about various items being sold or being worn (after being sold) that are unambiguously Nazi style swastikas.

So please no discussion here about how wonderful and innocent Buddhist swastikas are, because this topic has nothing to do with Buddhist swastikas."

11 hours ago, Jingthing said:

 

 

Anyway ... 

 

Over the years, it's never been particularly rare to come across such Nazi graphics in Pattaya, and sometimes even explicitly including heroic portraits of Hitler, but I have noticed recently an UPTICK in such displays.

 

I'm wondering what's up. So people are buying these more? What's the target market other than Thai youth making a fashion statement?

 

Tonight I saw a display of such stuff that labelled itself as World War memorobilia. But it was clearly ALL FAKE.

 

I realize one of the appeals of Thailand is that stuff goes on here that doesn't go on in the west, and vice versa, some stuff popular in the west is surprising "illegal" here, like sex toys.

 

But still ... 

What's your point, you don't like what a vendor is selling legally?  So move on, it's not your business, is it?    Are they committing any offence by selling them?  

 

You haven't made such a song and dance about illegal sex toys being sold so presumably you condone that, do you?

3 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

OP covered that in the the original post

 

"This is NOT about Buddhist swastikas.

This is about various items being sold or being worn (after being sold) that are unambiguously Nazi style swastikas.

So please no discussion here about how wonderful and innocent Buddhist swastikas are, because this topic has nothing to do with Buddhist swastikas."

I have not seen the 'items' for sale - what makes them so "unambiguous" in some peoples minds? 

5 minutes ago, lvr181 said:

I have not seen the 'items' for sale - what makes them so "unambiguous" in some peoples minds? 

Some photos in earlier posts, its usually a swastika and a pic of Hitler, iron cross etc, not much chance of confusing it with the religious icon.

Maybe some of the Khao Noi crowd are popping their clogs and their families are having a clear out.

3 hours ago, HarrySeaman said:

Like these that are found at the Soi Baukhao street market?

 

 

The photo actually offers lots of explanation, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Putin, Hitler, just images of famous/infamous people. Whatever sells a t-shirt, or in this case a beachtowel.

 

Zoom in on the photo and there is a hand written sign on the swastiki product saying "fashion only". Even the seller gets that its controversial. 

 

For Thais its meaningless imagery, for westerners its a curio. I dont think westerners are buying as part of their Neo-Nazi Kit, More a "look what I found in Thailand" curiosity.

 

I always find it very interesting to see the things Thais put, and wear, on T-shirts. Western icons etc that they have no idea of the meaning, lost in translation western phrases etc, or straight up things that make no sense at all. I recall a T-shirt recently (worn by an old Thai lady) that said "aardvark photocopier virginity", I still loose sleep trying to work that one out.

13 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

The photo actually offers lots of explanation, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Putin, Hitler, just images of famous/infamous people. Whatever sells a t-shirt, or in this case a beachtowel.

 

Zoom in on the photo and there is a hand written sign on the swastiki product saying "fashion only". Even the seller gets that its controversial. 

 

For Thais its meaningless imagery, for westerners its a curio. I dont think westerners are buying as part of their Neo-Nazi Kit, More a "look what I found in Thailand" curiosity.

 

 

Thanks for the picture.

 

Now, as NOT a follower of 'soccer/football' I find some of those sale items offensive because I associate them with the rampant hooliganism of too many of their supporters!

 

We are surrounded by controversy - what is the world coming to?

 

LOL.   I'll have a beer and get over it.

Some off topic posts have been removed, no need for history lessons about the SA or ancient religious symbols, thank you.

11 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Cheap knock off obvious fakes is what I'm talking about.

No even half arsed serious "collector" would be interested. 

The memorabilia branding is purely a cover.

I think we already know the real history.

'I think we already know the real history.' Yes, but far too many Thais are completely ignorant of it. 

2 hours ago, bkkgriz said:

The irony here is that everyone will be oh so offended by the swastika, but Che and Lenin are not even mentioned or even lionized as heroes. Nevermind that Che slaughtered children and gays. Lenin, well, I think we all know where communism leads. The death of at least 100 million people is just progress. Hypocrites.  

But of course!  You have to be a "fashionable" and groovy killer to get a pass.  Why let cognitive dissonance get in the way!