Thai School Apologizes To Jewish Organization For Nazi Celebration

[elkangorito]

The REAL situation is this;

A bunch of Thai kids got dressed up in Nazi uniforms & a bunch of other people CHOSE to be offended.

From this, it can be seen that the real problem has nothing to do with Nazis, Thais, Jews etc etc blah blah. Group "A" is saying that group "B" is responsible for the feelings that group "A" has.

Can somebody please tell me how one person can control the feelings of another? Are we NOT in control of our own thoughts?

It would be a far more sensible & peaceful approach to life if we all stopped worrying about what others are doing & concentrate on living our own lives.

By admitting that "somebody made me feel bad" is giving all of your power to others. Therefore, people who claim to have been upset by another, willingly allow others to control them & then complain about it.

How bloody stupid is that?!

Edited October 20, 2007 by elkangorito

[Jingthing]

elka, my response to you is that if the Nazi day was an actual political demonstration in favor of Nazi ideology, people should be very offended and fight back hard. Given that it was some kind of silly costume theme day without a real political agenda, in some ways I agree with you. Not a whole lot to get upset about there unless you are directly involved in improving the Thai educational system.

Edited October 20, 2007 by Jingthing

[Scott]

The Gent,

Of course I come from a hypocritical western country, but trying to stop it where ever it occurs is part of what needs to be done--particularly when it occurs in an institutional setting, such as a school.

I didn't find Prince Harry dressing up for some sort of a costume party offensive. It doesn't represent the general views of the British people and I doubt if he'd have paraded in front of his grandmother, she would have approved, but it's his personal choice--not necessarily a wise one, but a personal one. Should some gov't or quasi-govermental institution encourage this, then I have a problem with it.

I don't think the school (and certainly not the students) intentionally meant to insult anyone or praise anyone. It's just that, as a teacher, it doesn't make them or us look very intelligent. There are just too many resonably appropriate themes they could have used. By the way, it's obvious someone had to do a little research to find the other memorabilia, uniforms etc for the event.

By the way, I don't approve of a lot of the young girls being dressed up like tarts and parading around at school events, either. I do express my views to the school administration and that's all I do, I don't boycott the events, I don't take it pesonally, just trying to let them know that it's confusing for the students who the following day are reprimanded if their school uniform is too short.

This thread is interesting to me at an intellectual level, not a personal or emotional level.

As foreigners what values do we want to stress? What's the best way of leaving a positive foot print in the Kingdom?

[elkangorito]

elka, my response to you is that if the Nazi day was an actual political demonstration in favor of Nazi ideology, people should be very offended and fight back hard. Given that it was some kind of silly costume theme day without a real political agenda, in some ways I agree with you. Not a whole lot to get upset about there unless you are directly involved in improving the Thai educational system.

I hear what you're saying Jing but I think that the situation is irrelevant. Also, there's nothing wrong with getting or being upset. The problem arises when the upset people try to force others to change in a bid to "feel better", when all that is actually required is to simply change ones mind.

In your stated analogy,

"...if the Nazi day was an actual political demonstration in favor of Nazi ideology, people should be very offended and fight back hard."

I believe that forcing others to change so that one may "feel better" is a little different to preventing the resurgance of a truly violent regime.

Feelings & actions are 2 different things.

[Johpa]

The REAL situation is this;

A bunch of Thai kids got dressed up in Nazi uniforms & a bunch of other people CHOSE to be offended.

From this, it can be seen that the real problem has nothing to do with Nazis, Thais, Jews etc etc blah blah. Group "A" is saying that group "B" is responsible for the feelings that group "A" has.

Can somebody please tell me how one person can control the feelings of another? Are we NOT in control of our own thoughts?

It would be a far more sensible & peaceful approach to life if we all stopped worrying about what others are doing & concentrate on living our own lives.

By admitting that "somebody made me feel bad" is giving all of your power to others. Therefore, people who claim to have been upset by another, willingly allow others to control them & then complain about it.

How bloody stupid is that?!

Nobody choses to be offended. I do not look upon some incident and then stop and ponder whether I shall be offended or not just as I don't stop to ponder whether some particular smell is odious or not. And this incident did not make me or others "feel bad" just as bad odors do not make me feel bad. Bloody stupidity is perhaps in the eye of the beholder: lack of logical reasoning is more objective.

[somtaamgaiyang]

I am not in any way condemning the kids. If they had dressed up as HIV victims, abused Thai wives, corrupt politicians or aborted foetuses I would applaud.

I resent that the Thai education system allowed them to dress up as mass murderers.

[somtaamgaiyang]

I would like Mr. E and his ilk to stay as by coming out the way he has for what he is, it makes it clear that the sickness of anti-semitism is alive and well today, as it has ever been. However, I still think any excitement about the Thai Nazi day is unwarranted; as it tells us more about the wacky educational system here than any epidemic of a neo-Nazi movement in Thailand, which as far as I can tell does not exist.

I think I can safely say that nobody who marched (the kids) had any idea of what they were doing, and the offence it could cause.

I also believe no one who set it up was anti semitic. They wouldn't even understand it. I am flagrantly pissed off that teachers in Thailand could allow their students to act (with a supposed education) as such ignorant pigs.

[Ulysses G.]

I am beginning to understand why Ahmadinejad (which, btw, I consider a madman) finds necessary to negate Holocaust.

But since then the mediatic Jew circus has inflated the figures and step by step year after year they have peaked at 11 million.

Iranian President is wrong in negating Holocaust, but his feelings are quite understandable.

The only reason that you find his feelings understandable is that you are in sympathy with those feelings of "throwing the Jews down the well."

I believe that the reference to a "Jew circus" gives credence to my above statement. I have no clue as to the meaning of your neologism "mediatic", perhaps a reference to some conspiratorial belief that the imagined seven Jews control world media also.

Hear, hear!

[Edonista]

But since then the mediatic Jew circus has inflated the figures and step by step year after year they have peaked at 11 million. Then our great Thaivisa moderator thought to give his personal contribution and added another million, finally reaching the dozen

Approximately 11 million people were killed because of Nazi genocidal policy. It was the explicit aim of Hitler's regime to create a European world both dominated and populated by the "Aryan" race. The Nazi machinery was dedicated to eradicating millions of people it deemed undesirable. Some people were undesirable by Nazi standards because of who they were,their genetic or cultural origins, or health conditions. These included Jews, Gypsies, Poles and other Slavs, and people with physical or mental disabilities. Others were Nazi victims because of what they did. These victims of the Nazi regime included Jehovah's Witnesses, homosexuals, the dissenting clergy, Communists, Socialists, asocials, and other political enemies.

No one is claiming 11 million Jews were killed, including the "mediatic Jew circus".

Have a little trouble in the reading department, eh? You people always do.

And some other have trouble in logic and math department.

Please explain me how can you state the total of a sum is 11 million when you are unable to determine the single addends. First one is the 5.5 million Jews, then the 0.5 million gipsies. Then the site shoots out casual numbers about Ukrainian, homosexuals and so on, being absolutely unable to exactly quantify them. In the end they state an 11 million just to show how good they are in stating a number higher then everyone else did before.

Btw, I think Stalin killed by far many more Ukrainans, Bielorussians, Latvians, Russians then the Nazis did.

Just think to what happened to the 1 million Russians that fought on German side joining the Vlasov Army.

[elkangorito]

Nobody choses to be offended. I do not look upon some incident and then stop and ponder whether I shall be offended or not just as I don't stop to ponder whether some particular smell is odious or not. And this incident did not make me or others "feel bad" just as bad odors do not make me feel bad. Bloody stupidity is perhaps in the eye of the beholder: lack of logical reasoning is more objective.

So, you are "choiceless" in your life?

Since you think that you do not think ie, "I do not look upon some incident and then stop and ponder whether I shall be offended or not just as I don't stop to ponder whether some particular smell is odious or not, then by your own admission, you DO think. Things that don't think are called "machines".

Further, you are now insisting that "logical reasoning" be installed upon those who do not fit your idea of "logical reasoning". Why?

Isn't it easier to ignore (not react) the whole thing? Or perhaps incidents like this give you something to do?

[Edonista]

I keep waiting for an apology from the Jewish community ...

For what?

For their continuous ranting about the Holocaust.

Every year main western TV channels practically become a unified Jewish channel broadcasting only Holocaust commemoration shows. That happens twice a year, first in January to commemorate Auschwitz liberation then again in May to commemorate 3rd Reich capitulation, and each time it lasts one whole week.

No wonder you become an anti-Semite after such a treat.

[elkangorito]

I keep waiting for an apology from the Jewish community ...

For what?

For their continuous ranting about the Holocaust.

Every year main western TV channels practically become a unified Jewish channel broadcasting only Holocaust commemoration shows. That happens twice a year, first in January to commemorate Auschwitz liberation then again in May to commemorate 3rd Reich capitulation, and each time it lasts one whole week.

No wonder you become an anti-Semite after such a treat.

Well, you could you what I suggest.......ignore it & be happy!!!

[Pakboong]

But since then the mediatic Jew circus has inflated the figures and step by step year after year they have peaked at 11 million. Then our great Thaivisa moderator thought to give his personal contribution and added another million, finally reaching the dozen

Approximately 11 million people were killed because of Nazi genocidal policy. It was the explicit aim of Hitler's regime to create a European world both dominated and populated by the "Aryan" race. The Nazi machinery was dedicated to eradicating millions of people it deemed undesirable. Some people were undesirable by Nazi standards because of who they were,their genetic or cultural origins, or health conditions. These included Jews, Gypsies, Poles and other Slavs, and people with physical or mental disabilities. Others were Nazi victims because of what they did. These victims of the Nazi regime included Jehovah's Witnesses, homosexuals, the dissenting clergy, Communists, Socialists, asocials, and other political enemies.

No one is claiming 11 million Jews were killed, including the "mediatic Jew circus".

Have a little trouble in the reading department, eh? You people always do.

And some other have trouble in logic and math department.

Please explain me how can you state the total of a sum is 11 million when you are unable to determine the single addends. First one is the 5.5 million Jews, then the 0.5 million gipsies. Then the site shoots out casual numbers about Ukrainian, homosexuals and so on, being absolutely unable to exactly quantify them. In the end they state an 11 million just to show how good they are in stating a number higher then everyone else did before.

Btw, I think Stalin killed by far many more Ukrainans, Bielorussians, Latvians, Russians then the Nazis did.

Just think to what happened to the 1 million Russians that fought on German side joining the Vlasov Army.

There have been inconsistencies in the count. At Auschwitz, the original plaque read 4 million had perished. The camp commander Hess was hung after confessing to personally being resposible for killing between 2.5 and 3.5 million. In 1989, upon opening of Soviet archives, the original plaque was replaced by one that read 1.5 million had perished at the hands of the Nazis.

[elkangorito]

Isn't this getting a bit ?

[endure]

This is THAIvisa - the OP was about a THAI school apologising for wearing Nazi uniforms. It's not the place to discuss the Holocaust. Back on topic or it closes. Thanks.

[elkangorito]

I'll say it again:

"Sticks & stones can break your bones but names (or uniforms) can never hurt you."

I know it's an incredibly difficult concept to fathom but TRY!

Edited October 21, 2007 by elkangorito

[somtaamgaiyang]

I'll say it again:

"Sticks & stones can break your bones but names (or uniforms) can never hurt you."

I know it's an incredibly difficult concept to fathom but TRY!

And to raise the level of quotation above the schoolyard.

"Being ignorant is not so much a shame as being unwilling to learn"

Benjamin Franklin

"There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action"

Goethe

the piece de resistance

"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than a sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity"

Martin Luther King

[PeaceBlondie]

Seven more posts deleted, including ones that agreed with my politics. Do not discuss antiSemitism or ProSemitism or the nation of Israel. Try to discuss the opening post. Thank you.

[alaina]

While the Simon Wiesenthal center took up this issue with the school, the holocaust and Nazis are not purely issues that are about the Jews. Half of the people that died in the holocaust weren't Jewish. It's an issue that deals with the evil notion that one group is superior to another, period. Everyone in the World Should know about what happened, because it's an important thing to understand.

Some Thais really do believe that Thais' feelings run deeper than Westerners; I've had Thai friends say as much. Do I think that antisemitism is rife in Thailand? Not really, if anything the antisemitism is much more common amongst foreigners here as most Thais don't even know what a Jew is.

Do Westerners deserve to have their culture respected? Why would anyone justify otherwise. Remember, youtube had to censor some videos in the name of sensitivity to Thais, and every time someone is ignorant about how a Buddha is supposed to be displayed there is an uproar from Thais. I don't think that Westerners have the right to ignorantly offend Thais and saying that the Thais have the right to offend us this way does imply that the Thais aren't capable of understanding another point of view. Doesn't that too imply that Westerners are superior to Thais?

[somtaamgaiyang]

While the Simon Wiesenthal center took up this issue with the school, the holocaust and Nazis are not purely issues that are about the Jews. Half of the people that died in the holocaust weren't Jewish. It's an issue that deals with the evil notion that one group is superior to another, period. Everyone in the World Should know about what happened, because it's an important thing to understand.

Some Thais really do believe that Thais' feelings run deeper than Westerners; I've had Thai friends say as much. Do I think that antisemitism is rife in Thailand? Not really, if anything the antisemitism is much more common amongst foreigners here as most Thais don't even know what a Jew is.

Do Westerners deserve to have their culture respected? Why would anyone justify otherwise. Remember, youtube had to censor some videos in the name of sensitivity to Thais, and every time someone is ignorant about how a Buddha is supposed to be displayed there is an uproar from Thais. I don't think that Westerners have the right to ignorantly offend Thais and saying that the Thais have the right to offend us this way does imply that the Thais aren't capable of understanding another point of view. Doesn't that too imply that Westerners are superior to Thais?

Well what hope would these children ever have of understanding anyone elses point of view when teachers are so ignorant as to allow them march in uniforms such as these?

[alaina]

While the Simon Wiesenthal center took up this issue with the school, the holocaust and Nazis are not purely issues that are about the Jews. Half of the people that died in the holocaust weren't Jewish. It's an issue that deals with the evil notion that one group is superior to another, period. Everyone in the World Should know about what happened, because it's an important thing to understand.

Some Thais really do believe that Thais' feelings run deeper than Westerners; I've had Thai friends say as much. Do I think that antisemitism is rife in Thailand? Not really, if anything the antisemitism is much more common amongst foreigners here as most Thais don't even know what a Jew is.

Do Westerners deserve to have their culture respected? Why would anyone justify otherwise. Remember, youtube had to censor some videos in the name of sensitivity to Thais, and every time someone is ignorant about how a Buddha is supposed to be displayed there is an uproar from Thais. I don't think that Westerners have the right to ignorantly offend Thais and saying that the Thais have the right to offend us this way does imply that the Thais aren't capable of understanding another point of view. Doesn't that too imply that Westerners are superior to Thais?

Well what hope would these children ever have of understanding anyone elses point of view when teachers are so ignorant as to allow them march in uniforms such as these?

We're in agreement here.

[kmart]

Hmm,.. The old guy who lives over the road has a dog he's named "Hitler". I've seen a few motorcyclists wearing nazi helmets and insignia. There are spare wheel covers (for SUV's) available with a huge swastikas on them in the shops...

Guess what? Most Thais couldn't give a toss what was happening in Europe 70-odd years ago. Most of them couldn't tell you what was happening in Thailand at that time either.

There is polite (superficial) respect for other people's cultures here, but no appreciation. Why should they?

I think there is a lot of admiration for fascism in Thailand from the general population and people of this region. Most surrounding countries have tried Communism, the only real differences being a tolerance for monarchy and religion on the right wing of an extremist agenda.

[somtaamgaiyang]

Hmm,.. The old guy who lives over the road has a dog he's named "Hitler". I've seen a few motorcyclists wearing nazi helmets and insignia. There are spare wheel covers (for SUV's) available with a huge swastikas on them in the shops...

Guess what? Most Thais couldn't give a toss what was happening in Europe 70-odd years ago. Most of them couldn't tell you what was happening in Thailand at that time either.

There is polite (superficial) respect for other people's cultures here, but no appreciation. Why should they?

I think there is a lot of admiration for fascism in Thailand from the general population and people of this region. Most surrounding countries have tried Communism, the only real differences being a tolerance for monarchy and religion on the right wing of an extremist agenda.

I agree, of course most Thais couldn't give a toss about what happened in Europe 70 years ago. On a day to day basis, neither do I.

Why should they? Why shouldn't they? If you are an educator isn't that one of the points of teaching?

[GuestHouse]

We ought to separate two things: The ignorance of Thais with respect to the Nazi Crimes (in particular the Holocaust) and the willingness of others to adopt a defense of this Thai ignorance as a justification for their own anti-Semitism.

Yes we know Thais, in general, are ignorant of the Holocaust but it is also very clear that there are a few here who would be happy for the West to sweep it under the carpet too.

Now if I can just go back to something 'The Gent' said, or rather a question he asks.

Ulysses,

The Nazi holocaust and its relevance to the Thai is perhaps gauged by the inescapable fact most are ignorant of it.

And why should that be?

For you to imply stupidity is more illustrative of the inherent arrogance of the West than perhaps you can imagine.

It's a good question 'Gent' but a pity you ruined it with a digression on 'Stupidity' and 'Western Arrogance' - Neither have anything to do with the question you ask.

The reason why most Thais are ignorant of what the Nazis did (and the Japanese for that matter) is because it is difficult for Thailand to address the history of WWII without raising questions on the part that Thailand played in that war. To remind ourselves, Thailand was an ally of both the Nazis and the Japanese - and yes I've heard the excuses, but I think they fall into the same bag as all the other excuses offered by foreigners on behalf of Thais.

Let me tweak the question a little.

Is the history of the Nazis and the Holocaust of relevance to Thailand and Thais?

I say it is, and that it is of acute interest to both Thailand and Asia in general in so much as we have in Asia the makings of rabid nationalism, propaganda, ill educated and ill informed populations and more than a small helping of racism.

I'd also argue that Asia is heading into deepening regional conflicts over comparable issues as those Europe faced at the beginning of the 20th Century - Trade Disputes, Arms Races, Border Disputes, Resource Disputes and importantly spineless inter-regional governance.

I honestly believe that all the ingredients are in place for nationalism driven wars in the Asian region and that something as very likely as an economic depression could set it all off.

Now if I am right that the History of the Nazis is relevant as I argue then this begs another question.

Is it doing Thailand a disservice to withhold discussion, and the teaching of the history of what the Nazis stood for and did (oh and the Japanese too)?

Clearly it would be, and there in lies my objection to closet anti-Semites arguing that it is Western Arrogance or simply a failure to understand Thai/Asian culture/history if we argue for Thais/Asians to be taught about the history of the Nazis and the Holocaust.

The Holocaust is exactly what it is claimed to be - a crime against humanity, and one from which all of humanity needs to learn – Including, to keep my argument topical – The Thais.

[bina]

well,i've been politically silent but i just might add that my husband and other thais that work here havent a clue that israelis are jewish... my parents are jewish but to him they are american and he doesnt seem to realize the idea of nation/religioun/country differences. i hear the thai workers many times say that 'kon yu ki nieow' (jews are stingy), but then they ask if the guys with the kippas (yamulkas) are muslim!!! then i have to show them the very religous *u know like the amish*, then there's us secular types... and they just cant keep it straight... and i point out that i'm jewish they say, no u are israeli - or american...

so trying to explain genocide was very difficult... kmer rouge to them was just communist vs. something else... not ethnic or racist...

we do have the holocaust day (kids in white shirts, candles, the whole 'shoah' business which i too am cynical about) here where we all stand in silence, even in the roads, and the thai workers, even if we point out that its giving respect and nothing else to stand for three minutes (with the ###### siren going off and giving all of us heart attacks , every single time), they just dont see the point. most arab guys i work with stand in silence, turn off the machine, tractor whatever, to give respect.

when i've tried to explain that the little old guy working in the orchards cutting apple branches along with the thai workers, has a number on his arm cause he was in a camp, they just dont get it. they cant relate, cant pinpoint when, where, why, who,... and 'buat hua' 'kit maak' (its a head ache u think to much) is usually the comment. or, people are dead u cant do anything about it...

its alot about how u/we/them relate to history or the philosophy of history: what is really important, the dates and time lines, the reasoning behind the deeds, the results? who recorded what? why they chose to record what they did? i dont think this is a thai way of thinking.

i'm not sure its important. we as westerners are convinced that if people know about atrocities they wont reoccur. but as anon (my uneducated thai husband) pointed out rightly so: they do reoccur. all the time. it doesnt matter how many people, its what happened to the people. and wallowing in symbols from the past doesnt bring back the dead.

and i as an israeli with holocaust relatives and living escapees in my family can say: we here do wallow in it. i think we here have a culture of death (count how many mourning days we have in israel, u'd be amazed.) and anon just cant grasp what its all about... and he's sensitive to the suffering of his fellow man/woman, acknowledges cultural and religious differences among people and counts 'issala' (freedom) as the highest priority to him... freedom to think the way he wants to do what he wants to do when he wants to do it without bothering anyone else so why should he care what a bunch of kids did somewhere else.

im sure the thai kids did what they did the same way christmas is done (cause its fun, not cause it was a christian special holiday), the dressing up, and using symbols was, to them, empty of meaning, just for the dressing up like a time period piece...i'd be rather more upset if those same kids tried to lynch me after discovering that i was jewish (its the hair and the nose, a real givaway... )

so to all u antisemites out there: get a grip guys... dont u all have something better to do with yourselves? sabai sabai, sanuk sanuk... jai yen, and all that jazz...

bina and anon

israel

[Monroe]

Bina and rest (not going to quote, excess text):

Don't mean to burst any bubbles, but WWII studies in the west don't go much further than Hitler = bad, America = good, America for the win, 20 something million dead, jews dead.

The institution of public schooling is horribly inadequate and it's up to you as parents to educate your children on the finer details. Also, screw the Disney Channel and High School Musical.

Two examples:

Younger sister, 9 years of age has no idea about WWII and the Holocaust. Why? Because my parents have been busy trying to manage the family under poor economic conditions (we're upper-middle class by all means, but post-Clinton things have been a bit more difficult). My brother and I knew full well about this and conflicts of other regions by that age, infact, our father would often degrade us for not knowing this or that little bit... good times and all.

Second, in a college-credit course offered by my high school and a 2-day session on Hiroshima and Nagasaki (WWII) was done. By the end of one documentary, some of the class were literally breaking down in tears, not knowing before much about the atomic bomb aside from America dropping it. Then I spent the rest of the day writing a thesis on the inadequacies of our public education system, but that's for another day.

It's anecdotal, I know, but ohh well. The school system will be happy if you contour to its rubric--almost like Tetris, or a puzzle--just finish the papers leave it behind. It's up to you guys to educate your children.

Share your wealth of knowledge (having others know your plight comes at a cost), if the Jewish leagues want people to know as they do, why not take a more proactive approach? Instead of demanding an apology every time somebody makes an infraction they hardly understand, hold concerts, fund charities, whatever.

I'd love to see this on the back of a milk carton (WARNING: CORNY):

Missing: 300,000 children

Last Seen: Auschwits-Birkenau, Oświęcim, Poland

Information Line: 1-"number here" (leads to information on the Holocaust)

Eh, eh? =)

[endure]

We ought to separate two things: The ignorance of Thais with respect to the Nazi Crimes (in particular the Holocaust) and the willingness of others to adopt a defense of this Thai ignorance as a justification for their own anti-Semitism.

Yes we know Thais, in general, are ignorant of the Holocaust but it is also very clear that there are a few here who would be happy for the West to sweep it under the carpet too.

Now if I can just go back to something 'The Gent' said, or rather a question he asks.

Ulysses,

The Nazi holocaust and its relevance to the Thai is perhaps gauged by the inescapable fact most are ignorant of it.

And why should that be?

For you to imply stupidity is more illustrative of the inherent arrogance of the West than perhaps you can imagine.

It's a good question 'Gent' but a pity you ruined it with a digression on 'Stupidity' and 'Western Arrogance' - Neither have anything to do with the question you ask.

The reason why most Thais are ignorant of what the Nazis did (and the Japanese for that matter) is because it is difficult for Thailand to address the history of WWII without raising questions on the part that Thailand played in that war. To remind ourselves, Thailand was an ally of both the Nazis and the Japanese - and yes I've heard the excuses, but I think they fall into the same bag as all the other excuses offered by foreigners on behalf of Thais.

The reason why 'most' Thais are ignorant of what the Nazis/Japanese did is simply that - they are ignorant of what the Nazis/Japanese did. Go and ask 'most' Thais (the 70% who constitute the agrarian majority) what a 'Nazi' is and they'd have no idea what you were talking about. They have very little idea of their own country's history. Why do you think they have any idea of what happened half a world away 60 years ago?

[Monroe]

The reason why 'most' Thais are ignorant of what the Nazis/Japanese did is simply that - they are ignorant of what the Nazis/Japanese did. Go and ask 'most' Thais (the 70% who constitute the agrarian majority) what a 'Nazi' is and they'd have no idea what you were talking about. They have very little idea of their own country's history. Why do you think they have any idea of what happened half a world away 60 years ago?

Ohh ouch, such sweeping generalizations. Generally, I find most the Thai citizens I meet to be knowledgeable on their (Thailand's) history. Maybe it's not always through textbooks like we've been taught, but through song or story.

The way things are said here make it seem as if this and that fault is exclusively Thai. I'd wager a guess that randomized 70+% of westerners couldn't recount the Ottoman equivalent of the Nazi Holocaust, or even the atrocities of the British, French, Russians, Spanish, Americans, Italians (especially the Vatican) and every other European society out there.

[Pakboong]

The reason why 'most' Thais are ignorant of what the Nazis/Japanese did is simply that - they are ignorant of what the Nazis/Japanese did. Go and ask 'most' Thais (the 70% who constitute the agrarian majority) what a 'Nazi' is and they'd have no idea what you were talking about. They have very little idea of their own country's history. Why do you think they have any idea of what happened half a world away 60 years ago?

Ohh ouch, such sweeping generalizations. Generally, I find most the Thai citizens I meet to be knowledgeable on their (Thailand's) history. Maybe it's not always through textbooks like we've been taught, but through song or story.

The way things are said here make it seem as if this and that fault is exclusively Thai. I'd wager a guess that randomized 70+% of westerners couldn't recount the Ottoman equivalent of the Nazi Holocaust, or even the atrocities of the British, French, Russians, Spanish, Americans, Italians (especially the Vatican) and every other European society out there.

Well said. I am guessing you included the Ukrainian famine of the early 30s under the Russians. Understanding that particular atrocity gives one insight into the attocities attributed to the Nazis.

[GuestHouse]

Thanks for posting Bina, you've offered an interesting perspective.

Monroe, you should not generalize on the whole of western education. My daughter's school in the UK covers the Nazis and the Hollocaust in great detail, not just for pupils at the school but also the school has a Parent evening in which the school offers parents the chance to undestand what is being taught, why and the impact it may have on our children.

Endure, repeating that Thais don't have an idea about Nazi/Hollocaust and Japanese WWII history is a waste of typing time, that has already been said and is central to the question I ask.

The issue is why they do not, and that has to do with the choices made by the Thai government (and establishment) on what is and is not going to be taught in Thai schools.