Thais And Swastikas?

[dave111223]

Has anyone noticed Thai people walking about wearing a big swastika on their T-Shirt or a swastika patch on their jacket?

Today i was out and saw a motorbike parked with a flag pole on the back flying a swastika flag. Bike also had a German style army helmet for the crash helmet?

What is up with that? Did they just skip a few chapters in the history books. You'd think even someone with the most basic knowledge of WW2 (such as "there was a war, lots of people died") would avoiding having this symbol on their person?

Edited November 26, 2007 by dave111223

[qualtrough]

No stupider than people back home who use a buddha statue as a doorstop or incense burner, etc. As for those with the swastikas, WWII was thousands of miles and many years ago for those kids. I see more in the US than I do here anyway.

[dave111223]

No stupider than people back home who use a buddha statue as a doorstop or incense burner, etc. As for those with the swastikas, WWII was thousands of miles and many years ago for those kids. I see more in the US than I do here anyway.

I guess you missed all the part of the death railroad...hardly thousands of miles away.

[JetsetBkk]

You'd think even someone with the most basic knowledge of WW2 would avoid having this symbol on their person?

You would, wouldn't you?

What is up with that? Did they just skip a few chapters in the history books.

I think "Yes".

[kiakaha]

It would be interesting to hear from a thai schooled member of the board what is actually taught here in terms of the world history curriculum ? (my wife was not schooled here so cant ask her unfortunately)

[blizzard]

2 bargirls wear a swastikka arm band. i wonder if it affects their business ? th ey primarily target ippuns.

[ratcatcher]

I wouldn't get too worked up about it. The swastika is a 3000 year old symbol that has been used by many cultures.

The word swastika actually comes from the Sanskrit svastika - "su" meaning "good," "asti" meaning "to be," and "ka" as a suffix.

Sounds remarkably like "Sawasdee ka"? No?

The Thais who wear or carry swastikas probably mean no harm, it's just an eye-catching logo / symbol to them and they probably enjoy the attention they get. Human nature.

Don't fret about the second world war, most Thais know nothing about it anyway. It was far away except for the inconvenience in Kanchanaburi area. and they were Japanese troops not Nazis.

Military patch of United States 45th Infantry Division.Used until after WW II

As one member pointed out, westerners are often disrespectful to the Buddha images. It's just ignorance that's all. IMHO.

[Naam]

Has anyone noticed Thai people walking about wearing a big swastika on their T-Shirt or a swastika patch on their jacket?

haven't seen any (yet) but in case i'll see some i'd never be bored enough to open a thread on this subject to pass my time

[Big A]

The Thais who wear or carry swastikas probably mean no harm, it's just an eye-catching logo / symbol to them and they probably enjoy the attention they get. Human nature.

At first, that's what I thought. To them it's a 'cool' logo. But on hindsight, if they have heard of Hitler, surely they must have heard of the holocaust and the death camps?

Or maybe it's a sign of rebellion to authority? I also laugh when I see people walking around with Che Guevara and old USSR flags T shirts . They love the king AND support communism? Hmmmmmmm.

[ClaytonSeymour]

You'd think even someone with the most basic knowledge of WW2 would avoid having this symbol on their person?

You would, wouldn't you?

What is up with that? Did they just skip a few chapters in the history books.

I think "Yes".

The Swastika is an important symbol in Buddhism, Hinduism & Jainism. It can be found throughout the Western World, even in Germany, it is not banned when it is used for the aforementioned religious purposes.

The ubiquitous Swastika Symbols found in Asia have nothing to do with Nazism & you should distinguish between the two.

I suspect this thread is going nowhere. Whether intentional, or not, such a topic is bound to provoke trouble & it wont be long before the moderators intervene.

[blizzard]

leave the mods alone sir. they dont need your help.............lol.

[mittheimp]

Has anyone noticed Thai people walking about wearing a big swastika on their T-Shirt or a swastika patch on their jacket?

Today i was out and saw a motorbike parked with a flag pole on the back flying a swastika flag. Bike also had a German style army helmet for the crash helmet?

What is up with that? Did they just skip a few chapters in the history books. You'd think even someone with the most basic knowledge of WW2 (such as "there was a war, lots of people died") would avoiding having this symbol on their person?

Youd think someone with the most basic knowledge of Thailand would realise that the vast majority of these symbols have nothing what so ever to do with Germany and the Nazi party but related to hindu and buddhist religion!

[churchill]

Has anyone noticed Thai people walking about wearing a big swastika on their T-Shirt or a swastika patch on their jacket?

haven't seen any (yet) but in case i'll see some i'd never be bored enough to open a thread on this subject to pass my time

Bored enough to read and reply though ?

Edited November 26, 2007 by churchill

[Ulysses G.]

I see plenty of sweet young Thai girls wearing T-shirts with filthy slogans in English on them, but I realize that they have no idea about the meaning.

[Big A]

Yeah, for example

<deleted> OFF W*NKERS (by The Exploited, a UK punk band)

[Thanh-BKK]

Hello

Me, being from germany, also wondered many times in the beginning after arriving here about the open display of svastikas here. Of course i know them to be a religious symbal particular for Hini and other eastern religions (didn't know it's used in buddhism tough), HOWEVER the OP was right as to the way they are displayed - i have seen the "traditional ones" such as in old religious art etc, but then the "fashion" ones are very clearly styled after the WWII Nazi symbol.

Alsop true is that one can see motorbikes with the rider dressed like a soldier inclusive "Wehrmacht" helmet and the Nazi arm band. Now THAT has not much to do with religion, me thinks.

But then there CLEARLY is the lack of knowledge. I don't know WHAT they teach in schools here, but my boyfriend who has a bachelor's degree did not know ANYTHING about the Nazis at all!

And i once had a taxi driver asking me where i am from - hearing my reply "germany" he said the following:

"Oh, BMW, good good. Bundesliga, very good. Adolf Hitler your president, yes?"

Best regards.......

Thanh

[buffcoat]

I would be very surprised if any Thai wearing a swastika was doing so in anyway to support the Nazi agenda for the simple reason that the Nazi's regarded Asians as sub-humans.

As others have pointed out this symbol has been in use for thousands of years to symbolize good and it makes no sense to me that the Nazi theft of this symbol should be allowed to impinge on it's modern use.

No doubt some young men will wear it to look cool/shock but in a Thai context it really is not a symbol that will generate a strong reaction. The problem is that farangs have a different historical experience and conditioning and we react accordingly.

WW11 for Thailand was focussed on the Japanese/Allied struggle and I am not surprised that it is not of major interest to Thais generally,with their very limited involvement and minimal impact on the country despite their limited (in time) territorial gains from Indo-China and Burma.

With 100,000 Japanese troops in Siam the govt trod a very fine line with their 'ally' and managed to persuade the Allies in 1945 that they were friendly and had to be restrained from attacking the Japanese by the Allies.

The railroad was entirely under the control of the Japanese and not the Thais who will therefore not regard it as something directly related them as such and they certainly will not feel responsible for it as indeed they were not.

Context is really key with all symbols,if I see a young Thai male with a swastika I think nothing of it...exactly the same item on a young English male and I think he is a rascist degenerate.

[Mosha]

OK I may be wrong. Wasn't the original symbol a symbol of peace?

Was it any time in it's hstory reversed?

[dave111223]

There seems to be an overwhelming response of "they are just religious symbols 1000s of years old".

So just to clarify, this (below) is the symbol that i saw displayed on the bike today and have seen displayed on T-Shirts etc...

[meadish_sweetball]

OK I may be wrong. Wasn't the original symbol a symbol of peace?

Was it any time in it's hstory reversed?

It was a recurring symbol in many cultures, all over the world. More info is easily available for anyone who just types 'swastika' into Google.

The negative connotations came after the Nazis chose it as their symbol.

Thai schools do not stress history education. Most Thais I've met have very vague ideas about the European side of WW2.

Chalk it down to ignorance in the vast majority of cases.

[Mosha]

There was a camp in La-Un for Thai and Malaysian POWs. I've only met 1 local who can remember seeing the Japanese. They just don't talk about it. There used ti be a railway fron Chumphon to Khao Fa Chi. It's now highway 4 fromChumphon to Phuket. At Khao Fa Chi (Sam Sip to the locals) is a railway engine. The locals think it was bought in by boat. After the war the tracks etc were returned to Malaya.

[cm das]

No stupider than people back home who use a buddha statue as a doorstop or incense burner, etc.

Sorry, but do you really see no difference between a non-traditional and potentially disrespectful display of a symbol of peace and awareness in one's own home vs. a casual, very public display of a symbol of genocide? And by the way, I've seen Buddha incense burners for sale in Chiang Mai.

[jingjoe]

Don't fret about the second world war, most Thais know nothing about it anyway.

I don't think it's atop the list of lessons taught in German schools these days either... am I wrong?

[meom]

There was a story the other day about a guy who had a swastika shaved into the fur of his german shepherd. I found that hilarious

[Edonista]

Thais like the Nazis because they were powerful. Indeed if you examine the Nazis performance on the battlefield it is easy to admire them. Thais don't care about the Holocaust and all other Western fetishes. They are fascinated by power displays. And for those the Nazis were number one for sure. You want to diminish the nazism appeal on Thais ? Do not waste time speaking about the Holocaust, just teach them the 1943-45 history when Hitler got his ass kicked big way !

Edited November 26, 2007 by Edonista

[ClaytonSeymour]

No stupider than people back home who use a buddha statue as a doorstop or incense burner, etc.

Sorry, but do you really see no difference between a non-traditional and potentially disrespectful display of a symbol of peace and awareness in one's own home vs. a casual, very public display of a symbol of genocide? And by the way, I've seen Buddha incense burners for sale in Chiang Mai.

As far as I'm concerned, there's got to be intent in either example; I suspect in most cases there isn't.

In general, I despise political correctness and that's what this debate is essentially about.

[dave111223]

I really am quite puzzled by how many responses chalk WW2 and the Holocaust up as "No big deal" and "Why would anyone outside of the West care".

Holocaust and all other Western fetishes

You consider taking the holocaust seriously as a "Western fetish"?

There was a story the other day about a guy who had a swastika shaved into the fur of his german shepherd. I found that hilarious

Yes that is funny, i bet the 6 million dead Jews would find that great too.

haven't seen any (yet) but in case i'll see some i'd never be bored enough to open a thread on this subject to pass my time dry.gif

I see you start far more meaningful topics such as "A Snake In My Garden" and "I Hate My Neighbour's Lawn!"

[GuestHouse]

Another Swastika thread and another bunch of people rushing to the defence of the Thais.

As the OP has stated, and provided an image' he is not quesitoning religious symbols but the Nazi Swastika.

But no, let's fudge the issue.

And why would people want to fundge the issue?

Well look at this for thinking...

Indeed if you examine the Nazis performance on the battlefield it is easy to admire them.

There are forum rules that draw the line under a number of topics on the basis they may cause offense. And yet we have to put up with <deleted> like that.

Edited November 26, 2007 by GuestHouse

[bangkokrick]

Another Swastika thread and another bunch of people rushing to the defence of the Thais.

As the OP has stated, and provided an image' he is not quesitoning religious symbols but the Nazi Swastika.

But no, let's fudge the issue.

And why would people want to fundge the issue?

Well look at this for thinking...

Indeed if you examine the Nazis performance on the battlefield it is easy to admire them.

There are forum that draw the line under a number of topics on the basis they may cause offense. And yet we have to put up with <deleted> like that.

Good shout Guesthouse. I totally agree.

Cheers, Rick

[moe666]

How about another thread to lambast the Thais over something. Within certain groups in Europe ( skinheads ) wearing swastikas has become popular again.