I thought that the Indian 'swastika' type symbol had the legs pointing the other way.

The majority of Thais are not taught about past wars in Europe. I have seen youngsters working in 7/11 with swastika tattos on their hands, dont really think they paying homage to the nazis, its just a fad.

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Why should they be? How many European children are taught Thai history?

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I was taught about what the Japanese did, and the bridge over the river kwai - now where is that located?

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But if the Bridge on the River Khwai hadn't involved British POW's, would you have been taught about it?

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I was taught the scope of WW2, this covered America, Asia, Europe and Africa and was not limited to British POW's.

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How many Asians died building the river Kwai bridge?

Ironically the largest volunteer army the world has ever seen (2.5 million) was raised in the Indian subcontinent (the place that the swastika originated) to fight against the Nazis in World War II.

Er, I believe this was 1.5 million (aprox) and they were fighting in Burma against the Japanese under British command, but close. India did not get independance until after WW2 (1947).

We are taught about Gengis Kahn in China, The Pharoas in Egypt, the Romans and greeks, mesopotanians/sumarians etc all from distant shores. Why, because it is important world historical events. We are also taught our own local history in our own countries - as we should. As WW2 (and WW1 - The Great War) had such an impact world wide, it must be THE most important world historic event in modern times - therefore, even if we were not involved in it (as we were), then under the the same educational premise, we would still be taught about it.

The fact that Thailand does not teach its school children about the war shows the same insular nationalistic tendancy to teach about nothing outside of Thailand (or direct influence on Thailand - Burma, Indonesia, China and Cambodia perhaps) in other subjects. Thais leave school much less aware of the world than we do in the West.

PS: I wonder how many Thais that were not around at the time know about Pol Pot - and he was a neighbour!

...and for crying out loud, the discussion is about the WW2 Nazi Swastica, not any ealier - backwards, differently orientated, unencircled - symbol. In words, yes it does pre-date the Nazi party by thousands of years, but in imagary, it does not. They do not look alike any more than a crucifix does to a capital 'X'.

How many Asians died building the river Kwai bridge?

Quite a few I believe - captured Burmese/Indian, Japanese workers and soldiers and Thai rebels. They did not get burried together, and less is heard about it as they were not POWs, but they did die never the less.

The majority of Thais are not taught about past wars in Europe. I have seen youngsters working in 7/11 with swastika tattos on their hands, dont really think they paying homage to the nazis, its just a fad.

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Why should they be? How many European children are taught Thai history?

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I was taught about what the Japanese did, and the bridge over the river kwai - now where is that located?

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But if the Bridge on the River Khwai hadn't involved British POW's, would you have been taught about it?

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I was taught the scope of WW2, this covered America, Asia, Europe and Africa and was not limited to British POW's.

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How many Asians died building the river Kwai bridge?

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The Japanese slaughtered many, many millions of Asians during WW2, including people in Burma and Thailand.

A few months ago my, then 9 year old, stepson showed up with a swastika carved on his arm! Some of his friends and he had decided that having swastika shaped scars on their arms would be really cool! He wasn't thinking it is a Buddhist symbol, when I asked if he knew what it meant he snickered "Naazi". My reaction was remarkably restrained, I just lectured him about it almost non-stop for a couple of weeks. My wife thought that I overreacted, but, quite frankly, I don't think that one needs to wait until one's child is an adult before teaching them good manners, common sense and other good habits! (I couldn't find a sarcastic smilie to put in here)

An English friend, who speak Thai much better than I do, told my stepson that people in England would think that he was retarded if they saw a brownskinned Asian boy with a swastika on his arm.

An English friend, who speak Thai much better than I do, told my stepson that people in England would think that he was retarded if they saw a brownskinned Asian boy with a swastika on his arm.

Also tell him, in English it means Kwai

The majority of Thais are not taught about past wars in Europe. I have seen youngsters working in 7/11 with swastika tattos on their hands, dont really think they paying homage to the nazis, its just a fad.

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Why should they be? How many European children are taught Thai history?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was taught about what the Japanese did, and the bridge over the river kwai - now where is that located?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But if the Bridge on the River Khwai hadn't involved British POW's, would you have been taught about it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was taught the scope of WW2, this covered America, Asia, Europe and Africa and was not limited to British POW's.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How many Asians died building the river Kwai bridge?

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The Japanese slaughtered many, many millions of Asians during WW2, including people in Burma and Thailand.

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I asked a specific question to make a point. There were about 16,000 deaths among allied PoWs. These casualties are well known because of movies, museums etc. How many people know that there were an estimated 100,000 deaths of conscript Asian labourers as well?

The majority of Thais are not taught about past wars in Europe. I have seen youngsters working in 7/11 with swastika tattos on their hands, dont really think they paying homage to the nazis, its just a fad.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why should they be? How many European children are taught Thai history?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was taught about what the Japanese did, and the bridge over the river kwai - now where is that located?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But if the Bridge on the River Khwai hadn't involved British POW's, would you have been taught about it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was taught the scope of WW2, this covered America, Asia, Europe and Africa and was not limited to British POW's.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How many Asians died building the river Kwai bridge?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Japanese slaughtered many, many millions of Asians during WW2, including people in Burma and Thailand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I asked a specific question to make a point. There were about 16,000 deaths among allied PoWs. These casualties are well known because of movies, museums etc. How many people know that there were an estimated 100,000 deaths of conscript Asian labourers as well?

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Don't forget Nanking and U-731 (or maybe 735, I am pretty sure it's 731).

By the way, everytime you greet someone in formal Thai you are saying in effect "and a swastika to you" as the root for swastika and sawat are of the same origin.

The majority of Thais are not taught about past wars in Europe. I have seen youngsters working in 7/11 with swastika tattos on their hands, dont really think they paying homage to the nazis, its just a fad.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why should they be? How many European children are taught Thai history?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was taught about what the Japanese did, and the bridge over the river kwai - now where is that located?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But if the Bridge on the River Khwai hadn't involved British POW's, would you have been taught about it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was taught the scope of WW2, this covered America, Asia, Europe and Africa and was not limited to British POW's.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How many Asians died building the river Kwai bridge?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Japanese slaughtered many, many millions of Asians during WW2, including people in Burma and Thailand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I asked a specific question to make a point. There were about 16,000 deaths among allied PoWs. These casualties are well known because of movies, museums etc. How many people know that there were an estimated 100,000 deaths of conscript Asian labourers as well?

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Every night (it seems) I see the news reporting about Chinese and Korean civilians taking the Japanese Government to court over their actions in WW2. It is widely reported on the BBC News site and many other places.

But are they getting anywhere ?

You have to admit though, the Nazis were great at image marketing, the swastika and SS lightning bolts being two of the most recognislble symbols worldwide. If you want to put things into perspective watch "The Producers" "or Chaplins "The Great Dictator",the Nazis were a joke then and a joke now, abeit one that had terrible consequences for millions.

Just came back from a meeting with a Thai business partner and the logo of his newly-found company sports a swastika with a Ying-Yang in the middle. I asked him what this is all about and he said that it had nothing to do with Nazis. Instead, the four legs represent the four elements wind, water, earth and fire and once they start rotating, his business will prosper.

Indeed.

If you want to explain the impact this symbol can have on Westerners, I find that calmly pointing out that the people who used that symbol thought it was right to kill disabled and weak people, and managed to mass execute over 6 million, people, the old and weak ones first. After that, most Thais will not snigger anymore.

No need to lecture either. Just state it calmly as facts.

But at the end of the day, as people have said, these things are not to extract a reaction from you, they are to look cool in front of other Thais.