Crackdown Ordered On Religious Tattoos In Phuket

[jmccarty]

Come on folks! THis may just be part of Mr. Niphit's platform for running for office next. It may catch on and he can then add more creative programmes to ban other religions, and their followers...it need not stop with this.

[mickjn]

I think I am in trouble 55555

[canuckamuck]

I think tattoos are great, it helps identify the rif raff and it is voluntary. Brilliant!

[happysanook]

"The tattoos were just part of a fashion trend among tourists, who most likely did not believe in the religion and were ignorant of the true significance of the image."

...and the Thai do? ask several of your Thai friends about Buddha. Who he was...What did he do...When was he alive...most of them won't be able to answer.

[bangkokburning]

Nothing wrong with having the law. I know the Thai's are pretty pissed off at many, many religious tattoos.

PAUL: I met a guy who has a religious tatt on his foot! I know this kid - personally. Any Thai will do you for a price.

Most farang even when they get Thai script have no clue what it says or means. Many are hopped up on the fact it was done in a temple under a sort of magical situation. They just think its cool. They are not Buddhists nor could tell you what any of it means.

90% of farang with stamps are clueless anyway, goes without saying.

[bangkokburning]

Chooka: You don't see the difference? Wow, just wow.

[happysanook]

Nothing wrong with having the law. I know the Thai's are pretty pissed off at many, many religious tattoos.

PAUL: I met a guy who has a religious tatt on his foot! I know this kid - personally. Any Thai will do you for a price.

Most farang even when they get Thai script have no clue what it says or means. Many are hopped up on the fact it was done in a temple under a sort of magical situation. They just think its cool. They are not Buddhists nor could tell you what any of it means.

90% of farang with stamps are clueless anyway, goes without saying.

Nothing wrong with having a law saying what kind of tattoo you can have on your body? You've been here too long, not long enough, or are piss drunk. One of the 3.

[DummDays]

something must be wrong in the head of some thai officials - mind your words:-)

it is common, that certain thais - after wrongdoings, what so ever - are going to temples to get some "certain" tatoos

forgiving tatoos?

how easy it would be be for thai officials, to "filter" them out?

its a kind of "relgious" - right?

wired world - or better: weird part of the world, we are living in

[MUYTHAI]

Can we expect a crackdown on Thais having Nazi images tattooed...?

Yes, nice one.

I have thought about this for many years.

Many people find Nazi style regalia and tattoos as offensive and even intimidating in some cases, however much they try to claim that it`s all done in naivety and innocence.

Funny, isn't it, how these sorts of matters become offensive when the boots on the other foot. Or should I say; when the Jackboots on the other foot.

I think all tattoos are disgusting anyway. I mean, just look at those brazen hussies pictured below. Would any of you stoop so low as to spend a night with one of them?

Concerning swastika tattoos. Some foreigners do not know that the swastika has been a symbol of 'good luck', etc. throughout Asia for thousands of years. The Nazi party adopted the symbol because of the misbelief it was an Aryan 'only' (from Iran to India) symbol and it would bring the Nazi party good luck and power. It is not the fault of Asians if the Nazi party stole their symbol and used it. If foreigners are ignorant of the history of the swastika in Asia, that is their problem and not the given Asian's problem. If foreigners don't like it...tough luck ...they can leave and go back home. Thais or Asians should not have to change their culture in order to not offend a farang! And I am aware of the more Nazi-style swastikas and colors seen in Asia. But still, if someone doesn't like the tattoos, etc...then they should leave.

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

[boggle]

As a result, Mr Niphit said the ministry's Subcommittee on Safe and Creative Media had decided to order the governors of all Thai provinces to ban foreigners from getting tattoos of religious images of any faith.

There are, some would say, over 30 000 christian based faiths in the world. never mind taking into account the rest.

Who in the Thai cultural minsistry is the expert on all images, of all faiths?

Tattoo shop.

Hi how are you. Here is the note book of approved Tattoos you may have and here is the 5334 volumes of the tattoos which are banned in Thailand.

Next, the book of allowed jewelry, t shirts, shoes, car stickers, books, words, thoughts, have I missed any thing?

[sabye]

Good one Dondon

[FOODLOVER]

Are these the same Songkran boobie police? Must have some time on your hands fellahs.

Viva la Tramp Stamp!

Edited June 2, 2011 by FOODLOVER

[catweazle]

Despite the point that the government in Thailand should have better things to do right now, I believe that we are missing the point here. Have to admit, that I checked my calendar first to see whether it is April the 1st again when I read this article about the tattoo ban for foreigner. It seems like we are missing the point here... A person acting like Culture Minister Niphit Intharasombat in a western country would have to resign immediately after his words came out on newspapers since a racism lawsuit would be waiting for him. He is talking about foreigners, not Thais. I have had about enough with this permanent racism here in Thailand against us foreigners and the hypocrisy performed by officials on a daily basis believing that only Thais have the sole right to own, display, buy, sell, paint, reproduce, import, export, believe in, cherish, and now finally tattoo Lord Buddha, Ganesh, and/or any other religious replications on their body. Minister Niphit Intharasombat must have forgotten that it is EVERY persons divine right to do with his or her body whatever he or she wants. I wonder that his implications do not spark a public outcry that goes around the world. He is not interested to preserve any religious dignity, he simply is a downright racist. Otherwise the ban would include Thais as well as foreigners. Stand up for your rights people! When will he order that every foreigner entering Thailand will need to wear a yellow star stitched onto our shirts? Make this public people! Send copies of the original article to your home country's newspaper stations, show the world that racists like Minister Niphit Intharasombat are in charge of running this otherwise beautiful country.

[Gonzo the Face]

Is it banned....... for young ladies to have spaghetti straps tattooed on their sholders?

I seem to remember a few years back , I believe it was the wife of a former PM , who was acting as Cultural Minister???? , put out the statement about young ladies should not wear spagetti straps .....

Some years back, and correct me please if I misremember.

G

[FOODLOVER]

Concerning swastika tattoos. Some foreigners do not know that the swastika has been a symbol of 'good luck', etc. throughout Asia for thousands of years. The Nazi party adopted the symbol because of the misbelief it was an Aryan 'only' (from Iran to India) symbol and it would bring the Nazi party good luck and power. It is not the fault of Asians if the Nazi party stole their symbol and used it. If foreigners are ignorant of the history of the swastika in Asia, that is their problem and not the given Asian's problem. If foreigners don't like it...tough luck ...they can leave and go back home. Thais or Asians should not have to change their culture in order to not offend a farang! And I am aware of the more Nazi-style swastikas and colors seen in Asia. But still, if someone doesn't like the tattoos, etc...then they should leave.

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

I hate to admit that i was one of those idiots. I almost threw my soon to be sister in law out of my house as i saw this tattoo. Thought she maybe dated a Nazi/Racist or something. So i take my wife to the side to explain why i am about to toss her sister out of my house never to return and then she explains. that it means good luck. Quite embarrassed i then had to educate myself on the history of thai, chinese and japanese tatooing. Quite interesting. I also found it strange that they are not teaching about the Holocaust in Thai university. Is this true?

[ableguy]

If sitting and drinking whilst arguing damaged faith there would not be a single faith left in Thailand. Wow the ministry of crackdowns at it again.

[ableguy]

Despite the point that the government in Thailand should have better things to do right now, I believe that we are missing the point here. Have to admit, that I checked my calendar first to see whether it is April the 1st again when I read this article about the tattoo ban for foreigner. It seems like we are missing the point here... A person acting like Culture Minister Niphit Intharasombat in a western country would have to resign immediately after his words came out on newspapers since a racism lawsuit would be waiting for him. He is talking about foreigners, not Thais. I have had about enough with this permanent racism here in Thailand against us foreigners and the hypocrisy performed by officials on a daily basis believing that only Thais have the sole right to own, display, buy, sell, paint, reproduce, import, export, believe in, cherish, and now finally tattoo Lord Buddha, Ganesh, and/or any other religious replications on their body. Minister Niphit Intharasombat must have forgotten that it is EVERY persons divine right to do with his or her body whatever he or she wants. I wonder that his implications do not spark a public outcry that goes around the world. He is not interested to preserve any religious dignity, he simply is a downright racist. Otherwise the ban would include Thais as well as foreigners. Stand up for your rights people! When will he order that every foreigner entering Thailand will need to wear a yellow star stitched onto our shirts? Make this public people! Send copies of the original article to your home country's newspaper stations, show the world that racists like Minister Niphit Intharasombat are in charge of running this otherwise beautiful country.

it is not everyones divine right to do with ones own body as one wishes, prostitution is illegal here and strictly enforced :jap:

[Samuian]

I invite this Culture Minister Niphit Intharasombat wholeheartedly to a tour through the "famous temples" of his country!

We can start at "Big Buddha", "Wat Plai Lem", "Wat Kunnaram", here on Samui, which have become something like a giant collecting donations booth of some sort of "Buddhist Disneyland Display"!

Then have a field study day at Pantip Plaza around the xxxx or blue movie section, then go and chekc for online gaming in the temples youth communities, then chekc for smoking, for inappropiate behaviour, for DVD sets and then discuss the question of monkhood, the dhammakaya and monks engaging in "spritual tattoing, sporting such tattos themselves, some habve th whole body covered - and last not least how "buddhist" his pickking on foreigners behaviour is!

[edwinchester]

Just about every Thai guy in our village has some 'lucky' religious tattoo somewhere on his body. Alot of them done at the local wat. I wonder if the proposed law banning religious images on the body is intended for both farang and Thais?

You obviously didn't bother reading the story.

R

I did actually and my question was more a rhetorical one. This guy obviously has a problem with tourists, foreigners and 'people who show their bodies for a living'.

[zippydedodah]

I used to run a tattoo shop in Bangkok and

I can assure you all that the Thai tattooists would never tattoo

Buddhist stuff in an inappropriate place, however, stuff that is not their religion

they do not care about.

We also refused to tattoo peoples faces until they were made aware that a face tattoo

would put most people outside of normal society, however, other tattoo shops would do anything for money: excepting Buddhas in the wrong place!!

I think the worst one we had was a Swedish girl who wanted "bon appetit" in her pubic hair but spelt it

"bon appertit " and insisted on her spelling!!

what is an "inappropriate place" to you, might not be the same for others, thai or not.

I asked my wife and her sister about this whole thing, and they both felt that

1) buddha or even "power protection" tattoos should not be below the waist

2) buddha should never be "exposed" ... meaning, on bare arms or openly displayed.

to them, and i must say, they are rather "old school" in many ways... that is all disrespectful.

[Rama]

In other words, the Culture Minister wants to impose his views on religion on others. Tattoos have been a form of religious expression for thousands of years. I admire people that get a religious tattoo, it shows a personal commitment to a particular religious view that not everyone is willing to express openly.

As a Hindu saint once said, there is no way to irreverently say the name of God. You are only being irreverent if you don't say his name. Ditto with tattoos.

[rammis35]

Ummm... don't we always see TONS of Thais everywhere with religious tattoos engaged in various forms of "bad behavior"? Granted, the religious tattoos that Thais get are usually different from the ones that farangs get, such as religious symbols or text scriptures... but still... Double standard here?

I guess it is OK to wear religious amulets while getting kick backs though when working for the government.

[rubin]

What a sick load of <deleted>. They indeed have nothing better to do. The other second Thai sports a religious tattoo on their bodies and noone really cares. Just another xenophobic statement.

[PaulBax]

<br />

<br />I used to run a tattoo shop in Bangkok and <br />I can assure you all that the Thai tattooists would never tattoo<br />Buddhist stuff in an inappropriate place, however, stuff that is not their religion <br />they do not care about.<br />We also refused to tattoo peoples faces until they were made aware that a face tattoo<br />would put most people outside of normal society, however, other tattoo shops would do anything for money: excepting Buddhas in the wrong place!!<br />I think the worst one we had was a Swedish girl who wanted "bon appetit" in her pubic hair but spelt it<br />"bon appertit " and insisted on her spelling!!<br />

<br />what is an "inappropriate place" to you, might not be the same for others, thai or not.<br />I asked my wife and her sister about this whole thing, and they both felt that <br />1) buddha or even "power protection" tattoos should not be below the waist<br />2) buddha should never be "exposed" ... meaning, on bare arms or openly displayed.<br /><br />to them, and i must say, they are rather "old school" in many ways... that is all disrespectful.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Buddha should never be openly displayed? lol either on a pendant which the majority of Thais have, in a wat, in your house, in ones place of business, in a shop that makes and sells religious artifacts, on flyers etc etc

I would not listen to much to your wife or sister lol : but the majority of married men know that already

[Igor]

Buddhism is a philosophy. Not a religion. There, Solved.

Christianity? Mire so. Still mythology.

Besides, walk into any Buddhist temple and you will see the most egregious, crass uses of Buddhist and Hindu iconography.

There is plenty of substance this minister should be paying attention to. Tuk tuks? Jet skis?

Me? I'm gonna have an exact replica of the invisible spirit who lives in that little house behind my hut tattooed onto my derriere.

[Soutpeel]

I have read all 6 pages of this thread in the hope someone was going was going to reveal this article had come from "Not the nation"

so it seems the Songkran boobie police has struck again.....

What is the next step....All foreigners arriving in country will be required to strip down naked in front of immigration/customs to ensure they are not concealing offensive tattoo's on their person...?.....

Monty Python couldnt write this stuff...

[dutchweller]

Can we expect a crackdown on Thais having Nazi images tattooed...?

If you are referring to Swastika think again.

That Image was hijacked by the Nazis.

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

No to mention Nazism is not "religion" although some would like to think it is..

anyhow...

I hope the Culture Minister is going to ban all the images of Buddha plastered on cheap tacky tourist junk ( t-shirts, ornaments, wall hangings, cheap cement statues)??

Also anyone else seen a trend lately for Thais to ware Crucifix as a trendy accessory? surely the Culture Minister should crack down on this too?

[cup-O-coffee]

I have read all 6 pages of this thread in the hope someone was going was going to reveal this article had come from "Not the nation"

so it seems the Songkran boobie police has struck again.....

What is the next step....All foreigners arriving in country will be required to strip down naked in front of immigration/customs to ensure they are not concealing offensive tattoo's on their person...?.....

Monty Python couldnt write this stuff...

I agree. Foreigners again! SHAME on us!

[CantSpell]

People with visible religious tattoos who engaged in "bad behavior" such as "sitting drinking alcohol and arguing" would damage the faiths through association, Mr Niphit said.

Next week he will ban alcohol in Phuket.

In 2 weeks time, ban chairs as well so no-one can be seen drinking or sitting.... So they can save the faith (or the face)...

With all that happen daily in Phuket, it is nice to see those guys got their priorities straight...

[Able]

Brilliant,

Another waste of 15 minutes of my life reading about a mind boggling racist crackdown by a waste of space that needs to wave his big stick around to show how in touch he is with reality in the land of smiles.

Note to self: Just log out ..... just log out ..... just log out ......