Thai Student Nazi Dress-Up Day Causes Outrage

[globalmenace]

I suggest that this be turned into a learning moment. The school should repeat the pageant next year, and expand it to include a new public shower room with funny-looking showerheads.

[WarpSpeed]

In the same way that western curriculum doesn't generally teach Thai history, eg. kings riding horse fighting with sword in the old days, Thai kids doesn't know much about Nazi. Those kids probably wear those uniforms just to look cool for the sports day.

Same thing when farangs taking photos of Buddha head with girls in bikinis, they just don't know about Buddhist's believes.

Suggest that Thailand history is a bit more insignificant in the scheme of world history then the Nazi's and WWII nor is any of their past atrocities even on par with same. Silly comparison..

[cowslip]

Gott im Himmel !!!!!

For me, the war is over.

Tommy

Yes - but you might want to remember what it was about

[davehowden]

The majority of posters here are doing exactly what they wanted, giving them coverage so they can "Gain Face".

Lets face it most Thai kids are thick as two short planks and that probably goes for their teachers as well, be they Farang or otherwise.

Ignore them and they will go away.

[DieterBernhardKristiansen]

Good to see that the Thai education system is continuing this practice at thumbing their nose at the world. I wonder if the Church will sponsor them a trip to Auswitz, which would probably be quite a humbling experience.

I don't understand what the Thai educational system has to do with this. It where students from a PRIVATE Catholic school. It's the Catholic Church that is responsible in this case. !!!

[blackout]

Suggest that Thailand history is a bit more insignificant in the scheme of world history then the Nazi's and WWII nor is any of their past atrocities even on par with same. Silly comparison..

also suggest that western's war history is a bit more insignificant for Thailand as a country in asia. silly comparison.

well, i think i am making a lame comparison here, so as you.

Edited September 27, 2011 by blackout

[cowslip]

South Africa under apartheid had four racial classifications: white, coloured, Asian (meaning Indian Subcontinent people) and black. There is a large community of Malays, mainly in Cape Town, who came, not from Malaysia, but from Indonesia and the Philippines as bonded labour and they were classified as coloured, along with mixed race people. Similarly local Chinese descended from imported bonded labourers were also classified as coloured, despite the fact that many had become very wealthy.

Rubbish..... I went to school (all whites school) and was friends with a Chinese lad who was neither Taiwanese or Japanese or Korean and I can assure you the person concerned was "classified" as "honorary white" and his family had descended from imported bonded labourers and had become very wealthy in import and export.

And the Cape Malays are of mixed blood, not pure Malays... therefore Cloured. They don't even speak Malay.

Gary Pong, classmate, from China went to an all white school with me too.

Noone defended apartheid... just don't call the Afrikaaners brothers of Hitler 'cos it is not true.

funny-looking flag then?

[Gers1873]

"the pupils of Sacred Heart Catholic School " - yet again the Catholic church fails to educate and fails it's students!!!!

It is a sad thing that anyone who has visited Kanchanaburi and spoken to the loal traders that they really have no clue as to what happened there and elsewhere in Thailand during WW2.

Your point about Kanchanaburi is fair enough. But ask your self this question. How many tourists visit the 'Bridge' already knowing of the thousands of Allied Prisoners who were murdered building the Jap-Burma railway.

Now how many of those realize that in excess of 100,000 forced labourers from Thailand and Burma also perished???

Often Westerners get too much of their history from movies and need reminding that the river over which the 'bridge' runs was not named after a water buffalo

[pacovl46]

I can remember seeing a Swastika badge on the shirt of a BTS station cashier/clerk a few months ago. You can see them on bags , T-shirts, Even on the painted company buses that are everywhere, Clearly WW2 was something missing from the ciriculum in Thailand

The swastika is a religious symbols, don't mix it up with the nazi swastika. See the link in my earlier post.

The ancient symbol you are referring to is not set at an angle. The Nazis took it and set it at an angle so it's corners are at the top and sides. There is a very clear distinction between the two.

It's like the difference between a Catholic/Christian cross and and inverted one. Different meanings.

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

So if they are sporting the Nazi version then it's not the same as the Sanskrit version. But bottom line is, most Thais are ignorant of it's meaning and that it offends some people and this is a 95% Buddhist country so if they piss off a few Jews or people who are overly politically correct, tough shit. Is it in bad taste? Sure but so is half of modern pop culture. I find Lady GaGa more offensive than a bunch of Thai school children wearing Nazi uniforms.

I find all the idiots riding around Patts on stupid loud choppers in lame attempts to draw attention to themselves and make up for their small penises offensive. I find the mass influx of rude Russian and Middle Eastern tourists that have no regard for others whatsoever offensive. Let's ban the Nazi swastika along with the chopper riders and third rate tourists and make everyone happy. We can work on getting rid of Lady GaGa later.

Some great suggestions there in that last paragraph. If you add Issan males in Patts to the list, I'll co-found a community action group with you.

you forgot one major detail: the nazi swastika is a mirror image of the religious swastika!

[JSL]

Speaks volumes of the quality of education at Sacred Heart Catholic School. Perhaps a little less religion and a little more history needs to be taught at this school. School leadership should take a hard long look at their curriculum.

[frtiz]

Besides the question why these kids did it and whether it was in bad taste better ask yourself: How the hell did they get all these uniforms and flags????

Who is so ignorant/sick to sell this stuff.

[andrewdrummond]

Considering the Thais are not even taught that they were invaded and ruled by the Japaneese in WW11 its no suprise they know even less about Germany.......take a look in Naklua and you will see many Germans wearing SS crash helmets or stickers on their bikes, also girls with tatoos......

Yes I understand some old veterans from the SS ' Leibstandardte Adolf Hitler' took retirement homes there years ago along with Freddie Star. They did not like the plasticky Thai SS motorcycle helmets, nor could they get anyone at Bo Be market to run up their black unforms in something tropical. Occasionally they can be seen in their walking frames dressed in the attire of the Afrika Korps, replete with pith helmets. Its more social acceptable and after all wasn't Rommel a good guy. But for years they worked the jet-ski rackets singling out Israeli tourists in particular. Their girls did indeed have tattooes saying: 'Arbeit Macht Frei'.

Edited September 27, 2011 by andrewdrummond

[pointoffew]

Given that most Thai schools and universities are primarily committed to issuing certificates and unworldly Thai teachers are not at all interested in, or informed about, the world outside Thailand, this should come as no surprise.

It is cultivated ignorance in its purest, yet deadliest form, as cherished by the elite.

[WarpSpeed]

Suggest that Thailand history is a bit more insignificant in the scheme of world history then the Nazi's and WWII nor is any of their past atrocities even on par with same. Silly comparison..

also suggest that western's war history is a bit more insignificant for Thailand as country. silly comparison.

Hmmmmmm western war?? Gee my history (which is the generally universally accepted world wide version) teaches me that it was a "world war" which also included all of Asia, and also included Thailand capitulating with the loosing side but surely that couldn't have anything to do with the avoidance of the REAL history involved could it?

[cowslip]

I can't really see the big deal. The fact that they are unaware of the holocaust means they are pretty much unaware of the political beliefs of the Nazis so this is no more than a simple fancy dress. I'm sure fancy dress suppliers in the west provide Nazi uniforms for those who want them. Also although the Nazi regime was clearly an evil regime would everybody be equally appalled if they had shown up as British Redcoats given the atrocities committed by British during their worldwide campaigns. How about the US cavalry? Was the massacre of native Americans and the establishment of concentration camps sorry Reservations any different. How about the Roman Legionares or NATO forces or Russians. Fancy dress would be restricted to fairy story characters because in reality nobody is a saint once they get power. So why not let the kids enjoy their innocent bit of fun and maybe discuss how to overcome the Burmese junta or the cruel regimes in Africa and worldwide, which preside today and still continue to oppress and murder innocent people.

"I can't really see the big deal."

I can't think of anything more dangerous than a population that is unaware of the ways that people like the Nazis come to power.

[JSL]

Speaks volumes about the quality of education at Sacred Heart Catholic School. Perhaps a little less religion and a little more history is in order. School leadership should take a good long look at their curriculum.

[plumeria]

I can remember seeing a Nazi Swastika badge on the shirt of a BTS station cashier/clerk a few months ago. You can see them on bags , T-shirts, Even on the painted company buses that are everywhere, Clearly WW2 was something missing from the ciriculum in Thailand

Missing like Thailand was NOT conquered by the Japanese in WW2.

[Gers1873]

Besides the question why these kids did it and whether it was in bad taste better ask yourself: How the hell did they get all these uniforms and flags????

Who is so ignorant/sick to sell this stuff.

Perhaps they were purchased online from the USofA

http://www.pzg.biz/uniforms.htm

[huuwi]

i'm sick of reading this, i'm a 1960 generation, now we have 2011.

get over it.

I'm also 1960's born; and when something as massive as this was happens in history, I hardly think "get over it" is the appropriate response. Just as a matter of interest what nationality are you and how many people in your family were affected?

it's about costume, so let them do what they like.

as a catholic school, what about get dressed as Inquisition guys, is this more in your favour.

[Thai at Heart]

Good to see that the Thai education system is continuing this practice at thumbing their nose at the world. I wonder if the Church will sponsor them a trip to Auswitz, which would probably be quite a humbling experience.

I don't understand what the Thai educational system has to do with this. It where students from a PRIVATE Catholic school. It's the Catholic Church that is responsible in this case. !!!

It might be private, but as far as I know it is teaching the Thai curriculum. As for blaming the entire Catholic church, well they do have their issues, but I think the blame goes no further than the staff and head teacher responsible for the school.

They really should have known better, but then again....

[WarpSpeed]

I can't really see the big deal. The fact that they are unaware of the holocaust means they are pretty much unaware of the political beliefs of the Nazis so this is no more than a simple fancy dress. I'm sure fancy dress suppliers in the west provide Nazi uniforms for those who want them. Also although the Nazi regime was clearly an evil regime would everybody be equally appalled if they had shown up as British Redcoats given the atrocities committed by British during their worldwide campaigns. How about the US cavalry? Was the massacre of native Americans and the establishment of concentration camps sorry Reservations any different. How about the Roman Legionares or NATO forces or Russians. Fancy dress would be restricted to fairy story characters because in reality nobody is a saint once they get power. So why not let the kids enjoy their innocent bit of fun and maybe discuss how to overcome the Burmese junta or the cruel regimes in Africa and worldwide, which preside today and still continue to oppress and murder innocent people.

"I can't really see the big deal."

I can't think of anything more dangerous than a population that is unaware of the ways that people like the Nazis come to power.

And ruled....

[SabaiBKK]

already happened back in 2007 ..... search google for thewphaingarm school bangkok celebrates nazism

Edited September 27, 2011 by SabaiBKK

[cowslip]

The majority of posters here are doing exactly what they wanted, giving them coverage so they can "Gain Face".

Lets face it most Thai kids are thick as two short planks and that probably goes for their teachers as well, be they Farang or otherwise.

Ignore them and they will go away.

Ostrich ....sand...........

ring any bells??

[plumeria]

I can't really see the big deal. The fact that they are unaware of the holocaust means they are pretty much unaware of the political beliefs of the Nazis so this is no more than a simple fancy dress. I'm sure fancy dress suppliers in the west provide Nazi uniforms for those who want them. Also although the Nazi regime was clearly an evil regime would everybody be equally appalled if they had shown up as British Redcoats given the atrocities committed by British during their worldwide campaigns. How about the US cavalry? Was the massacre of native Americans and the establishment of concentration camps sorry Reservations any different. How about the Roman Legionares or NATO forces or Russians. Fancy dress would be restricted to fairy story characters because in reality nobody is a saint once they get power. So why not let the kids enjoy their innocent bit of fun and maybe discuss how to overcome the Burmese junta or the cruel regimes in Africa and worldwide, which preside today and still continue to oppress and murder innocent people.

"I can't really see the big deal."

I can't think of anything more dangerous than a population that is unaware of the ways that people like the Nazis come to power.

Considering the tremendous similarity between how Hitler consolidated power and how 9/11 was exploited to suspend the constitutional rights of Americans (which have STILL not been returned and never will), how can anyone blame Thais for not discerning the real situation. Americans are clueless about bloodless coups and consolidation of power so is it really any surprise Thais are not more aware of historical methods of strategic communications and thought control?

It's not easy for anyone to get a clear picture of what happened, what is happening and what will happen. Sometimes we cannot see the forest because of all the trees in our way.

If it was one of my kids who took part in such an event, I would take PERSONAL responsibility for not having given my kid the basics of a good education AT HOME, not blame it on the school and teachers.

My 8 year old knows about Hitler and Nazis and WW2.

The PARENTS should do some self-evaluation.

[WarpSpeed]

I can remember seeing a Nazi Swastika badge on the shirt of a BTS station cashier/clerk a few months ago. You can see them on bags , T-shirts, Even on the painted company buses that are everywhere, Clearly WW2 was something missing from the ciriculum in Thailand

Missing like Thailand was NOT conquered by the Japanese in WW2.

It has to be said that there is a symbol in Asian culture, mostly Chinese, that was established centuries before the Nazi's and it is the symbol more commonly referred to today as the Swastika. That doesn't offend me as much knowing the original source and innocence of it but the rest can't be overlooked. If you look carefully it is often used in many Chinese artifacts dating way back especially Chinese lamps..

[WarpSpeed]

I can't really see the big deal. The fact that they are unaware of the holocaust means they are pretty much unaware of the political beliefs of the Nazis so this is no more than a simple fancy dress. I'm sure fancy dress suppliers in the west provide Nazi uniforms for those who want them. Also although the Nazi regime was clearly an evil regime would everybody be equally appalled if they had shown up as British Redcoats given the atrocities committed by British during their worldwide campaigns. How about the US cavalry? Was the massacre of native Americans and the establishment of concentration camps sorry Reservations any different. How about the Roman Legionares or NATO forces or Russians. Fancy dress would be restricted to fairy story characters because in reality nobody is a saint once they get power. So why not let the kids enjoy their innocent bit of fun and maybe discuss how to overcome the Burmese junta or the cruel regimes in Africa and worldwide, which preside today and still continue to oppress and murder innocent people.

"I can't really see the big deal."

I can't think of anything more dangerous than a population that is unaware of the ways that people like the Nazis come to power.

Considering the tremendous similarity between how Hitler consolidated power and how 9/11 was exploited to suspend the constitutional rights of Americans (which have STILL not been returned and never will), how can anyone blame Thais for not discerning the real situation. Americans are clueless about bloodless coups and consolidation of power so is it really any surprise Thais are not more aware of historical methods of strategic communications and thought control?

It's not easy for anyone to get a clear picture of what happened, what is happening and what will happen. Sometimes we cannot see the forest because of all the trees in our way.

If it was one of my kids who took part in such an event, I would take PERSONAL responsibility for not having given my kid the basics of a good education AT HOME, not blame it on the school and teachers.

My 8 year old knows about Hitler and Nazis and WW2.

The PARENTS should do some self-evaluation.

Knew it was just a matter of time??

[Arkady]

Ok so without googling it tell us what you know about Guerre franco-thaïlandaise and while you are at it what was Phibun's real name?

I'm not trying to rain on your parade but 99% of those who amazed at Thais for not knowing who Hitler was should look at themselves.

There is simply a huge void between East and West and what events in history are/were important to one is of little interest to the other.

Because of where we come and our countries involvment Hitler is very much to the fore when it comes to the most evil man who ever lived.

The mention of his name makes your skin crawl, yet mention Mengistu Haile Mariam to the ordinary man on the street in the UK and he'll say "WHO?"

We should not expect Thai people to know what we know without knowing what they know. Not unless you think you are some sort of superior being

In my experience Thais are not only agog on finding out what the Nazis did on visits to museums in Europe, or what the Japanese did on visiting the River Kwai museum but are also more worrying astonished to learn what happened during the Thammassat University massacre in 1976 or Black May in 1992 when shown Youtube clips of the brutal atrocities that occurred then. Perhaps there are reasons for this. I wonder how many Thais know what was Phibun's real name - he is referred to familiarly as "Chumphon Por" (Field Marshall P.) in Thai history books and portrayed generally as a good chap.

Similarly I wonder how many Europeans and Americans know without googling what Hitler's real name was - Adolf Schecklegrueber. I had a funny experience in a museum in Italy a couple of years ago when I heard a young English boy ask his middle class mother to identify the players in a painting depicting the Judgment of Herod. The mother was at a loss to identify John the Baptist to her son and to avoid losing face eventually declared that the decapitated head on the plate belonged to Jesus. I had serious trouble restraining my mirth. However, the upside to this type of ignorance to my mind is that English school children are clearly no longer made to sit through hours of boring scripture classes or risk being caned for heinous acts of sacrilege such as lighting farts during prayers, making jokes about characters in the Bible or failing to produce their scripture homework on time, as we were. I believe that the Holocaust was recently deleted from the national history curriculum lest it might be offensive to Muslims. Anyway, the UK can now be proud of having the highest illiteracy rate amongst school leavers in Europe.

Edited September 27, 2011 by Arkady

[FOODLOVER]

I can remember seeing a Swastika badge on the shirt of a BTS station cashier/clerk a few months ago. You can see them on bags , T-shirts, Even on the painted company buses that are everywhere, Clearly WW2 was something missing from the ciriculum in Thailand

The swastika is a religious symbols, don't mix it up with the nazi swastika. See the link in my earlier post.

The ancient symbol you are referring to is not set at an angle. The Nazis took it and set it at an angle so it's corners are at the top and sides. There is a very clear distinction between the two.

It's like the difference between a Catholic/Christian cross and and inverted one. Different meanings.

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

So if they are sporting the Nazi version then it's not the same as the Sanskrit version. But bottom line is, most Thais are ignorant of it's meaning and that it offends some people and this is a 95% Buddhist country so if they piss off a few Jews or people who are overly politically correct, tough shit. Is it in bad taste? Sure but so is half of modern pop culture. I find Lady GaGa more offensive than a bunch of Thai school children wearing Nazi uniforms.

I find all the idiots riding around Patts on stupid loud choppers in lame attempts to draw attention to themselves and make up for their small penises offensive. I find the mass influx of rude Russian and Middle Eastern tourists that have no regard for others whatsoever offensive. Let's ban the Nazi swastika along with the chopper riders and third rate tourists and make everyone happy. We can work on getting rid of Lady GaGa later.

Some great suggestions there in that last paragraph. If you add Issan males in Patts to the list, I'll co-found a community action group with you.

Ma ma ma Hitler face ma ma Hitler face ma ma ma

[h90]

Thai people have no idea what the holocaust is, and why should they care anyway, it's got nothing to do with them or their history. It's not like western kids are taught about the battle for Bangra Jun either. I don't see what the big deal is anyway it was a fancy dress, i've seen people dress up at hitler on halloween in the US and noone complained.

In fact it's not like Thai students are the only ones who have dressed up as hitler either http://gothamist.com/2006/11/01/no_high_school.php happens everywhere in the world whether they are educated about the holocaust or not.

Pol Pot killed Millions, and it is a neighbor country and Thailand did not care.

[cowslip]

Although I understand the underlying intent the biggest problem IMO is that every race/nation has had its turn at acts of horror over the past 2000 years.

The Chinese, Romans, Spanish, Portuguese, English, the USA and on and on and on - no nation is free from disgrace or in a position to throw the first stone.

When we look at history so much of it was built on blood its hard to alienate one nation for their "go at it"

After all all the Germans did was do it far more successfully and on a scale far greater than anyone else in history with perhaps the exception of Russia and China.

The individual acts where not new or unique and certainly where not the last time committed.

If you could recount the horrors done by your nation and understand their impact on the opposing side then that USA flag or Union Jack isn't any different in some parts of the world.

How do you think the Native Indian Nations feel about the Stars and Stripes ? or the Mauri about the British Flag ?

I would feel no different towards you if you murdered my entire family and everyone in my village and stopped or kept going for a million more.

What tripe!

It is clear that it is not just in Thailand that there is ignorance of the causes of the rise of the Nazis.

PLEASE get an education - it's people like this that allow despotic governments to take power.