Nazi Symbols

[robitusson]

It was Holocaust Memorial day last week. Is the Nazi paraphenalia that the Thais wear like the swastika t-shirts and Stromtrooper motorbike helmets, either amusing and naive or ignorant and offensive?

[FlyingDutchman]

There will be soccer in Germany ... the Dutch made orange (National color) German helmets like the models of WWII (<-Click). A joke or shocking ? ...

[meadish_sweetball]

We've had this discussion at least twice before on the forum. The simple answer is the swastika symbol was used as a religious symbol bringing good luck here in Asia before Hitler and the National socialists stole it and made it theirs. Most Thais have not received much instruction in European history, do not know who Adolf Hitler was, and are ignorant as to the holocaust and persecution of non-Aryans and mentally disabled.

A small minority may know bits and pieces, but if they fully could grasp what these symbols mean to most Westerners, they would refrain from wearing them.

An interesting comparison is the commercialization of religious imagery. The Thais react just as strongly to that as Westerners do to swastikas...

If you want to know more, please use the forum search function and look at older threads.

[Ulysses G.]

Naive and easy to ignore.

[robitusson]

It would be worrying if the people wearing the gear had any idea what it meant or what it symbolises.

[Ulysses G.]

It would be worrying if the people wearing the gear had any idea what it meant or what it symbolises.

Don't worry about that!

[Heng]

No different than Budda Bar marketing. To each his/her own indifference.

[gburns57au]

It would be worrying if the people wearing the gear had any idea what it meant or what it symbolises.

What it symbolises to them or to you ???

[Kan Win]

We've had this discussion at least twice before on the forum. The simple answer is the swastika symbol was used as a religious symbol bringing good luck here in Asia before Hitler and the National socialists stole it and made it theirs.

Swastika

[The Dan Sai Kid]

If you ever go to India then it is on lot's of shop signs and even on boxes of matches.

I travelled around India with some Isrealis that said it although it did catch their eye to start with there was nothing meant by it, so they paid it no more heed.

However, in the context of motorcycle helmets where it is a symbol of facism I'm sure that most people wouldn't wear it if they fully understood.

That being said, I think that comparing a Buddha Bar with a Nazi Swastika is not really relevant

Edited January 30, 2006 by Grant

[meadish_sweetball]

It is relevant because the feeling is the same. While Christianity and the cross have become gradually less charged with taboo and meaning for the vast majority, the swastika still manages to evoke strong (albeit negative) feelings in most of us. Of course for different reasons - but the feeling at others misusing it and the disrespect it means is probably very similar.

[Fist]

Adolf who? what's more to the point how the ###### do you srtart a new topic PLEASE!!!!

[GuestHouse]

I don't find it so easy to ignore when it is platered on the back of a car being driven by a German.

When I was living in Narklua there was an art shop that was doing a good trade in paintings of Hitler, I asked who was buying them and was told Germans.

As for is the Swastika offensive (and please black Swasticka within a white circle and on a red background, is not and never has been a religious simbol). Well yes, I find it offensive and I explain to Thais why that is so when I c ome across it.

The Lord Buddha means little if nothing to most foreigners, but we should accept that it has meaning to Thais, likewise Mohammed, Chirst and any other symbol that holds special meaning.

The Swastika in the form above has been used as a simbol of the most perverse and vicous regime the modern world has known. It is not too much to ask that to be understood and accounted for.

[FlyingDutchman]

Adolf who? what's more to the point how the ###### do you srtart a new topic PLEASE!!!!

... just look right at the top or the bottom of the topics ...

[Cool Water Palace]

I thought this thread was not really getting anywhere about the difference between the ancient symbol and the Nazi version. Ignorance of Asian history and culture? I plead guilty, at least to not enough understanding, including to what extent the swastika has been a symbol in Buddhist iconography, as opposed to Hindu.

So I did a search 'Nazi swastika' and found this:

http://www.iearn.org/hgp/aeti/aeti-1997/swastika.html

[meadish_sweetball]

Without using any search engines, how many of us honestly know what this symbol represents?

[Plus]

People who put swastikas on their helmets could choose any of the ancient designs, yet they went for Nazi helmets with Nazi swastikas. Ever wondered why?

There were no Nazi style swastikas and helmet designs in Thai history, as far as I know. Why did they choose them? Have they seen them in the movies and thought it was cool? Have they also noticed that Nazis were killing Jews, children, and everyone else in the same movies?

Did they think it was cool to shoot people in the head like in every WWII? I bet they did. How can people defend them on religious grounds is beyond me.

There are morons who just bought the helmets because they are fashionable, but those who started the trend are neither naive nor ignorant.

[Neeranam]

Haven't we all been young and naive or foolish. I thought it was cool when I was 13 to wear a leather jacket and a nazi t-shirt - copying Sid Vicious, Johnny Rotten, Sioxsie Sioux, Billy Idol etc. Was kind of funny to see the reaction of of the old farts. I don't want to become an 'old fart' by getting in a rage about some kid wearing one. If it were a 40 year old German, well that's another matter!

The whole thing going on at that time had to do with individuality, anti-conformity, and the want to shock.

Another thing - why all the Sid Vicious t-shirts in Thailand? I've seen loads of them, and again the Thais wearing them haven't a clue as to who or what he was and did.

Remeber that the word swastika and the words, "sawasdee ka" are very similar coming from the same origins.

[Jim 50]

It was Holocaust Memorial day last week. Is the Nazi paraphenalia that the Thais wear like the swastika t-shirts and Stromtrooper motorbike helmets, either amusing and naive or ignorant and offensive?

Considered high fashion.

Jews are not as influencial in Thailand with their self serving politically correct crap.

[AmeriThai]

Remeber that the word swastika and the words, "sawasdee ka" are very similar coming from the same origins.

Did the word "sawatdee" actually originate from the same word as "swastika"? Or is it just that it sounds like it could be related? Some words sound as if they may be related but aren't. I plead ignorant about the origin and/or relationship of these words.

[Ulysses G.]

It was Holocaust Memorial day last week. Is the Nazi paraphenalia that the Thais wear like the swastika t-shirts and Stromtrooper motorbike helmets, either amusing and naive or ignorant and offensive?

Considered high fashion.

Jews are not as influencial in Thailand with their self serving politically correct crap.

Please keep your sickening, racist remarks to yourself.

[Neeranam]

Did the word "sawatdee" actually originate from the same word as "swastika"?

Yes, as I said in my last post, it comes from the Sanskrit words "su" meaning "well" and "asti" meaning "to be".

[Ladphrao]

The wearing of these symbols is offensive, but I have better things to worry about than the youthful ignorance and fashion sense of the undereducated class of Thais.

[chuchok]

Without using any search engines, how many of us honestly know what this symbol represents?

Any takers yet.I'm amazed how people know what a swastika is, yet they don't know what picture this stands for......

[wilko]

I read somewhere that the word "swastika" and phrase "sawatdee khrap" are linguisticly related - the similarity is quite obvious....

Edited January 31, 2006 by wilko

[Plus]

Wearing nazi symbols is anti establishment in the West, but here? Who are they going to impress? Farangs? Very unlikely they think about farangs when buying this stuff. I think it's just a fashion. It will come and go. There's a lot of violence in Thai society, Nazis are not repulsive to them.

[Sir Burr]

Without using any search engines, how many of us honestly know what this symbol represents?

Any takers yet.I'm amazed how people know what a swastika is, yet they don't know what picture this stands for......

Aryan Nation or Ku Klux Klan?

Edited January 31, 2006 by Sir Burr

[chuchok]

Without using any search engines, how many of us honestly know what this symbol represents?

Any takers yet.I'm amazed how people know what a swastika is, yet they don't know what picture this stands for......

Aryan Nation or Ku Klux Klan?

Khmer Rouge guerrilla soldiers wave flags 17 April 1975 as they enter Phnom Penh.

Flag was cut off...dunno why, but the symbol on the flag it is the same as what smedish has posted

Edited January 31, 2006 by chuchok

[AmeriThai]

Did the word "sawatdee" actually originate from the same word as "swastika"?

Yes, as I said in my last post, it comes from the Sanskrit words "su" meaning "well" and "asti" meaning "to be".

As I indicated, sometimes something that may seem to have the same origin, turns out not to be the case. Thanks for explaining why they are related.

[raro]

Here's an interesting company logo I scanned from a Thai business card:

I asked the guy why he choosed this logo and he said that the four branches represent the four elements and once they start spinning, his business will also gain momentum and prosperity.