Hitler fashion statements confuse, offend tourists in Thailand
By Lindsay Jolivet

"Great Hitler T-Shirt, you look so cute!"

BANGKOK: -- Wait, what? Cute may not be a word anyone ever expected to hear associated with Adolf Hitler but a fashion trend in Thailand has muddled history, turning Hitler into a style icon, according to CNN.

Tourists and anyone with the most remote sense of history are baffled at a trend among youth in Bangkok to sport T-shirts that depict Adolf Hitler as Ronald McDonald, a cartoonish panda or a Teletubby.

Outside one of the stores that sell these Nazi-branded goods sometimes stand dummies with mustaches that resemble the Nazi Führer's. CNN even posted an image of a McHitler donation box for Thailand flood relief.

One of the owners tried to justify the merchandise by saying simply that Hitler looks funny and young people like the shirts.

Full story: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-buzz/hitler-fashion-statements-confuse-offend-tourists-thailand-160709484.html

-- YAHOO! NEWS 2013-03-09

What do you expect from a country full of over 60 million people who don't know that a world exists beyond their borders and who generally despise non-Thais? Nothing new here for those of us who live here. Let the 2 week tourists be surprised.

I can't wait to see the Ministry of Culture's response to this.

What - I hear you say - there won't be one?

Ah... Thai culture. Now I get it.

Again

Is there a requirement for a Hitler/Nazi/Swastika thread every few weeks?

Is this 'news' - from 'daily buzz on twitter'

That video a year old, does it add anything to this forum?

How about:

Bangkok's 'Hitler Chic' Trend Riles Tourists, Israeli Envoy

and just a few weeks ago

Whats Up With The Locals Admiration For Hitler?!

My suggestion: close it, same posters with same posts . . .

Edited March 9, 201313 yr by cycloneJ

Thai don't even know what it is they are wearing can hardly blame the kids if they haven't been educated about the world outside. My niece was wearing a shirt/shorts that appeared to be made with the Union Jack and when I explained to her what it was she was very suprised. She thought it was just a trendy design. When I suggested that she make some clothing out of the Thai flag she was quite disgusted, saying you can't do that as it is disrepectful to Thailand.

The hub of "I-was-brainwashed-so-I-didn't--know"

The hub of "I-was-brainwashed-so-I-didn't--know"

More like "I-was-never-educated-so-I-didn't-know"

Hitler had a physical ridiculous image, so it is obvious that the Thais take it from there, but by now they should be aware of the real character and avoid this kind of fashion statements. I can't imagine them doing the same with Pol Pot (better not to give them ideas).

What do you expect from a country full of over 60 million people who don't know that a world exists beyond their borders and who generally despise non-Thais? Nothing new here for those of us who live here. Let the 2 week tourists be surprised.

Over 60 million people were killled during WWII; in 1939 Thailand had a population of 15,023,000..............

Oh, the hitler thread again. Whoopee. All we need now is a thread full of raging farang complaining about being called farang and our day will be complete.

Oh, the hitler thread again. Whoopee. All we need now is a thread full of raging farang complaining about being called farang and our day will be complete.

Didn't get any this morning I see

Again

Is there a requirement for a Hitler/Nazi/Swastika thread every few weeks?

Is this 'news' - from 'daily buzz on twitter'

That video a year old, does it add anything to this forum?

How about:

Bangkok's 'Hitler Chic' Trend Riles Tourists, Israeli Envoy

and just a few weeks ago

Whats Up With The Locals Admiration For Hitler?!

My suggestion: close it, same posters with same posts . . .

Mods most likely will close this thread when, like the two you mentioned above, it degenerates into ugly racist slurs.

Oh, the hitler thread again. Whoopee. All we need now is a thread full of raging farang complaining about being called farang and our day will be complete.

Yesterday a couple of Thai kids laughed as I went past them and when I asked them why they laughed they replied because you are farang that looks like Hitler. House is on the market, car on the market and I'm leaving and going back to UK.

The ones using images of Teletubbies and Ronald McDonald and other copyrighted images are easy to sort out as unless the owners have given permission for their use it's theft. This seems relevant.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/620088-thailand-awaits-good-news-on-u-s-priority-watch-list-removal/?hl=%2Bcopyright#entry6126508

There are problems with the swastika as it has other connections but Hitler doesn't although it's not uncommon for him to be used as a figure of fun in the west. The most important thing is for Thais to be educated as to the history behind Hitler and the Nazis. That's the lesson that needs to be learned.

I won't be surprised if I see a report on here about a big increase in Jewish tourists despite this.

Please, not this thread again.

Thais don't get it. They think they have the right to offend everyone in Thailand, and that no one can offended them

The ones using images of Teletubbies and Ronald McDonald and other copyrighted images are easy to sort out as unless the owners have given permission for their use it's theft. This seems relevant.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/620088-thailand-awaits-good-news-on-u-s-priority-watch-list-removal/?hl=%2Bcopyright#entry6126508

There are problems with the swastika as it has other connections but Hitler doesn't although it's not uncommon for him to be used as a figure of fun in the west. The most important thing is for Thais to be educated as to the history behind Hitler and the Nazis. That's the lesson that needs to be learned.

I won't be surprised if I see a report on here about a big increase in Jewish tourists despite this.

Who cares ........

A lot more things Thais need to be educated about than an ethnic minority demonising a chap who died 70 years ago.

I don't get it.

McDonald's I am sure would have a word to say about that film.

My question was it a one day affair? Or was it a set up?

Or perhaps it was ligitament. Who knows. For sure the kids don't even know who or what Hitler is much less what he did..

My BIL, an educated Thai and a decent chappy with whom I get along with very well has a fixation with military regalia..

Part of this fixation is his adornment of the Swastika and Third Reich Imagery... I've tried to tell him what these symbols represent and that to many the symbol is so closely linked to the slaughter of about 6 million innocent people it is highly offensive. I have also tried to explain the ideology of the Third Reich and that had my BIL himself lived in the day he would possibly be a target of the 'Ethnic Cleansing' policies.

Like many, he simply does not think beyond the idea that these images look cool, to him at least. I believe this represents a huge gap in emotional responsibility so evident in society today.

Where responsibility for ones actions is diminishing, where accountability is lost and where concept of consequence is absent the remaining consciousness is simply one of want without the levels of maturity usually associated with the higher stages of social awareness.

Edited March 9, 201313 yr by richard_smith237

What do you expect from a country full of over 60 million people who don't know that a world exists beyond their borders and who generally despise non-Thais? Nothing new here for those of us who live here. Let the 2 week tourists be surprised.

Maybe so, but on the other side of the world (south of where you appear to come from), there is a country with 5 times our population, who have no idea about anything outside their borders... and that's a supposedly "advanced" country, so in fact I see little difference in that attitude...

I was going to add that in Thailand most of the locals don't speak English, but then I realised that was not different... haha!

I can't wait to see the Ministry of Culture's response to this.

What - I hear you say - there won't be one?

Ah... Thai culture. Now I get it.

They would if the Hitler dolls were wearing spaghetti straps...

What do you expect from a country full of over 60 million people who don't know that a world exists beyond their borders and who generally despise non-Thais? Nothing new here for those of us who live here. Let the 2 week tourists be surprised.

Despise? I think you need to smile more often.

Go to You Tube for instance, type Hitler into the search pane. The choice of parodies is enormous, or what about Hitler raps, or parading with Darth Fader, Hitler Gang Nam style or disco Hitler or.... or...or..

In Thailand it is due to not being educated so I read, so what is it called in the wonderful countries which claim to have a much better education?? Please don't tell me all of these you tube movies and other stuff on the web about Hitler out of it`s original context was uploaded by just Thai.

Really! REally!?! Seriously, who gives a sh*t. And don't even think about bringing me the "Thais don't know jack about Western histiry they are just naive and don't know what Hitler did to the Jews" argument. People seem to go out-of-their-way these days to get offende by some crap. The British commmited atrocities under Victoria in SA - should I be (or am I) offended by someone wearing her T-Shirt? No! I could go on, but already feel that Hitler has wasted too much time of my day (and life) already.

Lizzie van Zyl: The British incarcerated her following the refusal of her father, a Boer combatant, to surrender. 6 years old.

Edited March 9, 201313 yr by SABloke

Is it too early in this thread to put up the "swastika is an ancient Buddhist / Hindu symbol" defense?

Most of the material that you and I might see as being offensive, is offensive due to the connection with death camps and specifically our own culture. Thai kids grow up learning little about our culture, so in reality can be forgiven for not knowing much about it - certainly blame the education system for failings there, but bear in mind that kids in western schools probably learn as little about Siamese history as the Thais do about the west. The point implied by Chooka is very valid - tourists and visitors don't mind using the Thai flag as an ornament of their travels, and even buy little Buddha images - but how many treat those with the respect that they deserve, or understand the meaning behind the things they see here?

Westerners may be as offended as they like about others not knowing their history, but the reverse is also true, as many visitors are uneducated in the ways of the local culture and the historic sensitivities associated with it. This applies throughout the world, but just here.

Yes, Hitler and his Nazis were a major, and horrendous part of western history, but less so over in Asia, the other side of the world, where at that time, they were fighting their own wars and being slaughtered by the Japanese invaders - much more of an issue than what someone a world away did to the people there. How horrified are you at what the Japanese did? How horrified are you at what happened in Cambodia? How disgusted are you with what went on in Vietnam?

You also have to understand that in Asia people don't tend to dwell on things as much as westerners do - once its over, in a lot of cases they just shrug and say "Well that's the way it is." Unfortunately it does lead to repeating mistakes where the lesson was not learned as it should have been, but I believe it comes from a background of being powerless to fix many of the issues people see around them, and not wishing to become obsessed with tilting at windmills, they ignore it and get on with their lives... not necessarily defending this attitude, but I do see why this happens.

Edited March 9, 201313 yr by Greer

Please, not this thread again.

Thais don't get it. They think they have the right to offend everyone in Thailand, and that no one can offended them

toilet seats with a buddha image printed on it

https://www.google.co.th/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=toilet+seat+buddha&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.43287494,d.bmk&biw=1600&bih=775&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=Wp86UZDbCsSZiAf0w4DQBg

Go to You Tube for instance, type Hitler into the search pane. The choice of parodies is enormous, or what about Hitler raps, or parading with Darth Fader, Hitler Gang Nam style or disco Hitler or.... or...or..

In Thailand it is due to not being educated so I read, so what is it called in the wonderful countries which claim to have a much better education?? Please don't tell me all of these you tube movies and other stuff on the web about Hitler out of it`s original context was uploaded by just Thai.

that battle between vader and H is pretty cool

Go to You Tube for instance, type Hitler into the search pane. The choice of parodies is enormous, or what about Hitler raps, or parading with Darth Fader, Hitler Gang Nam style or disco Hitler or.... or...or..

In Thailand it is due to not being educated so I read, so what is it called in the wonderful countries which claim to have a much better education?? Please don't tell me all of these you tube movies and other stuff on the web about Hitler out of it`s original context was uploaded by just Thai.

I think what people mean by thais not being educated is that If you ask a thai who hitler was or what he did there would be very few who could tell you. Sure they may know his face on a fashion garment but that is probably the extent. In the west I would say the majority of people would be the opposite.

Oh, the hitler thread again. Whoopee. All we need now is a thread full of raging farang complaining about being called farang and our day will be complete.

Yesterday a couple of Thai kids laughed as I went past them and when I asked them why they laughed they replied because you are farang that looks like Hitler. House is on the market, car on the market and I'm leaving and going back to UK.

hahahaha you look like Hitler? Can you post a photo?

Oh, the hitler thread again. Whoopee. All we need now is a thread full of raging farang complaining about being called farang and our day will be complete.

Yesterday a couple of Thai kids laughed as I went past them and when I asked them why they laughed they replied because you are farang that looks like Hitler. House is on the market, car on the market and I'm leaving and going back to UK.

I take it your plans for world domination are shelved then.

Vienna just built a Che Guevara Monument a couple of years ago. Still a lot Mao and Stalin pictures in Europe.

Austrian president was long time an admire of North Korea.

But when you mention Hitler everyone freaks out. What is the difference between an evil dictator and mass murder that is fashionable (Mao for example) and an evil dictator that is disgusting?

I think it is a bit sick to find mass murder fashionable.....

But still better than having laws that forbid it.