Hitler Fashion Statements Confuse, Offend Tourists In Thailand

[Traveller45]

This is something that struck me also when I travelled in Asia. We have to be prepared that Asians have a completely different attitude to the European side of WW2. A Chinese friend, a nice guy, proper, good job etc. proudly showed me his screensaver on his smartphone, which was an MG42 giving off live fire. That, he said, is the real Germany. It was meant as a compliment, good craftsmanship etc. I changed the subject. (MG42 IS an excellent weapon, of course). I suppose that the Hitler shirts go somewhere along the same lines. The people who wear them notice the vaguely shocking effect and like it, they don´t think twice about that person. So, I guess, RELAX is the word...

[Mudcrab]

This is something that struck me also when I travelled in Asia. We have to be prepared that Asians have a completely different attitude to the European side of WW2. A Chinese friend, a nice guy, proper, good job etc. proudly showed me his screensaver on his smartphone, which was an MG42 giving off live fire. That, he said, is the real Germany. It was meant as a compliment, good craftsmanship etc. I changed the subject. (MG42 IS an excellent weapon, of course). I suppose that the Hitler shirts go somewhere along the same lines. The people who wear them notice the vaguely shocking effect and like it, they don´t think twice about that person. So, I guess, RELAX is the word...

Agree...we cannot view the world (if we want to be a part of it) from a solely western perspective. The west is after all, the minority, and the Asian Tiger is risng fast.

[ALFREDO]

Sorry to disappoint you. I am a citizen of the world.

Can you please, place a screen shot of your Passport into a posting of yours?

I would like to see one of these, "New?" Passports.

They let you travel with such a document, really? To Thailand also?

Well my friend I will try to explain the remark "citizen of the world" for your benefit. It is a quite common phrase for those of us who have done extensive travel throughout the world. I am an American citizen plus a PR of Singapore. During my fifty one year working career I lived and worked in North America, South America, Central America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North Africa, Afghanistan, Australia , India and quite a few countries in APAC. Thus the term "citizen of the world". Hope this clears this up for you and the next time you hear the term you will not have to query the person making the statement.

My posting was one of -irony- a man of your IQ and so far and well traveled should realize that.

If you just answered my question, if you from -Germany- and not write something Ting Tong, you would not have be felt obliged to post that lengthy

life story of yours.

[Morakot]

Is it too early in this thread to bring up the interesting historical trivia bit?

I think it's now time for the obligatory Hitler's dog joke.

[Pimay1]

Sorry to disappoint you. I am a citizen of the world.

Can you please, place a screen shot of your Passport into a posting of yours?

I would like to see one of these, "New?" Passports.

They let you travel with such a document, really? To Thailand also?

Well my friend I will try to explain the remark "citizen of the world" for your benefit. It is a quite common phrase for those of us who have done extensive travel throughout the world. I am an American citizen plus a PR of Singapore. During my fifty one year working career I lived and worked in North America, South America, Central America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North Africa, Afghanistan, Australia , India and quite a few countries in APAC. Thus the term "citizen of the world". Hope this clears this up for you and the next time you hear the term you will not have to query the person making the statement.

My posting was one of -irony- a man of your IQ and so far and well traveled should realize that.

If you just answered my question, if you from -Germany- and not write something Ting Tong, you would not have be felt obliged to post that lengthy

life story of yours.

Well I hope I have cleared up what "citizen of the world" means to you. We are never too old to learn my friend.

[Thai at Heart]

This is something that struck me also when I travelled in Asia. We have to be prepared that Asians have a completely different attitude to the European side of WW2. A Chinese friend, a nice guy, proper, good job etc. proudly showed me his screensaver on his smartphone, which was an MG42 giving off live fire. That, he said, is the real Germany. It was meant as a compliment, good craftsmanship etc. I changed the subject. (MG42 IS an excellent weapon, of course). I suppose that the Hitler shirts go somewhere along the same lines. The people who wear them notice the vaguely shocking effect and like it, they don´t think twice about that person. So, I guess, RELAX is the word...

Agree...we cannot view the world (if we want to be a part of it) from a solely western perspective. The west is after all, the minority, and the Asian Tiger is risng fast.

I await an influx of south east Asian professionals with Asean. The debates will be hilarious around the coffee pot.

[transam]

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.

[lookingeast]

Hitler and Obama and Ronald McDonald...world's gone mad.

Edited March 9, 2013 by lookingeast

[smotherb]

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.

you live here and that's your opinion of Thais, just go away

[Thai at Heart]

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.

you live here and that's your opinion of Thais, just go away

Show some intellectual curiosity would be enough.

[chooka]

Oh heck, they really ought to release The Producers in Thai movie theaters, dubbed in Thai. A surefire hit!

Was a good movie, I actually thought it was more of a sattire on the gay community tho than the Nazi's. There was an uproar from the gay community, not on this version but the remake.

Edited March 9, 2013 by chooka

[hamishgillan]

not sure if this has been mentioned in the previous 11 pages but Thailand played an integral part in the second world war think of Kanchanaburi for a start.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Thai_Armed_Forces#Conflicts

but yes i am not sure how much of this is taught in school.

Edited March 9, 2013 by hamishgillan

[osiboy]

Hypocritical how farlang people get so offended. But it is OK for them to burn other people holy books and so on. That is free speech of course.

there must be be a lot of free speech in the muslim world then by number of other countries flags they burn and embassies they bomb , lets have some real perspective on this <deleted>.

Edited March 9, 2013 by osiboy

[Mudcrab]

This is something that struck me also when I travelled in Asia. We have to be prepared that Asians have a completely different attitude to the European side of WW2. A Chinese friend, a nice guy, proper, good job etc. proudly showed me his screensaver on his smartphone, which was an MG42 giving off live fire. That, he said, is the real Germany. It was meant as a compliment, good craftsmanship etc. I changed the subject. (MG42 IS an excellent weapon, of course). I suppose that the Hitler shirts go somewhere along the same lines. The people who wear them notice the vaguely shocking effect and like it, they don´t think twice about that person. So, I guess, RELAX is the word...

Agree...we cannot view the world (if we want to be a part of it) from a solely western perspective. The west is after all, the minority, and the Asian Tiger is risng fast.

I await an influx of south east Asian professionals with Asean. The debates will be hilarious around the coffee pot.

I guess it depends on where the coffee pot is located. My brother has been in HK since 1975 and has all the arrogant "expat" baggage. he is not smiling, smrking so much these days..........

[Mudcrab]

Hitler and Obama and Ronald McDonald...world's gone mad.

always been mad!!!!!!

Edited March 9, 2013 by Mudcrab

[chooka]

Meanwhile in Thailand

[ALFREDO]

Well I hope I have cleared up what "citizen of the world" means to you. We are never too old to learn my friend.

My posting was one of -irony- a man of your IQ and so far and well traveled should realize that.

Crazy,

-Pimay- do you read -Irony- above? Are you -unreasonable-?

I knew, the meaning of your comment! " I am a citizen of the world."

and made an "ironic" comment regarding that "Passport. I hope now, you understand, that you did not teach me anything!

[Maestro]

The noise pollution in that shopping mall in the video is typical of Thailand. I wish CNN had said something about that.

[KuhnPaen]

Mommy, who Hitler?

Arai na? Oh, he the guy from the funny movie, when they make movie with no sound. He real name Charlie Chaplin.

Movie have no sound before?

Yes, and then he drive a tank and he kill many farang.

Why he kill so many farang?

I don't know. Maybe because farang stupid, and he want to take their gold.

Then what he do?

Oh, I think he get killed by Rambo. I not sure.

Why farang get mad about Hitler too much?

Oi, I tell you already! Hitler kill farang and take their gold. Same Burma do to Thai people many time.

Hitler ride elephant like Burma people?

No! He drive a tank! Why you so stupid?

Because you don't teach me anything except how to be a greedy, self-centered <deleted> like you.

What <deleted> mean?

I not sure, I hear on tii wii.

Oh.

You want eat som tam?

Sure.

*munch, munch, munch*

Mommy, why Hitler kill so many people from Mexico?

I not sure, what they tell you in school?

They only say there big big war and many farang kill many farang, and Japanese kill farang too. Kill many farang in Thailand.

Nobody like farang.

Me too....can you buy me Hitler shirt?

[bigbamboo]

Stalin next? He killed more people than Hitler.

It is best not to make too much of this childish fashion for young kids.

Big scale wars are a thing of the past. Both my Grandfathers were killed in WW1 by the Germans but now I love Germany and the German people.

Also,Thailand was occupied by the Japanese in WW2. Why dont Thai kids wear Tee shirts promoting the Emperor of Japan.He was responsible for the deaths of many Thai people.

Actually the Thai government was pro-Japanese when they were winning then were against them when they were losing. The Japanese kept in well with the Thais so they wouldn't cause too many problems when they were building their railway. They even helped the Thais reclaim some territory from the French - hence the Victory Monument in Bangkok celebrating the victory of the Thai forces over the French. But you ask any Thai what the biggest monument in Thailand in the middle of Bangkok is all about and they won't have a clue. Not even in the armed forces museum (I once asked a guide there and she mumbled something about the Burmese!). There is also a monument somewhere up north commemorating the Japanese dead - it's a draw for Japanese tourists! And the people who really gained from the Bridge over the River Kwai was not the Japanese - it was the Thai tourist operators and the presenters of the fantastic light show every night at the bridge!

Thailand (under it's dictator Phibun) saw an opportunity when the Japanese showed up, albeit they didn't ultimately have a lot of choice, and tried to make the most of it. In true Thai style they backed what he thought would be the likely winner but you can't be too judgemental. Even the holier than thou Swiss tacitly backed the Germans acting as their bankers until the tide began to turn.

One excuse for the Thais attitude towards Hitler is that he never really effected them in the way he did so many others.

Edited March 9, 2013 by bigbamboo

[Pimay1]

Well I hope I have cleared up what "citizen of the world" means to you. We are never too old to learn my friend.

My posting was one of -irony- a man of your IQ and so far and well traveled should realize that.

Crazy,

-Pimay- do you read -Irony- above? Are you -unreasonable-?

I knew, the meaning of your comment! " I am a citizen of the world."

and made an "ironic" comment regarding that "Passport. I hope now, you understand, that you did not teach me anything!

Ok no problem. We are on the same wave link.

[pedro01]

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.

Having trouble making friend here?

[rubl]

Let the man speak for himself

[bigbamboo]

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.

Haha....... one of the better ones!

[animatic]

Let the man speak for himself

And he is CLEARLY insulting Hitler and his whole leadership cadre.

[fasteddie]

Who cares?

[ratcatcher]

Meanwhile in Thailand

Couldn't stop smiling. Great parody & piss take. They are almost funnier than Psy Gangnam & his show.

[americaninbangkok]

Leaving freedom of speech aside... my main concern is not over whether using Hitler as a fashion icon is cool or not. It's that Thais get so hung up about image" and "face" and how Thais are portrayed. But they couldn't seem to give a sh*t about how they regard others. It's insensitive (or illegal in some instances) to speak unwell of Thai culture and traditions. Yet when Thais do it to others, "we were just being cute and chic". It's not cute. And It’s not chic. It’s childish. Childish in the sense that children are allowed to make "innocent mistakes" for they know not better. If that's what they want, fine. But don't be surprised when other countries don't trust you with big boy pants (like handling atomic weapons, addressing issues like human and wildlife trafficking, curbing intellectual property violations, etc).

[harryfrompattaya]

I as a American say this the Germans I met go crazy when you talk about hitler.

Even they the fellows realize he was a Ass. And the Grandfathers were sick for believe in him

[SanSaiExPat]

You might be interested in reading about the Nazi controversy in Chaing Mai last year. http://myfishsauce.blogspot.com/2011/10/production-and-sales-of-nazi-logo.html