Bangkok: Chula students celebrate graduation with Hitler

[bangon04]

Oh come on, they are just having you on.

Farang think to much.

I think it is disgraceful that they left Pol Pot off the mural. That would have shown their contempt for Asian history too. A lost opportunity.

[tingtongteesood]

I think the majority of Thai people simply see Hitler as 'a movie villain' and don't even know he was a real person let alone what he did...ignorance is bliss. But then how many non Thai people, even those who have been to Thailand would know who Piboon Songkram was ?

[Torrens54]

Oh come on, they are just having you on.

Faring think to much.

No they're not. Whoever did that and whoever didn't realize it was objectionable was IGNORANT. They have shamed their school in the eyes of the world, and also shamed Thailand as that is an elite school of the country ... except for Nazi lovers.

Seriously, how are Nazis and Hitler covered in the TEACHING there?

Get over it, The JAPS invaded Thailand, not the Germans. If they had Tojo up there, it would be a different story.

[GreenSnapper]

And Western students, "activists", wear Che-Guevara t-shirts, another mass killer. Not of the size of Hitler, but still a killer.

And they "fight capitalism", as their heros Marx, Mao, Stalin, Pol Pot did.

Not that different to thoughtless Chula-chicks, me thinks. At least the chicks play on their iPhones, while the activists occupy wallstreet.

[Thai at Heart]

7 pages in.

Did we work out yet that the supposedly best educated domestic young minds have zero understanding that to portray Hitler on a poster is just blind ignorance?

They are not worldly, smart or capable of empathy. They are chula students, the cream of the cream, and no one should dare to suggest otherwise!

[Beetlejuice]

I don't think there is an actual Neo-Nazi movement in Thailand. For that, we should be happy. This kind of thing simply reflects IGNORANCE.

I don`t believe this is all down to ignorance anymore, they know exactly what they are doing and what Hitler was about, this is to do with gaining publicity.

Just add a Hitler image to a company logo, University and so on as a wind up, and suddenly they have world wide recognition, free advertising and headlines.

This is becoming rather boring now and perhaps any Westerners who attend that University will decide to leave as a protest.

The only way this practice may be made to cease and desist if some of the foreign embassies or politicians from other countries start complaining, naming the heads of these companies and institutions who allow these images to be displayed, otherwise once this begins to catch on, it will soon spread nationwide.

[Bluespunk]

Oh come on, they are just having you on.

Faring think to much.

No they're not. Whoever did that and whoever didn't realize it was objectionable was IGNORANT. They have shamed their school in the eyes of the world, and also shamed Thailand as that is an elite school of the country ... except for Nazi lovers.

Seriously, how are Nazis and Hitler covered in the TEACHING there?

Get over it, The JAPS invaded Thailand, not the Germans. If they had Tojo up there, it would be a different story.

Personally speaking, I'm not sure how to get over the celebration of a man was responsible for the holocaust. How do I do this?

[keemapoot]

And Western students, "activists", wear Che-Guevara t-shirts, another mass killer. Not of the size of Hitler, but still a killer.

And they "fight capitalism", as their heros Marx, Mao, Stalin, Pol Pot did.

Not that different to thoughtless Chula-chicks, me thinks. At least the chicks play on their iPhones, while the activists occupy wallstreet.

Speaking of Che Guevara, that's another example of how Thais love the image, but have no knowledge of who he was. Driving on Thai highways, you can count dozens of big rig trucks with Che Guevara mud flaps, stickers, etc... Same thing as this Hitler fad I think. They have no clue, it just looks cute.

[angiud]

My personal opinion (not as a mod) is that cannot compare Che Guevara with Hitler

[toooa]

Lets use our imaginations then. Which famous Thai politician do you think could rock a small square charlie chaplin type moustache quite well? Hopefully you won't need to strain yourselves too hard to conjure this little bit of mental magic. And if you compare certain aspects of their campaign style, I'm sure you'll see the similarity. Even the colors fit... lol

[Dr Strange]

Guevara a mass killer? Comparing him to Hitler.

Now there is some right wing revisionism in one post!

Biographer Jon Lee Anderson, (who spent 5 years studying the topic) has addressed this matter in a PBS forum stating ...

"I have yet to find a single credible source pointing to a case where Che executed an innocent. Those persons executed by Guevara or on his orders were condemned for the usual crimes punishable by death at times of war or in its aftermath: desertion, treason or crimes such as rape, torture or murder."

[Theoutsider]

I did see 2 neo-nazis once in Thailand but they where Swedish in a Western bar. They had all the tattoos and after them talking to us for 5min I realized I had to be some ware else, fast.

[yaipai]

A Buddha in an art gallery in Germany is disrespectful to the Thai people, but this should be ok because it is in Thailand and not in Europe /Germany ? Another example of so-called respect in Thai culture.. it only applies one way. .... it is in the culture to say "that is thai culture".. for the rest a meaningless statement.

We are not discussing Germany. We are discussing Thailand. The use of a perceived wrong to justify an ignorant act does not work.

IMO, the Hitler addition was intentional and the consequences were forseen. This is an attempt to create a stir and gain attention. Why not ask the students responsible why they did it? Then a complimentary trip to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC. They can spend a few hours being educated and then come back and share what they learnt. Some judges have sent young offenders found guilty of hate crimes for a visit, and it has worked wonders. An hour or so next to the exhibit on the medical experiments on children should do the trick.

Free trip to the US... a good incentive for the students.

[Tchooptip]

I don't think there is an actual Neo-Nazi movement in Thailand. For that, we should be happy. This kind of thing simply reflects IGNORANCE.

Yes ignorance probably... but also carelessness

[edwinchester]

 

Stop bringing your western values to Thailand... they don't work here.

 

Hitler is just a historical figure, no worse than Chairman Mao.. so get over it.

Hitler was a genocidal maniac and should not be so casually included in a graduation mural.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

 

Why not?  Is anyone really offended?

 

Perhaps the students are bit smarter than you give them credit for and included it so they could get some free publicity and marvel at everyone getting upset about it.

Maybe you should ask anyone affected by WW2, maybe a member of a family nearly obliterated by the concentration camps or maybe even my mum who lost relatives to a Luftwaffe bomb.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[rbrooks]

Stop bringing your western values to Thailand... they don't work here.

Hitler is just a historical figure, no worse than Chairman Mao.. so get over it.

Yes sure it is quite appropriate to have a banner congratulating college students with a drawing of a dictator of a country that committed mass genocide of chosen nationalities. Maybe they did this for publicity? Give me a break! Ask 100 grad students from the college who Hitler was and I can assure you maybe most of them will give you a blank stare and say maybe KFC founder.

[Rorri]

Stop bringing your western values to Thailand... they don't work here.

Hitler is just a historical figure, no worse than Chairman Mao.. so get over it.

One is still a hero in his country, the other is not.

[Tchooptip]

And Western students, "activists", wear Che-Guevara t-shirts, another mass killer. Not of the size of Hitler, but still a killer.

And they "fight capitalism", as their heros Marx, Mao, Stalin, Pol Pot did.

Not that different to thoughtless Chula-chicks, me thinks. At least the chicks play on their iPhones, while the activists occupy wallstreet.

Speaking of Che Guevara, that's another example of how Thais love the image, but have no knowledge of who he was. Driving on Thai highways, you can count dozens of big rig trucks with Che Guevara mud flaps, stickers, etc... Same thing as this Hitler fad I think. They have no clue, it just looks cute.

Sorry but all over Europe you'll find thousand of T-shirts with Che Guevara I doubt you'll find a single with Hitler

[rgs2001uk]

Oh come on, they are just having you on.

Faring think to much.

No they're not. Whoever did that and whoever didn't realize it was objectionable was IGNORANT. They have shamed their school in the eyes of the world, and also shamed Thailand as that is an elite school of the country ... except for Nazi lovers.

Seriously, how are Nazis and Hitler covered in the TEACHING there?

Get over it, The JAPS invaded Thailand, not the Germans. If they had Tojo up there, it would be a different story.

Ah, poor old Tojo, the man who was made a scapegoat, why wasnt the emperor hung out to dry?

Yet again the victors re-write history.

[Hecate]

Don't they teach history at that school? Why does Hitler keep popping up in Thailand? Don't the Thais realize that this will tarnish their reputation abroad? As westerners, we respect the Thai monarchy, and it would be nice to see some of that respect returned.

This is really pitiful for one of the best universities in the country and a very sad commentary on education in Thailand.

[Theoutsider]

And Western students, "activists", wear Che-Guevara t-shirts, another mass killer. Not of the size of Hitler, but still a killer.

And they "fight capitalism", as their heros Marx, Mao, Stalin, Pol Pot did.

Not that different to thoughtless Chula-chicks, me thinks. At least the chicks play on their iPhones, while the activists occupy wallstreet.

Speaking of Che Guevara, that's another example of how Thais love the image, but have no knowledge of who he was. Driving on Thai highways, you can count dozens of big rig trucks with Che Guevara mud flaps, stickers, etc... Same thing as this Hitler fad I think. They have no clue, it just looks cute.

Sorry but all over Europe you'll find thousand of T-shirts with Che Guevara I doubt you'll find a single with Hitler

But we have price harry as a SS guard.

[lemoncake]

If i am not mistaken, last year or around the time, they did "research" on IQ in South East Asia, and from memory Thailand came last(lowest IQ)

Perhaps the reason and explanation speaks for itself with this OP

[EC225LP]

This is supposedly one of the top universities in Thailand. And next to Captain America too!

How sad...

+1.....

Yet another reason why my kids will never study here.

[aechzen]

who is captain america ? where is america ?

, ohh they want to show the farmer cartoons with more style , good idea

Edited July 12, 2013 by aechzen

[Thai at Heart]

This is supposedly one of the top universities in Thailand. And next to Captain America too!

How sad...

+1.....

Yet another reason why my kids will never study here.

Don't worry. The moment you realise that the vast majority of Thais have an education similar to a 14 year old back home, every thing makes sense.

[lemoncake]

This is supposedly one of the top universities in Thailand. And next to Captain America too!

How sad...

+1.....

Yet another reason why my kids will never study here.

Don't worry. The moment you realise that the vast majority of Thais have an education similar to a 14 year old back home, every thing makes sense.

14? you been optimistic, some are stuck at 9 year old level

[djh]

I just spoke with the office of the Vice President for Administration for the university......

Excellent, Simple1. Good on you!

That would be a good idea for any and ALL of you who are bothered by this. Posting your views here is fine, but... ? What good does it really do...? If you want to at least try to have an influence on this . . . Pick up a phone. Or, have a local friend, family member, etc... , who speaks Thai call. IF the University receives no heat - nothing will change, that is for sure.

Ignorance is not bliss... It is dangerous.

[sausageandmash]

Stop bringing your western values to Thailand... they don't work here.

Hitler is just a historical figure, no worse than Chairman Mao.. so get over it.

Looks like you left your brains in the West when you came here. You need to get over yourself.

[culicine]

whats disturbing is that most of the images on the poster are mostly fictitious "super hero" types that send something of a positive theme.... then there is hitler...

what you can extrapolate then is that hitler is like a fantasy character to them...a legend of some kind..so weird

Yes, that's why it's clearly ignorance, and a pattern in Thailand shows there is a problem with their HISTORY curriculum.

Most of it seems to be Thai history, from what I can gather. There is no equivalent of an A-level history class in Thai schools. maybe in university, but certainly not in schools. They rote learn their version of Thai history and that's the only country that really matters (to them).

[lemoncake]

I just spoke with the office of the Vice President for Administration for the university......

Excellent, Simple1. Good on you!

That would be a good idea for any and ALL of you who are bothered by this. Posting your views here is fine, but... ? What good does it really do...? If you want to at least try to have an influence on this . . . Pick up a phone. Or, have a local friend, family member, etc... , who speaks Thai call. IF the University receives no heat - nothing will change, that is for sure.

Ignorance is not bliss... It is dangerous.

You will have more success teaching monkey how to speak than influencing a Thai.

Hitler promotion has been explained to Thai's numerous times on all different levels including diplomatic and they simply either do not comprehend or just do not care.