Thai Embassy To Ask Australian Firm To Stop Selling Controversial Shoes

[george]

Thai embassy to ask Australian firm to stop selling controversial shoes

BANGKOK: -- The Foreign Ministry has asked the Thai embassy in Canberra to tell a firm to stop making and selling a models of sneakers painted with Thai national flag and garuda emblem.

Kiarttikhun Chartprasert, deputy spokesman of the ministry, said on Wednesday that the embassy had been asked to seek cooperation from the AstoriaVIII.com to stop selling the model of sneakers.

The firm announced on its Web site that it makes customised sneakers.

The picture of the controversial model on the firm's Web site shows it is decorated with Thai national flag on the fasteners and the garuda emblems are printed on the heels.

--The Nation 2006-05-11

Related link/pictures: http://astoriaviii.com/SNK-Nike%20AF1_The%...5BDTL1%5D.shtml

[Terminator]

Thai embassy to ask Australian firm to stop selling controversial shoes

BANGKOK: -- The Foreign Ministry has asked the Thai embassy in Canberra to tell a firm to stop making and selling a models of sneakers painted with Thai national flag and garuda emblem.

Kiarttikhun Chartprasert, deputy spokesman of the ministry, said on Wednesday that the embassy had been asked to seek cooperation from the AstoriaVIII.com to stop selling the model of sneakers.

The firm announced on its Web site that it makes customised sneakers.

The picture of the controversial model on the firm's Web site shows it is decorated with Thai national flag on the fasteners and the garuda emblems are printed on the heels.

--The Nation 2006-05-11

Related link/pictures: http://astoriaviii.com/SNK-Nike%20AF1_The%...5BDTL1%5D.shtml

great new business idea for thailand

[Patex]

Shoes?

A few other products comes to the mind...

[NedKelly]

Controversy = publicity ........they got it !

[IMA_FARANG]

Controversy = publicity ........they got it !

Not that this has anything to do with Thailand, but years ago, while I was working in Saudi Arabia, there was a French company selling men's shoes. The name they used was Nussey shoes, but at first it was spelled with a P instead of an N.

The Saudis made them change the name to Nussey.

Too bad, because I had a great advertising slogan for the original brand name.

[elGrande]

How about all the offensive T-Shirts for sale in BKK. Any comment from Thailand on that?

[Pattayatony]

How about all the offensive T-Shirts for sale in BKK. Any comment from Thailand on that?

It Sure is different when the shoe is on the other foot.

[astral]

The Foreign Ministry has asked the Thai embassy in Canberra to tell a firm to stop making and selling a models of sneakers painted with Thai national flag and garuda emblem.

Since when does the Thai Embassy have the authority to TELL someone not to do something

in Australia, or anywhere else for that matter. Bloody cheek!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope the story gets in the Oz press.

The shoes will sell like hot cakes.

[stumonster]

according to an austrailian news report

He and his younger brother painted the sneakers on the request of an Australian man of Thai heritage for $310.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story...07-1702,00.html

[kat]

Actually, it is rather interesting how delicate Thai sensibilities are raised when it comes to their own culture, but they have no problem trivializing others in their insipid entertainment venues.

[Rinrada]

Similar thing with the origional name of Darlie Toothpaste

[dave111223]

Hmm....i would buy a pair if they weren't charging $250 USD!

[naka]

Actually, it is rather interesting how delicate Thai sensibilities are raised when it comes to their own culture, but they have no problem trivializing others in their insipid entertainment venues.

It's called Inferiority Complex.

Never heard of the Brits or Yanks complaining about the use of their flags. In fact

they probably welcome it. Different mindsets ?

On my first trip to Aussie half a lifetime ago, the Aussies had what was termed a Cultural Cringe.

Nowadays I see the opposite. Probably a lot to do with their sporting prowess.

Naka.

Edited May 13, 2006 by naka

[Maejo Man]

Thai embassy to ask Australian firm to stop selling controversial shoes

BANGKOK: -- The Foreign Ministry has asked the Thai embassy in Canberra to tell a firm to stop making and selling a models of sneakers painted with Thai national flag and garuda emblem.

A storm in a teacup! They hand painted one pair for a person that was part Thai, and I bet he has no idea of what a stir he caused.

[Scott]

A bit too sensitive for my taste. There must be bigger problems that need tackling.

[jdinasia]

Is kinda a non-issue issue .... but to spank the Thais like does sure smacks of a bit of superiority

Thai flag on the feet ... doubt most of BKK would be bothered by that but upcountry some might ... <still a non-issue>

Just like the soccer movie is a non-issue and the ghost game movie is a [retty tacky but non-issue too

Edited May 13, 2006 by jdinasia

[Ricardo]

Yesterday morning at Carrefour, I saw a Thai worker wearing a dirty T-shirt whose design included the Thai flag, covered in mud.

Can anybody advise, should I have arrested him myself on-the-spot, or merely called the police to do so ? Or the Aussie embassy ??

[Samuian]

...Can anybody advise, should I have arrested him myself on-the-spot, or merely called the police to do so ? Or the Aussie embassy ??

Sure, the Embassy and the Foreign Minister should call the Thai interim Interior Minister and they should discuss if the Guy should be arrested by the National Guard, the Army, because he caused such great National nuisance, Police wouldn't be the right solution, besides they may just ask the Guy to take off the T-shirt and wash it - before putting it on again.....

[astral]

This is like the Thai University Dress Code thread.

Petty officials with nothing better to do with their time.

[Kna]

well, first I need to tell you about the meaning of those colour in Thai's Flag.

Red means people of Thailand

White means Religion, Bhuddist

Blue means Our King

And if you live in Thailand long enough you should know by now how we Thais feel about our king.

Thus it's the reason we don't put the flag on pants, shoes.....

To make thing worse, they put Garuda on the shoes. Garuda is a National symbol in Thailand. A symbol of Chakri Dynasty. so...

on a footnote, the one that's on the shoes called ครุฑหยุดนาค, Krut(garuda) stopping the Serpent.

it's used as a symbol (or should i called signature?) of the King Rama IV himself.

[Maejo Man]

I can understand your views Kna, but please remember that it was ONE PAIR of shoes made for a part Thai person, and not a production run in the hundreds of thousands. Don't we have some other more pressing matters to sort out first, like a new prime minister?

[Kna]

You are right. it shouldn't become any news at all. but it happened like this some of our Thai fellow was stumble upon one site.. http://astoriaviii.com/index.shtml.

and he saw this http://astoriaviii.com/SNK-Nike%20AF1_The%20Kingdom%20of%20[DTL2].shtml

as you can see there's a price of the shoes at the left side of the page (AUD$310.00).

which mean anyone can buy this shoes. We send an email to the maker and this's his reply

Woody. Thanks for your email and your kind words regarding our work. The

sneaker is a one off design that was actually created for a Thai person and

no longer in production. It was he who gave us the suggestion to use the

Thai Garuda and we also asked him beforehand that this would not be

offensive to the people of Thailand. He assured us that it would not be. I

recently visited Thailand and am somewhat familiar with your culture,

specifically the strict prohibition of any sign of disrespect towards your

King.

Again, it is not our intention to show any disrespect to the people of

Thailand as we have simply created an artwork that was requested of us by

one of your countrymen. As I mentioned above, it is a one off piece and no

longer in production but thankyou again for taking the time to let us know.

Astoria VIII

(Credit to http://www.pantip.com/cafe/chalermthai/top.../A4353287.html)

So yes, if they made this shoes for just one man. it's not a big deal at all. If what they said was true, that is. and that's why it's become a news in Thailand

and they said they will take image out asap.. and look, it's still there, lol

Edited May 14, 2006 by Kna

[OlRedEyes]

Sad.

[eljeque]

Does anyone remember 5 years ago when a small magazine in the USA had on the cover a pic of the King in Hip Hop attire.

The Thai embassy went ballistic. They went to all of the US government offices that they could think of to have this magazine stopped.

The US government told them that in a free country, magazines are welcome to make photos of whatever they want.

I see pictures of osama bin laden on t-shirts everyday. He is an insult to women the world over, to all who dies in NY, and to many people who suffer in Afghanistan under his belief of Islam. The Thai government has no problems with it.

I see swastikas all over the place being worn by Thai children and adults--not just the occasional German, Austrian or Swiss. These are not from the Chinese script. I have not seen the Israeli government have a fit over it, nor any Jewish groups, nor any of the thousands of members of retired military from the US or Europe.

A few years ago, Nike has a shoe out with a design on the back which was similar to Arabic script for "Allah," if my memory serves me right. Saudi Arabia had a fit over it. Nike changed the design.

[ovenman]

Does anyone remember 5 years ago when a small magazine in the USA had on the cover a pic of the King in Hip Hop attire.

Actually, it was an advertisement for a restaurant in Philadelphia.

[Terminator]

getting a sample done by my guy in pattaya, he could not see what all the fuss was about

[Jai Dee]

I've had to delete a couple of posts in this thread.

Please be reminded of the Forum Rules and the following in particular:

Discussion of topics concerning the King or other current or deceased members of the Thai Royal Family is forbidden.

Thanks for your understanding.

[KhunMarco]

Yup , it might seem silly to us , but we have to understand this is not our culture.

For example the other day iwas watching tv and there was a show where a couple of guys were inside a box on their backs and shaking their bare feet in the air (they were sort of clowns).

Well, their feet were censured with the fx they use to censor guns etc.

Unbelievable uh? I knew Thai consider feet a "dirty" part of the body , but this really took me by surprise.

That tells me how ignorant me and most of us are about Thai ways.

[Briggsy]

Sad.

I need an update on this story which is clearly crucial to the national interest.

[fxm88]

Never heard of the Brits or Yanks complaining about the use of their flags. In fact they probably welcome it. Different mindsets ?

Some Yanks are more sensitive than you give them credit for e.g. here and here.

Just be careful not to get too close.

Edited August 20, 2006 by fxm88