'Totally inappropriate': Tourist's shock at Buddhist temple in Thailand

[Mudcrab]

How come they ignored Hitler?

The Hitler symbols and images have now become past tense and no longer in fashion.

This in my opinion is a total mockery and travesty of one of the worst tragedies of modern times. This so-called work of art that depicts 9/11 in such an insensitive manner is of extremely bad taste and is bound to offend and probably cause great upset and grief to those who survived or lost loved one`s in the 9/11 disaster and to many Westerners that witnessed these horrific events taking place during the times. I still have the terrifying images of people jumping to their deaths in my mind.

This is the work of a warped mind, by someone who has no sensitivity to horrific and tragic events such as this.

The question is; how many more times are the Thais going to plead ignorance to their creation of these offensive so-called artworks and imagines? Because there can be no excuses. Only one word to describe this: outrageous.

I hope that tourists will decide to boycott that temple until those offensive images are smashed down and destroyed.

The reality and there were no super heroes around at the time to rescue them:

In the same manner as the Taliban smashed down the offensive Buddha statues in Afghanistan?

I would have thought by now you would have realised that whole world doesn't see the US through US eyes. The artwork could be construed as one persons view of the world over the last decade or so. Not right, not wrong, just his/hers impression.

Would you be so upset if it depicted the Holocaust in Rwanda?

[joshstiles]

leave to another ignorant self righteous American who can not accept the true about America. The true is the truth. No somebody makes a painting about the truth, and of course Americans are outraged. Why not be outraged at what the Americans did to the American Indians or the Negroes????? NOOOO...that part of history "we" just don't talk about....but we will make all kinds of paintings of Indians massacred and Negroes enslaved and call this art!!!!!!!!!!! Won't we, hypocrites. Suck wind America....let Yellowstone blow....it will be the Indian's revenge.

[crishoj]

I don't quite agree it should be in the temple,

Who are we to judge how they decorate the temples? I too would prefer that temples stay true to some non-meterialistic Buddhist spirit, but increasingly, the more popular temples seem to be run as for-profit entertainment institutions with an emphasis on flashiness and photo ops. That sort of temple experience seems to be in popular demand.

[Fookhaht]

I don't quite agree it should be in the temple,

Who are we to judge how they decorate the temples? I too would prefer that temples stay true to some non-meterialistic Buddhist spirit, but increasingly, the more popular temples seem to be run as for-profit entertainment institutions with an emphasis on flashiness and photo ops. That sort of temple experience seems to be in popular demand.

Yeah! I especially like temples with mummified bodies and skeletons! They're everywhere!

[Fookhaht]

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leave to another ignorant self righteous American who can not accept the true about America. The true is the truth. No somebody makes a painting about the truth, and of course Americans are outraged. Why not be outraged at what the Americans did to the American Indians or the Negroes????? NOOOO...that part of history "we" just don't talk about....but we will make all kinds of paintings of Indians massacred and Negroes enslaved and call this art!!!!!!!!!!! Won't we, hypocrites. Suck wind America....let Yellowstone blow....it will be the Indian's revenge.

No, Americans just make self-critical movies about those topics that win Best Picture of the Year at the Oscars.

You must've been under a rock for the last 50 years. What a myopic post!

Edited April 10, 2014 by Fookhaht

[Mudcrab]

I remember a few weeks after 9/11 we had some show/parade thing at our school. Students dressed up. Had the obligatory Hitler. One guy dressed up as Bin Laden and his supporters ere carrying planes they made out of cardboard together with a model of the twin towers and pictures of the building on fire as well.

Mai Pen Ra I thought. The Americans at school didn't like it. Mind you they didn't like much and were always complaining.

Bad taste.....Sir......but what you expect from people that know nothing about History.....but it does no good to complain anyway....What I have learned being here for 15 years and yes "I am a Thai Citizen".....when your brain is the size of a walnut you can expect no better out of people......Thais have no idea about History.....and a piss poor understanding of something that is in bad taste.

Given your brain is now the size of a walnut begs the question what size was it when you first arrived.

To which history do you refer? The Western version or South East Asian history? Was it the Vietnam war or the American war?

What would be the average westerners understanding of Sun Yat Sen and the process that lead to the formation of Formosa (now known as Taiwan) as it was known then.?

The opium war and the subsequent fallout from it where the Chinese were prepared to kill 30 million drug addicts due to their dependence on the drug?

Edited April 10, 2014 by Mudcrab

[SICHONSTEVE]

I guess only an American would call this inappropriate.

You sir are out if line......if I could get my hands on you I'd teach you respect.

Its only a painting - the artist wasn't responsible for it happening. It is history, are you suggesting that history can and should be brushed under the carpet and forgotten???

Talking about a ludicrous over reaction. Should they ban all of these war movies as a darned sight more Americans were killed in the second world war!!

Get a life - BTW you can't teach respect you can only earn it!!!

Familar with the term...."Speak when spoken too"

Yes!!! and your point??

[mauGR1]

I don't quite agree it should be in the temple,

Who are we to judge how they decorate the temples? I too would prefer that temples stay true to some non-meterialistic Buddhist spirit, but increasingly, the more popular temples seem to be run as for-profit entertainment institutions with an emphasis on flashiness and photo ops. That sort of temple experience seems to be in popular demand.

I just express my opinion, nothing more & nothing less. I hope you can concede that.

That it seems in popular demand doesn't concern me at all.

It's more disturbing for me to see a stage with a rock band and booze flowing in my village temple, but i'm not starting a crusade, i simply avoid it.

[SICHONSTEVE]

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leave to another ignorant self righteous American who can not accept the true about America. The true is the truth. No somebody makes a painting about the truth, and of course Americans are outraged. Why not be outraged at what the Americans did to the American Indians or the Negroes????? NOOOO...that part of history "we" just don't talk about....but we will make all kinds of paintings of Indians massacred and Negroes enslaved and call this art!!!!!!!!!!! Won't we, hypocrites. Suck wind America....let Yellowstone blow....it will be the Indian's revenge.

No, Americans just make self-critical movies about those topics that win Best Picture of the Year at the Oscars.

You must've been under a rock for the last 50 years. What a myopic post!

If they, in your words, "just make self-critical movies" then they should have been far more prolific than Bollywood!!!

The Oscars are full of self-important Americans that make me want to puke BTW!!!

[Fookhaht]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

leave to another ignorant self righteous American who can not accept the true about America. The true is the truth. No somebody makes a painting about the truth, and of course Americans are outraged. Why not be outraged at what the Americans did to the American Indians or the Negroes????? NOOOO...that part of history "we" just don't talk about....but we will make all kinds of paintings of Indians massacred and Negroes enslaved and call this art!!!!!!!!!!! Won't we, hypocrites. Suck wind America....let Yellowstone blow....it will be the Indian's revenge.

No, Americans just make self-critical movies about those topics that win Best Picture of the Year at the Oscars.

You must've been under a rock for the last 50 years. What a myopic post!

If they, in your words, "just make self-critical movies" then they should have been far more prolific than Bollywood!!!

The Oscars are full of self-important Americans that make me want to puke BTW!!!

The topics are also dealt with in classroom curriculums (grades 7 and up) and in the popular literature for the last 50-70 years. All in a self-critical mode. Stop opening up red-herring cans to divert us from the reality of what's gone on in the last 50-70 years in American society.

Edited April 10, 2014 by Fookhaht

[lubbkis]

555. The Daily Mail and an insurance broker from Nottingham with a hidden camera are not amongst my arbiters on what is "appropriate", moral, spiritual or artistic.

[AngelsLariat]

leave to another ignorant self righteous American who can not accept the true about America. The true is the truth. No somebody makes a painting about the truth, and of course Americans are outraged. Why not be outraged at what the Americans did to the American Indians or the Negroes????? NOOOO...that part of history "we" just don't talk about....but we will make all kinds of paintings of Indians massacred and Negroes enslaved and call this art!!!!!!!!!!! Won't we, hypocrites. Suck wind America....let Yellowstone blow....it will be the Indian's revenge.

Not to rain on your parade, but the Daily Mail is a British publication and the article is recounting the reaction of a British tourist to a mural that he saw in Thailand. This case seems to be very little to do with "self righteous Americans".

[Seastallion]

It happened people. Whether you believe the official line or not it is now a part of history. The picture in no way glorifies the attack so just where is it wrong ? It seems that today outrage and offence are to be found in every little thing regardless of any intention to cause offence or outrage.

Would a painting of an unmanned drone have caused such outrage I wonder. Considering the "Collateral damage " they have wreaked since 9/11

I also never understood the outcry over the Hitler nonsense last year. It seems it is fine to print T shirts of bin Laden, Stalin and Lenin yet Hitler is a total no no.

Ignore it or grow some thicker skin.

Never understood? As you have noticed, the Holocaust and 9/11 were the two biggest tragedies ever to hit mankind. Nobody can trivialise them. No matter that other tragedies on a bigger scale have happened, they did not involve the more valuable lives of Americans or Jews.

Of course the painting is not inappropriate. A good friend of mine's daughter died in a Chiang Mai hotel but he does not think it inappropriate for bed bug spray or the hotel to be advertised. The tragedy he experienced, he knows, is his problem and the rest of the world, Thailand in particular, does not have to walk on eggshells to make him feel better.

I think you've missed one or two of the biggest tragedies to hit mankind. Like the invention of the Atom Bomb and dropping the first two on Hiroshima and Nagasaki I can think of a good few more but everyone has their own idea of what 'the biggest tragedy to hit mankind' actually was.

I'm sorry but the holocaust and 9/11 don't come anywhere near my top tragedies to hit mankind. not even close.

Agree 100%. You obviously don't get sarcasm.

[SICHONSTEVE]

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leave to another ignorant self righteous American who can not accept the true about America. The true is the truth. No somebody makes a painting about the truth, and of course Americans are outraged. Why not be outraged at what the Americans did to the American Indians or the Negroes????? NOOOO...that part of history "we" just don't talk about....but we will make all kinds of paintings of Indians massacred and Negroes enslaved and call this art!!!!!!!!!!! Won't we, hypocrites. Suck wind America....let Yellowstone blow....it will be the Indian's revenge.

No, Americans just make self-critical movies about those topics that win Best Picture of the Year at the Oscars.

You must've been under a rock for the last 50 years. What a myopic post!

If they, in your words, "just make self-critical movies" then they should have been far more prolific than Bollywood!!!

The Oscars are full of self-important Americans that make me want to puke BTW!!!

The topics are also dealt with in classroom curriculums (grades 7 and up) and in the popular literature for the last 50-70 years. All in a self-critical mode. Stop opening up red-herring cans to divert us from the reality of what's gone on in the last 50-70 years in American society.

Let me get this right.

What you are saying is when the kids are old enough to understand, then they are bombarded with history relating to all the wrong doings and bad things America has done/committed over the last 50-70 years!!

Does this continue into their university years 'just to wrap it all up' for completeness sake?

They must leave their education years behind despising themselves, feeling guilty beyond comprehension and completely lacking in confidence!!

[Greg Nixon]

You have to remember who this is coming from. Some Thais may have a limited vision of the world and western culture. This may be his way of seeing the western culture - perhaps all he knows. Few Thais travel internationally.

If you made a mural of Thailand before you came here without any electronic assists what would it consist of ?

[vadimbz]

I hereby declare this thread a hypocrite detector

[Donnie Brasco]

Get over it.

Its now an historic event.

All this feigned sensitivities from people not even affected by it in reality.

Leave it to those that were directly affected to deal with it each year and move on...same same all these war story remembrance days.....past their use by date much.

Four wars and counting.

International culture of paranoia

Ditto for anti-Islamic hatred

Neuro linguistic bafflegab and shrill Bill O'Reilly replace McNeal Lherer, currency controls, propaganda baths daily.

Really showbags this was NOT a sporting event or a starlet caught gobbling charcuterie behind a forking dumpster.

The people who did this haunt every aspect of our daily lives.

You suggest we "get over it" ????

Are you living in a one room walk up in Broaque At on D'ole ????

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[mrfill]

I don't quite agree it should be in the temple,

Who are we to judge how they decorate the temples? I too would prefer that temples stay true to some non-meterialistic Buddhist spirit, but increasingly, the more popular temples seem to be run as for-profit entertainment institutions with an emphasis on flashiness and photo ops. That sort of temple experience seems to be in popular demand.

Yeah! I especially like temples with mummified bodies and skeletons! They're everywhere!

Taken at Wat Kai, Ayutthaya Province (the one with the monkeys).

Appropriate?

[fabianfred]

IMHO Christianity and the USA are two of the worst tragedies to befall mankind....they have both caused untold suffering World-wide.

When are Americans going to realise the truth that their own Government were responsible for 9/11 and its cover up ....all of us Euros have known for years.

[StreetCowboy]

 

Get over it.

Its now an historic event.

All this feigned sensitivities from people not even affected by it in reality.

Leave it to those that were directly affected to deal with it each year and move on...same same all these war story remembrance days.....past their use by date much.

Four wars and counting.

International culture of paranoia

Ditto for anti-Islamic hatred

Neuro linguistic bafflegab and shrill Bill O'Reilly replace McNeal Lherer, currency controls, propaganda baths daily.

Really showbags this was NOT a sporting event or a starlet caught gobbling charcuterie behind a forking dumpster.

The people who did this haunt every aspect of our daily lives.

You suggest we "get over it" ????

Are you living in a one room walk up in Broaque At on D'ole ????

Doesn't haunt every aspect of my daily life. It's not even something I think about momentarily when I get the call to prayers at 0630, nor when I get woken up by little boys in their toy cars at 0215, as the pubs are kicking out.

SC

[Jingthing]

IMHO Christianity and the USA are two of the worst tragedies to befall mankind....they have both caused untold suffering World-wide.

When are Americans going to realise the truth that their own Government were responsible for 9/11 and its cover up ....all of us Euros have known for years.

Wow. How can I directly invest in the European tin foil hat business?

[Strikerxxx]

First, I was a Fire Fighter in the states for 30 years. When I retired I did 3 years in Iraq as a Fire Fighter on Marine bases and a year in Afghanistan as a Haz Mat spec. I lost friends and comrades on 9/11 and overseas. Was the attack or following conflicts justified, not my place to judge. I can honestly say "Get over it", I earned that right. Now for all the expats that live in Thailand because they didnt like it at home, if this offends you, dont go see it or move. Why do people always go to far away places because they are different and then start trying to change it.

I dont know what the artist was trying to say, but I am glad someone brought this to my attention, I plan on going to see it and try and understand. I am not a bleeding heart liberal, just a guy that has seen enough bad stuff to realize its not my place to judge. You all have the right to your own feelings, just dont be haters on someone you dont know.

Nobody has died because of this, have they?

[Fookhaht]

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I don't quite agree it should be in the temple,

Who are we to judge how they decorate the temples? I too would prefer that temples stay true to some non-meterialistic Buddhist spirit, but increasingly, the more popular temples seem to be run as for-profit entertainment institutions with an emphasis on flashiness and photo ops. That sort of temple experience seems to be in popular demand.

Yeah! I especially like temples with mummified bodies and skeletons! They're everywhere!

Taken at Wat Kai, Ayutthaya Province (the one with the monkeys).

Appropriate?

Wow, sure sparks MY religious zeal!

[AngelsLariat]

IMHO Christianity and the USA are two of the worst tragedies to befall mankind....they have both caused untold suffering World-wide.

When are Americans going to realise the truth that their own Government were responsible for 9/11 and its cover up ....all of us Euros have known for years.

Wow. How can I directly invest in the European tin foil hat business?

eurotin.jpg

There are mutual funds for that purpose.

Edited April 10, 2014 by AngelsLariat

[Fookhaht]

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No, Americans just make self-critical movies about those topics that win Best Picture of the Year at the Oscars.

You must've been under a rock for the last 50 years. What a myopic post!

If they, in your words, "just make self-critical movies" then they should have been far more prolific than Bollywood!!!

The Oscars are full of self-important Americans that make me want to puke BTW!!!

The topics are also dealt with in classroom curriculums (grades 7 and up) and in the popular literature for the last 50-70 years. All in a self-critical mode. Stop opening up red-herring cans to divert us from the reality of what's gone on in the last 50-70 years in American society.

Let me get this right.

What you are saying is when the kids are old enough to understand, then they are bombarded with history relating to all the wrong doings and bad things America has done/committed over the last 50-70 years!!

Does this continue into their university years 'just to wrap it all up' for completeness sake?

They must leave their education years behind despising themselves, feeling guilty beyond comprehension and completely lacking in confidence!!

OK, after quoting the poster's reply verbatim above, please let me add annotations to make a few points:

(red = poster's words I would like to emphasize; blue = my comments.)

Let me get this right. Sorry, but your brilliant hyperbole thrusts you further afield.

What you are saying is when the kids are old enough to understand, then they are bombarded with history relating to all the wrong doings and bad things

The poster's words, not mine. A bit over the top. No, really over the top.

America has done/committed over the last 50-70 years!!

You're a sloppy reader. The literature as been written over the last 50-70 years, not the acts/wrong doings.

Does this continue into their university years 'just to wrap it all up' for completeness sake?

The curriculum becomes more intense in critical thinking, rather than simply a retelling of historical events, as is done in the earlier levels.

They must leave their education years behind despising themselves, feeling guilty beyond comprehension and completely lacking in confidence!!

No, just the opposite. The goal of the curriculum is to come away with a balanced view of history along with conclusions that are a result of critical thinking, and which point to a better way. Your viewpoint is exactly what the Japanese and Thai educators say about the glaring omissions in their own educational curriculums. (Which are, for example, the Japanese students' ignorance about Japan's WW2 rapacious activities in China, and Thai students' ignorance about Thai cooperation with Japanese invaders in the same war.)

Unfortunately, your posts reveal a profound ignorance of American culture and the educational system. You should really quit while you're ahead before you make yourself look even more ridiculous. IMHO, of course!

[Showbags]

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Get over it.

Its now an historic event.

All this feigned sensitivities from people not even affected by it in reality.

Leave it to those that were directly affected to deal with it each year and move on...same same all these war story remembrance days.....past their use by date much.

Four wars and counting.
International culture of paranoia
Ditto for anti-Islamic hatred
Neuro linguistic bafflegab and shrill Bill O'Reilly replace McNeal Lherer, currency controls, propaganda baths daily.

Really showbags this was NOT a sporting event or a starlet caught gobbling charcuterie behind a forking dumpster.

The people who did this haunt every aspect of our daily lives.
You suggest we "get over it" ????
Are you living in a one room walk up in Broaque At on D'ole ????


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

By crikey I have no idea what you saided.

My daily life not haunted.....think your meds need a rehash.

[ggt]

The destruction of the Twin Towers was for some...a strike against American Heavy handedness...in foreign affairs...not all people were sorry to see the World's symbol of wealth and power...come down...the mural is a measure of free speech...the use of the Temple for this expression...seems a bit odd...to a Westerner...

[Fookhaht]

The destruction of the Twin Towers was for some...a strike against American Heavy handedness...in foreign affairs...not all people were sorry to see the World's symbol of wealth and power...come down....

This is very true. Just months after 9/11, I had to ride all the way across Cambodia with a Muslim taxi driver who spent the entire trip (8 hours) drilling me with the same opinion. Having been shell-shocked from the tragedy (I was in the Twin Towers less than a week before 9/11), it was hard to keep quiet and listen. But I did. I really wanted to know not only his opinion but its roots. I simply kept asking probing questions to get deeper.

I did come away from my cross-country attempted indoctrination with one conviction: To hold this view shows a callous disregard for the lives and families of over 3,000 victims. It's too high of a price to pay for a political statement, IMHO. I continue to take quite a dim view toward those who will willingly make such high sacrifices of so many others' lives to "make a point" politically.

[Donnie Brasco]

Get over it.

Its now an historic event.

All this feigned sensitivities from people not even affected by it in reality.

Leave it to those that were directly affected to deal with it each year and move on...same same all these war story remembrance days.....past their use by date much.

Four wars and counting.

International culture of paranoia

Ditto for anti-Islamic hatred

Neuro linguistic bafflegab and shrill Bill O'Reilly replace McNeal Lherer, currency controls, propaganda baths daily.

Really showbags this was NOT a sporting event or a starlet caught gobbling charcuterie behind a forking dumpster.

The people who did this haunt every aspect of our daily lives.

You suggest we "get over it" ????

Are you living in a one room walk up in Broaque At on D'ole ????

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

By crikey I have no idea what you saided.

My daily life not haunted.....think your meds need a rehash.

that's what it looks like to everyone with any kind of pulse but YET you seek to advise us to "get over it"

By what criteria pray tell ???

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Showbags]

Just get over the pseudo shock horror and concern.....twas long ago now and public in your face aggression about anything to do with it that pisses of the to sensitives.......remember and grieve in peace and private those that were directly affected.

To many band wagon jumping onners.....that need a 'cause' to cry about and look popular.