I just got a call from our friend Henry, who had gone to Thailand. It may be 7 AM here but it's 10 PM there and the place is hopping!
He said that his niece (a musician) had a new hairstyle - it had carvings on the side like a rapper. He said she had a Peace Sign on one side and I thought, well, that's cool. Then he said, "On the other side, it's a swastika." Wow. He said that kids there don't understand what it means and it's just a cool-looking symbol that they have on their jackets etc. "I hope they don't run into any Jews," he said. I don't think they realize they have constant coups and live under practically a military dictatorship either, though their food is good.
I went to the internet to check it and found ..
Bangkok's Nazi chic | GlobalPost
The writer first thought Thai teens with swastikas had been sold them by creepy foreigners. Then he started seeing more and more of them. It was always a punky, scruffy looking male (Henry's niece is a punky, scruffy looking female but she's also a lesbian.) Others had artsy Hitler faces in psychedelic colors. His explanation is that the kids just think the shirts look bad-ass like the Jolly Rogewr or Darth Vader's helmet. They don't know history. There is actually a swastika type symbol in Buddhism, and also in one of the US Southwestern native religions (it may be reversed in direction) but I don't think that's what they are referencing.
Nazi Thais Make Absolutely No Sense | Oddity Central - Collecting Oddities
Sweet “Nazi Chic”: It Could Only Have Happened In Thailand?
Other writers find that Thai youth actually have fake Nazi rallies and scooter bike clubs, with teen female Nazi auxilliary cheer leaders in Third Reich regalia. Dolls. It's tacky, tasteless - and something is wrong with the educational system. Millions died under the Nazi regime and these kids have no idea - it's comic book stuff to them. On the other hand, it is not so different than some of the stuff I see in video games that kids show me here in the US.
[Trip Report] Pattaya Sept 2007 - First time - Pattaya Forum - TripAdvisor
Pattaya provides unbelievable nightlife opportunities. One should experience it at least one time in his life. Ok, it is easier for me as I am still single :p
There is only one thing that make me crazy: Nazi items on sell and people wearing them!
I saw a stupid farang wearing a ww2 german helmet and riding a moto with the nazi swastika stamped on it.
I saw a stupid guy from middle-east wearing proudly a T-shirt where was printed the nazi swastika and the german iron cross.
I saw a thai girl on walking street wearing a red armband with the nazi swastika.
Why do people in Thailand think that wearing nazi stuff is fashion?
Not just Thailand - reports from Japan and Korea are not hard to find, and in the US, Skinhead fashion had a recent resurgence. As far back as 2003, a Hong Kong store was showing Nazi propaganda film in its Nazi-themed premises, and came to the attention of Jewish Groups and had to stop. It looks as though Nazi chic peaked in Japan and Korea in about 2005-2007 and then moved on to Thailand, where it's been building up over the last 3 years or so. There are also actual Nazis in these countries, but the teens can not have a very good conception of what they are doing.
Nazi Fashion in Asia - Stormfront (this is a "White Power" site, so they enjoy this)
Korean Models Dress Up In Nazi Uniforms for Photo Shoot | ROK Drop
The Swastika - China History Forum, Chinese History Forum
Punk rockers like Siouxsie Sioux, Sid Vicious and John Lydon used, and were photographed using, the Nazi version of the swastika for its shock value, notwithstanding that both Siouxsie and Malcolm McLaren, the Sex Pistols' manager, were Jewish. In January 2005 there was much criticism when Prince Harry of Wales, third in line of succession to the British throne, was photographed wearing a full Nazi attire including a swastika armband to a fancy dress party.
It's alarming to me, but when I was a kid, we played with toy soldiers who were Roman Warriors. I'm sure they raped and killed during their conquests but so much time had passed that it didn't matter anymore. With everything speeded up in today's world, it's like ancient history to them. Would you take offense if they wore a t-shirt with Genghis Khan's portrait on it?
Posted by: kayakbiker | February 21, 2010 at 04:04 PM
Cool outfit girls. I love it. thanks for sharing this post.
-mikee
Posted by: wholesale clothing | February 21, 2010 at 10:41 PM
No surprise there, since many affluent Asians and Asian-Americans think they are whites, and do think of blacks and Hispanics as inferior.
In fact, America's teabaggers and white power movements are bankrolled and supported by Asians - Reverend Moon and Toyota being the most prominent.
Posted by: Ally McLesbian | February 24, 2010 at 11:53 AM
Never mind that all Asian languages are still ching-chong, and kimchi still smells like garbage...
Posted by: Ally McLesbian | February 24, 2010 at 11:54 AM
There is a culture thing in this discussion that hasn't been mentioned.
The swastika actually originates in the far east. it's originally a symbol of peace in the buddhist culture and religion. I was surprised and shocked when I first arrived in Korea, seeing the symbol everywhere ... but these people were the original owners. To them, it doesn't have the same shock value to we westerners. Actually, to them, it is a symbol of peace that we westerners stole and made into something bad.
I'm british, but I have to realise that they brand me a westerner ... just as group all asians in the same group ... so I become one of the people who took their symbol and turned it into something evil.
It doesn't bother me here anymore. They don't have our history.
Their (the korean) history is one of torture at the hands of the Japanese, North Koreans and Chinese. Show them the images of Chairman Mao, North Korean newscasters or Japanese military uniforms and their passion will rise.
The situation needs understanding from all of us ... not judgement.
Posted by: DH | April 27, 2010 at 07:51 PM
I think you're right and I understand the Navahos or maybe some other US native American group uses it but it's reversed for direction. & there is speculation some native Americans originally came from Asia across the Bering Strait. Who knows .. could be ancient.
I'm sure the Nazis appropriated and cheapened alot of things. I think we are sometimes seeing that with the cross and the flag among some US right wingers.
Posted by: Slugbug | April 27, 2010 at 08:48 PM
Hitler wasn't really that bad. The Holocaust is just a hoax. The Thai enthusiasm for European Nationalist-Socialism may be a way of poking fun at us Americans, so buried are we in non-stop agit-prop about the "poor, little 6 mil Jews." I suspect that Thais know quite a bit more about history than most Americans do.
Remember: Russian culture you can take or leave, German culture you can take or leave; any ethnic culture on earth you can take or leave ---- except Judaism, because if you criticize the Jewish agenda or their Israel for any reason, you are [OMG Horrors!!!] an anti-Semite. And, never mind that Semites are actually Arabs.
Posted by: Mary O'Brien | April 30, 2010 at 06:36 PM
You are fucking kidding me.
Posted by: Slugbug | April 30, 2010 at 11:26 PM
Please read about the so-called Holocaust. The forensics just don't exist. And, no credible papertrails support the killiing of six million Jews. Right after WW2, places like LA, TX and Chicago suddenly had huge Jewish populations, not to mention Israel.
The Nationalist-Socialists are not demonized for being socialists; but rather because they were nationalists. They believed in Germany for the Germans. So to control us, and try to prevent us from realizing that globalism just doesn't work, we are forced to listen to Holocaust propaganda in our schools and in our media. Otherwise, people would be protesting the huge taxes they pay to support uneducated immigrants and the loss of American jobs to other countries.
Posted by: Mary O'Brien | May 01, 2010 at 09:26 AM
Nationalism is a cancer. AntiSemitism is pathetic and so is ultraconservative Zionism.
Peace is the goal.
Posted by: Slugbug | May 01, 2010 at 11:39 AM
I am a nationalist. Face the facts: people need to have their own country, the same way that a family needs its own home. If the government were to take away your children, and replace them with someone else's children, you would be outraged --- not because you hate the other children, you might care for them too in a different way, but you need your own. Never in history has there ever been any example of successful multicultural state. When multiculturalism has existed, the state enforced it with an iron fist. So who needs it? To each his own. The foreigners can stay in their homelands, where no doubt they will make useful contributions. And, we can be content and live in safety & peace in our own country.
Posted by: Mary O'Brien | May 01, 2010 at 09:14 PM
I am a global citizen. We are all human beings. Technology is making nationalism obsolete.
Posted by: Slugbug | May 02, 2010 at 11:06 AM
No one is a global citizen. And nationalism will never be obsolete. Be honest with yourself. You read this article about the Thais & it never occurred to you that the young Thais were just making making fun of PC Americans and their hang-up on so-called "Nazis."
Read Mein Kampf, and you will be surprised that NS is just an ordinary political ideology. Why do you so trust foreigners? Because you have been brainwashed that all foreigners are innocent and harmless children.
Again, be honest: isn't having to engage with all these numberless ethnicities & all their "sensitivities" so boring? I envy my great grand-parents; they never had to deal with any nonwhites. Life must have been such bliss, and they never even counted being surrounded by people who were capable of understanding, trusting, respecting, and even loving them as one of God's chief blessings to those of us who live on earth.
Next, you will start accusing me of racism. However, the term "racist" as it is used in the US actually means a racial supremacist. Racial supremacy means having a mulitiracial society with one group on top, having more privileges and rights than any of the other groups. Israel is an excellent example.
However, I do not believe having a multi-racial society of any kind. It's just too much trouble, costs too much in terms of our freedom, not to mention the money we have to pay in taxes to support the other groups, and as I say, it's just an awful bore.
Also, all the other racial groups will be better off in their own national homelands, too. Separation is really for the benefit of everyone in the whole world. As I said before, it's like a family having its own house.
Posted by: Mary O'Brien | May 02, 2010 at 03:30 PM
Mary O'Brien,
God be with you. I pray that He gives you true discernment.
Posted by: Maliakah Wahl | June 23, 2010 at 04:18 PM
olaaaaaa
fuckyou!!!!! the nazi desprediables beings
ustedes son asquerosos i hate you!
Posted by: lola | July 05, 2010 at 03:39 PM
Notice that the one girl with the Nazi clothes also appears to be wearing those contact lenses that make your eyes look bigger and which are very dangerous for the vision.
I have a friend whose niece in Thailand has a peace sign shaved on one side of her head and a Nazi symbol on the other. She has no historical reference - just wants fashion and possibly shock value.
Alot of people need to learn history and perhaps visit Auschwitz - including neoNazis, ignorant fashion-crazy youth, global citizens and even the current government officials from all of the affected countries!! So many people seem to be forgetting that it's possible history could repeat itself - hopefully never again though.
Posted by: Slugbug | July 05, 2010 at 08:34 PM
Down with all hatred.
Posted by: Slugbug | July 05, 2010 at 08:36 PM
Mary O'brien. If your children were to Mary someone of a different race and procreate, to what nation do they belong?
Your black and white world is so naive and unrealistic. You sound like someone who would move to a rural place so you can live alone in your fear, but you should learn to enjoy diversity in food, language, and culture in general.
I wonder what makes people so rigid and reluctant to accept change?
Posted by: kayakbiker | July 05, 2010 at 09:56 PM
I guess the mothers of the kids must be whores selling their cunts to the German sex tourists.
And the pictures testify the truth that Thai kids have very low IQ.
Posted by: P.Lo | July 25, 2010 at 05:16 PM
Cool fashion as I see
Posted by: ari | February 08, 2012 at 05:30 AM