BNK48 is the Thai spin-off of the Japanese idol group AKB48. One of its members Pichayapa “Namsai” Natha apologised after being photographed wearing a Nazi swastika t-shirt during a recent rehearsal.
The Bangkok Post reports that Namsai wore the shirt while rehearsing on Friday. This Sunday was International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
The incident made international news. Above is a screenshot of Namsai in the shirt from Japan’s ANN News. It originally appeared on Facebook site Sexy BNK48.
During a concert on Saturday, Namsai has apologised for wearing the shirt, asking for forgiveness and saying, “It’s my mistake and my ignorance.” She also issued apologies online as did the group’s management.
Namsai and the group’s COO also visited the Israeli Embassy to apologise.
Last fall, a Thai hotel was criticised for decorating one of its room with an Adolf Hitler photo.
Comments
6 responses to “Thai Pop Group Sorry For The Nazi Swastika Shirt”
“Ignorance”.
Let’s not forget, Thailand was a fascist state in the 1930s and allied with the Japanese Empire from 1941 until the Japanese surrender. They should know exactly what wearing a Nazi symbol means.
Japan and Germany where allys only in name really. There where no Nazis in the Asia Pacific, as far as I am aware. Lets not forget that its not JUST the Nazi symbol eather. It was originally meant as a sign of peace.
From Wiki:
Of course, they are straight up wearing the Nazi flag, but then again, WW2 is not seen the same way by everyone.
The Nazi swastika is reversed and turned 45 degrees compared to the Buddhist symbol. And this is straight up a nazi flag, as you mentioned, so I don’t buy that excuse at all.
Manji, if you wanted to refer to it not as a “swastika”. Haha.
It’s a stretch to call Thailand an ally of the Japanese during World War 2. Japan threatened them with invasion, and they chose capitulation instead.
We know they were not exactly willing subjects because the Thai ambassador to the US refused to issue them with a formal declaration of war. This isn’t just semantics; post war, Thailand was not treated like a willing ally to Japan, but rather as an invaded subject, and therefore was not occupied by the Allies.
I wonder if we will ever see a day when wearing Nazi inspired clothing or costume will ever be acceptable under the right circumstances, like a Halloween party and you go as a Nazi zombie for example, or are some thing’s just never going to be “OK “.
I’m not trying to support or defend there wearing of Nazi attire just a thought.
Same day wearing a KKK outfit is seen as socially acceptable.
Never.