This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/10/thai-military-hitler-video-condemned-israel
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Thai military’s Hitler video condemned by Israel | Thai military’s Hitler video condemned by Israel |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The short propaganda film commissioned by Thailand’s military rulers was supposed to promote the 12 “core values” every Thai student must learn. But there was one scene the junta has had trouble explaining: a grinning schoolboy painting an image of Adolf Hitler while his smiling classmate applauds. | The short propaganda film commissioned by Thailand’s military rulers was supposed to promote the 12 “core values” every Thai student must learn. But there was one scene the junta has had trouble explaining: a grinning schoolboy painting an image of Adolf Hitler while his smiling classmate applauds. |
| The video, which has been screened in major cinemas since Saturday, has been met with ridicule on social media and condemned by the Israeli embassy in Bangkok. | The video, which has been screened in major cinemas since Saturday, has been met with ridicule on social media and condemned by the Israeli embassy in Bangkok. |
| On Wednesday, a senior official in the prime minister’s office, Panadda Diskul, called the uproar a “misunderstanding”, but said the Nazi imagery in the cartoon scene would be replaced. | On Wednesday, a senior official in the prime minister’s office, Panadda Diskul, called the uproar a “misunderstanding”, but said the Nazi imagery in the cartoon scene would be replaced. |
| The 11-minute film tells the story of two children learning about life and loyalty. Panadda said the boy shown painting an image of Hitler saluting beside a swastika was jokingly comparing his mother to a dictator. | |
| In the video, however, there is no such explanation. It is part of a sequence without dialogue that depicts an otherwise normal day at school – the boys catching butterflies at a playground, doing experiments in a chemistry class and exercising on a karate mat. It lasts just a few seconds and runs with a cheery tune playing in the background. | In the video, however, there is no such explanation. It is part of a sequence without dialogue that depicts an otherwise normal day at school – the boys catching butterflies at a playground, doing experiments in a chemistry class and exercising on a karate mat. It lasts just a few seconds and runs with a cheery tune playing in the background. |
| “The film is good, but it has caused a slight misunderstanding in our society,” Panadda said. “We won’t stop the project, but we will replace that problematic picture with another, more proper one.” | “The film is good, but it has caused a slight misunderstanding in our society,” Panadda said. “We won’t stop the project, but we will replace that problematic picture with another, more proper one.” |
| Israel’s ambassador to Thailand, Simon Roded, issued a statement saying he was “deeply saddened to see this trivialisation and misuse of Nazi symbols in an official Thai movie”. | Israel’s ambassador to Thailand, Simon Roded, issued a statement saying he was “deeply saddened to see this trivialisation and misuse of Nazi symbols in an official Thai movie”. |
| “I was surprised that throughout the screening process this movie must have gone through to be approved for public broadcast, none of the smart, well-educated people checking it had identified it as being problematic and offensive,” Roded said. | “I was surprised that throughout the screening process this movie must have gone through to be approved for public broadcast, none of the smart, well-educated people checking it had identified it as being problematic and offensive,” Roded said. |
| “If we learn anything from this incident it is that Holocaust education, especially its global messages of tolerance, should be introduced into the Thai curriculum.” | “If we learn anything from this incident it is that Holocaust education, especially its global messages of tolerance, should be introduced into the Thai curriculum.” |
| The study of history in the Thai school system revolves primarily around the history of Thailand and its long line of kings. World history is not given much attention, with little or no mention of the Holocaust. | |
| After overthrowing the south-east Asian nation’s elected government in May, the coup leader-turned-prime-minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, introduced the so-called “12 values” as part of a junta campaign to return “happiness” to the people. The values reflect traditional concepts in Thai culture the military felt needed reinforcing, ranging from upholding the monarchy to respecting parents and understanding “true democratic ideals”. | |
| Last year, Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University apologised for displaying a billboard that showed Hitler alongside Superman and other superheroes, saying it was painted by ignorant students who didn’t realise Hitler’s image would offend anyone. The billboard was removed after two days. | Last year, Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University apologised for displaying a billboard that showed Hitler alongside Superman and other superheroes, saying it was painted by ignorant students who didn’t realise Hitler’s image would offend anyone. The billboard was removed after two days. |