Flashermac Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 Bangkok Post 18 Oct 2009 The operator of a waxworks museum in Pattaya has been forced to cover up a giant billboard of Adolf Hitler giving a left-handed Nazi salute after complaints from the Israeli and German ambassadors that it was "offensive" and "utterly tasteless". The billboard - along with three others featuring famous dead people - is prominently located on the main highway into Pattaya, as part of an advertising campaign to promote Louis Tussaud's Waxworks which is due to open early next month. The Thai-language slogan on the billboard reads: "Hitler is not dead." The managing director of the museum, Somporn Naksuetrong, apologised for the billboard and said the creative agency behind the campaign had not intended to cause offence. "We think of Hitler as an important person, but not in a good way," he said. "In the museum we don't show him with other world leaders, we show him in the scary section." Mr Somporn said since the billboard was erected more than two weeks ago they had received about 100 complaints and a protest letter from the Israeli Embassy. He said they would keep the promotional concept, but come up with another famous dead person to replace the German dictator. German Ambassador Hanns Schumacher noticed the billboard when he attended the opening of the Child Protection and Development Centre in Pattaya last weekend. He told representatives of the Pattaya City Council and the local business community that "this kind of utterly tasteless advertisement would hurt the feelings of many people". "It could also create negative consequences to Pattaya as a popular tourist destination," the embassy said in a statement, adding it had contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the matter. "The German Embassy would appreciate if the poster could be removed as quickly as possible," it said. Israeli Ambassador Itzhak Shoham said the embassy had received many complaints over the billboard and had asked authorities involved to urgently remove "this hateful street sign". "The image of Adolf Hitler and the writing underneath are not only offensive to the Holocaust survivors but also to anyone who deplores racist behaviour. They bring a chilling memory of a dictator who systematically murdered in horrific methods 11 million people - men, women and children - during World War II," he said Mr Shoham said many Israeli tourists holidaying in Pattaya have been horrified to see such a sign on the main highway. "It is totally unacceptable to have such a monster like Adolf Hitler on public display," he said. "How this could happen is beyond my understanding and comprehension. The billboard should be removed not within days but within hours." He also urged the operators to remove the Hitler waxwork from the museum. Displaying Nazi images is not an offence under Thai law, but in Germany it is a criminal offence carrying penalties of up to three years in jail. Mr Somporn said they were considering offering discounted entry to the museum by way of an apology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doxx Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 I honestly don't see the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted October 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lusty Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 Frankly,it's none of their bloody business what adverts are displayed in a foreign country,the same as it's none of our business how other countries deal with their own internal affairs,if you get my jist! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamui Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 Frankly,it's none of their bloody business what adverts are displayed in a foreign country,the same as it's none of our business how other countries deal with their own internal affairs,if you get my jist! You can see it the other way around as well: PTY is living on tourism and when a part of the tourists feel really offended (otherwise they wouldn't contact their embassy) it would be the worst decision to keep the cause of the trouble. Especially if it's just an billboard which can be changed easily. My guess is also, that tourists from other European countries like Russia, Poland, France, e.g. won't feel happy about the advert neither. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted October 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 Replace him with Stalin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamui Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 Replace him with Stalin? This wouldn't cause that many problems I guess. Strangely Stalin seems to be still a hero for many Russians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lusty Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 Suppose it's on parody to those Bin Larden shirts that were on sale after 9/11. Most Thai's have no idear about anything that has/is happening outside of their country. Their just not bothered if it doesn't/hasn't concerned them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BelgianBoy Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 LOL ! If most Thais have no clue, then why put Hitler in the museum at all ? BB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 I find it Ironic that they are up in arms about a billboard in Thailand when there is an exhibition of Hitler Gnomes on display in "Straubing, Germany" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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