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What do artists and customers think of the proposed ban on religious tattoos?

Published: 5/06/2011 at 04:52 AM
Newspaper section: News

Fancy a Buddhist tattoo?

TATS THE PROBLEM: Sura ‘Nicky’ Tirakol, former rapper and male model, shows off his freshly inked tattoo on his bicep. PHOTO: PORNPROM SATRABHAYA

That tattoo you're sporting on your ankle better not be religious, or you will upset the government.

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: Writer: Ezra Kyrill Erker; Position: Writer

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franklin
Post : 738
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Discussion 25 : 06/06/2011 at 10:30 AM25
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With all the problems Thailand has these days, the last thing it needs to concern itself with is what religious tattoo some individual decides to wear on their own body. The 5 Buddhist precepts:
1 Do not murder
2 Do not steal
3 Abstain from sexual misconduct
4 Do not lie
5 Avoid alcohol
are a daunting enough challenge for Thailand. Maybe focus on those before finding another way to be offended.
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wantmyony
Post : 559
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Discussion 24 : 05/06/2011 at 11:37 PM24
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Ok fine we hear you minister of culture from now we will only tattoo circles, square, triangle. Occassionally we will tattoo the alphabet soup and some picture of a cow eating grass. Rather educating the public, he choose to file IP law which thailand is listed in the US watch list.
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fma
Post : 136
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Discussion 23 : 05/06/2011 at 10:51 PM23
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Since 95% of the responses to this new item agree that the Ministry of Culture is wrong, or at least have more urgent matters to attend to, I have two comments.
1. This must be a misguided attempt at getting attention in the election frenzy. I believe that real Thais have a more balanced and realistic view on this issue than the minister.
2. Is the Culture Minister representative for the level of competency in the government? He is after all a Democrat, presumably the least corrupt political party in the Kingdom. If so, Thailand has a long uphill road towards development.
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ricefield
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Discussion 22 : 05/06/2011 at 10:03 PM22
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Just a side note. The best Sak Yant (Temple Tattoo) artist in Thailand isn't Thai he's English, Spencer Littlewood in Krabi and he would never put a tattoo on your leg or ankle.
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android
Post : 1,100
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Discussion 21 : 05/06/2011 at 09:12 PM21
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Image of buddha is not a patent for Thailand, and people in Thailand do have the right to do such a tattoo business. What's happening to nowadays Thailand that claimed to be a democratic country and full of freedom?
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jamjon01
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Discussion 20 : 05/06/2011 at 07:12 PM20
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Hehe, You got all the Huge problems of Thailand and THIS is what you want to focus on??
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mrexpat
Post : 55
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Discussion 19 : 05/06/2011 at 07:00 PM19
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Is this a joke? Do these people think buddha is thai, like they can have some kind of patent
THe farang buddhists i know are much better buddhists than any thai person i have ever met
THis country is getting beyond a joke now, it reminds me when a minister wanted to patent the full moon party even though 'Farang' started it in thailand after moving from Goa and 'Farang'ie pagans have been celebrating full moon for longer than thailand has even existed
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englishbob
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Discussion 18 : 05/06/2011 at 05:58 PM18
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It's a non-story.
It's the same as the minister who was going to send battling schoolkids to the restive south as punishment.
Nothing will happen and it will die a death.
I sometimes feel that if these people don't have their name in the paper for a few weeks they get panic attacks.
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geoffo
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Discussion 17 : 05/06/2011 at 04:19 PM17
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I think this might be a new value added ploy by the cigarette police to fine farangs THB2000 for illegal tatoos.
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paul_giles
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Discussion 16 : 05/06/2011 at 03:06 PM16
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How about duel passport holders? How about caucasians who were born in Thailand? How about caucasians who have a Thai passport? How about ethnic Thais who were born outside of Thailand, can't speak Thai and are Christians? How about the children of ethnic...
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