yesterday i uploaded some new photos on my profile and i got 2 responses by message.1 of the pictures was of the king and his wife, the thai flag annd also the queen of my country the queen of england.the first message i got was very possitive saying they liked my pictures very much , this was from a thai person,the second message was not the same .they asked me to take the picture down because its not appropriate for me to have it in my profile.i sent a message back and asked why, and i said i had the picture because  i respect the king and thailand very much.i also pointed out that i have a picture of my queen and if they had it on their profile i would be very happy because they respect my country. their second reply was very rude and said thai people dont have it so i should not, and because im a FARANG i dont understand.because i dont want to upset people  i took it down , but i thought if it was not appropriate then TF admin would not approve this picture?i would like to know very much what other thai people think.

From what I can see, you've already been advised what to do in this case, and you've already done it.

Oh, by the way, another show of Thai national feelings that was discussed on the forums (or was it a journal) was interesting question about what "Thais feel" (like anyone here could answer for the WHOLE population ) about foreigners wearing that yellow shirt (I was intrigued by the answers because myself I had considered it a silly thing, to wear something SO "national", like someone foreigner wearing a Finnish crown lion on their shirt...would feel to me a stupid thing...but it is just me. )

Sidenote: The truth is that I just feel about that comment "You're not a thai, you can't understand". That is the lamest excuse and stopping of a conversation (ever) made! After that, nothing you say can do any good, the conversation is just over after that "throw" (in 75% of the cases). :-( No reason to discuss with sense and reasonable arguments, doesn't help, "I am not a thai, I just can't understand..." I have not experiensed this with any other nationality... this "conversation stopper" seems to be very, very common. (Reading about this from forums, from blogs, from personal experience etc) I don't bother to counterattack this kind of "conversation tactic" 95% of the time, but there are a few good responses to this kind of "argumenting"...Do you know other nationalties with this kind of pet peeve? I'd like to know out of curiosity.

@ condo - i took the picture down as not to cause trouble , i dont agree with them.

like i said i got 2 messages, 1 thai who didnt like it and 1 thai who DID.

I don't think there is anything wrong with having a picture of HM in your profile. Foreigners can respect him too. It's not just a "Thai" thing.

However, if you have a picture of HM in your album, as Mods we request that it is not included in your slide show and that you don't set your default picture to "random."

There could be a problem is it pops up in a forum or journal where you've posted and someone has used foul language or something else objectionable and there right near it is a picture of HM.

As for the one Thai who didn't like it, I don't think you did anything disrespectful. So it's kind of too bad, I think.

Loburt: mods are wise good advice on the picture & it popping up in random in places hmm, that might not be wanted. (but with British queen, well, the whole system is a bit joke, well, atleast can be treated with more ease and light heart...atleast among British produced BBC comedy series :-P no offence meant, but watching BBC produced movies and comedy shows, open jokin' about Queen et al Look at that one episode when Mr. Bean cuts thru Charles when making a whole into his wall...Don't see that happening in Thailand )

if i dont understand about this just stop my mouth,

UNBELIEVEABLE, IT GETS BETTER

thailadies4love what your trying to say is just what sunsnow explained

"I am not a thai, I just can't understand..." .

The fact is that in this case someone is trying to understand, so too just tell people to "stop there mounth" not really helpful is it.

Point proven (?). I rest my case. *** Cheerio and votes ALL around. :-D *** (Yup, because I sometimes ask questions and reason and want to understand why something is like someway from someone, that makes me unwanted for example here Yup, I think I must hate Thailand and Thai people for making such questions that result in answers "I will never understand"...Yup, thats the reason I am here: to pick on a fight :-P :-P ) Understanding and learning anything is overrated anyway.... Hey, this is a joking posting now, all you people there picking up those sticks and burning arrows! BUT THEM DOWN!

Hey, I see you back there, you, you in that bright colored shirt! PUT THAT STICK DOWN! HEY AND THAT ROCK DOWN TOO! *muah*

We had to write to TAT to use and or get permission to use the image of the King and Elvis photo (great photo by the way) on a TV program, the Thais are VERY sensitive as to the protrayal of the King, I think the one person upset was for exactly the reason already stated, the photo ending up as a defaut and showing up on an off colour topic forum (I've seen more than a few). As for the yellow shirt "I HAD TO WEAR ONE" or I wasn't going to get in to film Muay Thai on a monday at Ratchadamneon,This was a direct request of One Songchai,the most respected Muay Thai promoter in Thailand, so if anyone has an issue with me wearing it talk to Songchai! It's obvious you had good intentions. Everyone is really sensetive right now it being the 60th anniversary and with all thats going on, I'm totally suprised you got such negative input, a kind explanation would have gone allot further I'd think.

My mother, who is 81 years old, proudly wears her orange bracelet LONG LIVE THE KING (rao rak pra-jao-yu-hua) and her yellow shirt in recognition of the King's 60 years accession as head of the Kingdom of Thailand.

She stands to attention at the beginning of all films, as soon as the music strikes up? (bpra-jao-bpra-taan-kwaam-song-op) and when on the strike of 6 o'clock in Suan Lumphini, the National Anthem is played, she stops whatever she is doing and observes a minute silence in respect.

The fact that she is not Thai, does not disguise the fact she wants to share in the respect that is shown by so many Thai citizens for their King. She can understand the reverence shown even though she can not speak any Thai.

For sure, the cultural attitudes about monarchy are different in the West compared to Thailand but just because one may not be Thai, this does not automatically rule out someone not being able to understand actions in another culture.

Judging from the postings already placed, is there someone out there who can try and bridge/explain this cultural chasm, please?

Robert

PS No Thai script on this laptop in England ? so hope my transliteration is understandable!

Hmm, after all, I think i dont agree with captaindemos. Because I respect governments of other countries, their kings and queens, if they act according to human rights...I dont go on spitting on their images or something like that. I try also be sensitive to other peoples feelings, but I try sensitively also ask reasons why they feel so, especially if I find sometimes "non-reasonable" in my own humble opinion, and this just opens up discussions. I promise to stand up if Queen of England passes by my house and lift my hat, sure, if that happens. I show that respect for Her Majesty! But there are limits to my "respect" too...

"He is afterall the Thai King and it is only condesending to pretend that you have respect for someone or some institution which you could have no way of independently assesing so as to arrive at a point of "having respect" Simply put, just respect the sensitivities of the Thai ppl and you will not go far wrong." I would be lying if I say I "love" the Queen of England, or King of Thailand. BUT I respect the local people who respect these institutions, true. AND I give the institution necessary respect too. Different to captaindemos view, I can show respect for King or Queen, but it limits to just very small things, common to "good habits and good upbringing" : Standing up at the movies, standing up in silence during the national songs if others do so too, but yeah, maybe it is respect for the others...To avoid conflict. But also respect for the King/Queen. Dunno anymore. I find it hard to seperate respect for insitution and respect for people who work/live under this institution. Take for example Police force in some other country than my own: I can respect the police of some other country (but I don't have respect for police in some countries with lots of corruption)...

Personally my attitude to that person, setting aside all these posts, is go pull your head in. I been here 5 years and one thing that sounds out is the joy Thais get from foreigners respecting the King by wearing the yellow shirts etc.

One dopey person is how I would describe her, do what you think is best, but please dont do it because of what this person said. Good grief.