It seems the question was posed in the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok recently: What better way to teach our law enforcement officials a lesson than through public humiliation? And, truly, what greater shame could be inflicted on a staunch, over-bearing asian man than to having to wear a hot-pink accessory depicting Hello Kitty, Ambassador of All Things Cute and Girly? It seems that when the Thai want to teach you a lesson, they really get you where it hurts.
Starting this month, police officers guilty of minor offenses (such as littering, being late to work, or parking in an off-limits area) will be forced to wear Hello Kitty armbands for a day. Sadly, while wearing the armbands they will not be made to go out in public, instead they will be confined to their division office for time-out.
The goal of all this, of course, is to ensure the officers feel suitably ashamed of their actions to not repeat them again. “[Hello] Kitty is a cute icon for young girls,” says the policy’s mastermind, Pongpat Chayaphan, “it’s not something macho police officers want covering their biceps.” Well done, sir, well done.
Apparently, they tried this trick earlier, but instead of the armbands being pink, they were in a sort of manly plaid. They didn’t work, though, as the police officers they were issued to took them home as keepsakes (which boggles my mind). Only one of the original ten given out was returned afterward. That’s when the Crime Suppression Division decided to bring out the big guns, I suppose. Maybe they figured, If it worked for Darth Vader, it can work for us. Sound logic, if you ask me.
Source (and photo): CNN and The New York Times
* Not really. Pretty much just since this month.
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Though, pretty ironic that the police are stealing plaid clothes. Kind of doesn't make sense if you ask me.
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Onimusha Nosferatu and Freddy:
While I agree that it would be funny to make them wear it on patrol, the rational side of me recognizes that it probably wouldn't be good to have the community start disrespecting or teasing them. A loss of authority probably wouldn't be worth it.
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Viet:
Quite possibly, yeah. I like Hello Kitty, but I wouldn't want to wear that.
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@Erin
I wouldn't want to wear one also. But I can think of more humiliating things they could employ instead. The armband is like a slap on the wrist.
But then again.. We are talking about macho Thai man.
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@Erin
Yeah, that is reasonable. Go rationalizing!
@Viet
Depends on the machoness I suppose. But if they were really macho, wouldn't their machoness just distract everyone from the armband?
Also, unless there is a lowered percentage in crime or whatever and an increase in police effectiveness, I kind of see this thing as useless. But if I worked for Hello Kitty, I'd be very happy, assuming they somehow make a profit from this, if not some type of advertising.
I should ask my FES friends who went back to Thailand if they've seen this. haha.
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the darth vader pic is scary.. its like proving how power full Hello Kitty is *buru*
i guess making them wearing the armband for a day will make people to disrespect them, and all, but whats the point of making them wear it inside the office? doh!
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There is really no real "humiliation" if they're all just locked up in a room together.
lol! I think making them them wear skirt is a bit much if they we're only late to work and other tiny little offenses like that...
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