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Hello Kitty in Thailand

I don’t pretend to understand the whole Hello Kitty phenomenon. I’m not exactly the target market, but in Asia and Thailand it can be surprising where the little cat mascot crops up. You’d expect to see it perhaps on young children’s school bags or notebooks, but maybe not on an adult’s t-shirt or motorbike. Well, This Is Thailand (T.I.T.) so expect the unexpected. It’s perfectly acceptable here for adults to indulge in the Hello Kitty craze which might be seen in other countries as kitsch or odd, but in Thailand is just ‘narak’.

Hello Kitty on motorbike, Ko Lanta, Thailand

hello Kitty tuk-tuk in Chiang Mai

There have been suggestions that the Hello Kitty character is based partly on the beckoning lucky cat (maneko-neko) which, in its various forms, has traditionally been a good luck symbol throughout Asia. However, this particular cat wasn’t quite so lucky for some unfortunate Thai police officers back in 2007. As part of a campaign to improve discipline amongst the Bangkok police force, officers who were late on duty or who committed minor transgressions had to wear a pink Hello Kitty armband for several days as a mark of shame. Amazing Thailand.

Category: Culture & Etiquette

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About Roy Cavanagh

Roy Cavanagh is a former stand-up comedian who now works as a freelance writer and website designer. Passionate about Thailand and Thai culture, Roy is also the editor of the online magazine, Fan Club Thailand.

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About Thaizer

Thank you for your interest in Thaizer. My name is Roy Cavanagh and I’ve been fortunate enough to live in Thailand and travel to every region of the country over a number of years. Thaizer.com is where I share my knowledge and experience with you. Just like any destination, Thailand has its good points and its bad points and I try to offer honest and practical advice.

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