NationStates Jolt Archive

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/07/world/asia/07cnd-thai.html?em&ex=1186804800&en=208b3fade7cef260&ei=5087%0A

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/08/07/world/07kitty.jpg

BANGKOK, Aug. 7 — It is the pink armband of shame for wayward police officers, as cute as can be with a Hello Kitty face and a pair of linked hearts.

A police officer in Bangkok shows a pink Hello Kitty armband.

No matter how many ribbons for valor a Thai officer may wear, if he parks in the wrong place, or shows up late for work, or is seen dropping a bit of litter on the sidewalk, he can be ordered to wear the insignia.

“Simple warnings no longer work,” said Pongpat Chayaphan, acting chief of the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok, who instituted the new humiliation this week.

“This new twist is expected to make them feel guilt and shame and prevent them from repeating the offense, no matter how minor,” he said. “Kitty is a cute icon for young girls. It’s not something macho police officers want covering their biceps.”

Ah, for dropping a bit of litter, or showing up late.

I guess it's not something that Internal Affairs would impose on you.

What about the policeman who is habitually late? He gets the armband on the first offense, and then is late again. Does he get another armband?

Is humiliation an effective or appropriate method of punishment of public workers?

I should think it'll be quite effective, humiliation and embarrassment are very strong emotions and most try to avoid them at all costs. Whether it's appropriate....I dunno, it's not like it's harming them unless they develop some social anxiety disorder because of wearing it. It does seem some of the 'crimes' are very minor. Unnecessarily so. Certainly an amusing punishment though :)

I'd be late for work on purpose just to get one of those.

Lol, I could just think of a dystopia where the brutal secret police wear armbands like that as a part of their uniforms...

I wouldn't be too terribly embarrassed... can't be worse than buying tampons for your girlfreind.

I wouldn't be too terribly embarrassed... can't be worse than buying tampons for your girlfreind.

Let's put this simply.

Buying tampons for girlfriend=High chance of getting laid in the near future(At least after a couple days have gone by...:p)

Hello Kitty armband=No chance of getting laid by any female who has seen you, knows someone who has seen you, or even hears that you wore it.

So... you do the math.

Man, if I worked there I'd purposely screw up so I could wear the hello kitty armband.


<3 Hello kitty!

Ah, for dropping a bit of litter

So would that make it....kitty litter?

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/07/world/asia/07cnd-thai.html?em&ex=1186804800&en=208b3fade7cef260&ei=5087%0A

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/08/07/world/07kitty.jpg



Ah, for dropping a bit of litter, or showing up late.

I guess it's not something that Internal Affairs would impose on you.

What about the policeman who is habitually late? He gets the armband on the first offense, and then is late again. Does he get another armband?

Is humiliation an effective or appropriate method of punishment of public workers?
It's not meant to humiliate someone beyond all recognition, so I don't see too much of a problem. If these Thai police officers are not doing their jobs properly and won't listen to warnings, something ought to be done.

So long as we're not talking the horrible kind of humiliation that would be rightly described as torture, it's fine.

it's an armband... at least it's not the full costume.

...

Ok, I just had a image of the headlines... Hello Kitty under investigation for Police Brutality...

it's an armband... at least it's not the full costume.

...

Ok, I just had a image of the headlines... Hello Kitty under investigation for Police Brutality...
Or a Hello Kitty mascot chasing robbers down the dusty streets of Bangkok...

I wouldn't be too terribly embarrassed... can't be worse than buying tampons for your girlfreind.No woman will ever be convinced of the affections of any man who won't buy her tampons (the correct brand) or carry her purse for her.

I just have images of Hello Kitty Nazis running round in my head.

Or a Hello Kitty mascot chasing robbers down the dusty streets of Bangkok...

... ok... Now I have that pic in my head... as a robber, I would be bowled over laughing, unable to run or breaking the land speed record...