BNK48 member who sparked outrage with swastika shirt agrees to Holocaust education workshop

Photos of Pichayapa 'Namsai' Natha went viral over the weekend after she was seen wearing a shirt with the Nazi symbol emblazoned across the front

Roisin O'Connor
Music Correspondent
Monday 28 January 2019 09:38 GMT
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BNK48 member Pichayapa Natha (L) and her band manager Nataphol Pavaravadhana (2nd L) meeting with Israeli Meir Shlomo (2nd R) in Bangkok
BNK48 member Pichayapa Natha (L) and her band manager Nataphol Pavaravadhana (2nd L) meeting with Israeli Meir Shlomo (2nd R) in Bangkok (AFP/Getty Images)

The member of a popular Thai girl group who sparked outrage after wearing a swastika shirt days before Holocaust Memorial Day has peldged to take part in an educational workship to raise awareness.

Photos of BNK48 singer Pichayapa "Namsai" Natha went viral over the weekend and caused Israel's deputy ambassador to Thailand, Smadar Shapira, to express dismay at her choice of outfit.

The 19-year-old singer, who wore the shirt during a rehearsal on Friday, delivered a tearful apology after the backlash and pleaded for forgiveness, claiming full responsibility for her ignorance.

"Please give me advice so that I can grow up to be a good adult in the future... I cannot fix the mistake but I promise I will not let it happen again," she wrote on her Facebook page.

Incidents involving insensitive use of Nazi symbols are not uncommon in Thailand, where there is little education about the Second World War. In 2016, Silpakorn University students caused outrage when they performed the Nazi salute in front of a fellow student dressed as Adolf Hitler during a cosplay event.

After meeting with the Israeli ambassador, Namsai has now agreed to take part in an educational workshop to help raise better awareness about the Holocaust.

"I understand that it was an act arising from lack of knowledge and lack of awareness, and I'm pleased that they have apologised and agreed to hold an educational workshop," the ambassador said in a statement.

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