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I think you guys need to realize that this isn't happening in US, or UK etc. This is in THAILAND. A country where Buddahism & all images of Buddah are considered to be sacred.
I am not arguing whether or not people should lighten up about this type of thing in their own country. I am saying that it is very insensitive and rude to go to someone else's country and offend someone else's religion.
Thailand is one of the most hospitable countries I've been in, is it too much to ask tourists to be respectful of their host?
You have to spend some time with the locals to get a good understanding of how much they revere images of Buddha as well as portraits of their king.
I heard a story once that a group of Mormom (or was it Jehovah Witness) missionaries went to Thailand a long time ago. During a casual trip they went to visit a Buddhist temple (common tourist attraction) and one of them climbed onto the Buddha statue to take a photo. The Thais were outrageous at this display of disrepect, and ever since, that religous group has not been allowed back in to the country.
Not to say that anyone with that belief isn't allowed in, but they aren't allowed in as an official church sent missionaries. Considering how open the Thais (and Buddhists) are in general, this was a major reaction.
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