A recent video circulating online shows several Thai women in a nightclub performing Nazi salutes while listening to Ye's new track, “Heil Hitler,” which contains lyrics that openly praise Adolf Hitler as well as criticize the system that has led to Ye's separation from his children after his public divorce from Kim Kardashian. The footage has triggered renewed concern over Southeast Asia’s recurring use of Nazi symbols as fashion statements or entertainment.

The clip, which features the women smiling and laughing while raising their arms to the lyrics, includes the line: “they don’t understand the things I say on Twitter, all my n***as Nazis, n***a, Heil Hitler.”

This is not the first time Nazi imagery has emerged in casual public settings in Thailand and neighboring countries. While many in the West see these displays as possibly the most offensive thing you could show in public, Nazi symbolism has often been adopted in parts of Asia, apparently due to a lack of education on the matter, with many not understanding of its historical weight, an Associated Press article from 2019 argues.

Thai markets routinely sell red-and-white swastika badges, stamps, and Hitler-themed merchandise. Tourist vendors on the busy Khaosan Road sell shirts featuring Hitler lounging at the beach. That year, a love motel outside Bangkok drew criticism after a photo surfaced of a room with a portrait of Hitler on the wall.

Part of the issue, experts say, is rooted in a lack of education on the Holocaust and World War II. “The Holocaust is covered in high school textbooks in Thailand but it’s ‘a small portion’ of the world history sections,” said Chalermchai Phanlert, an academic at the Education Ministry. As a result, the rise of Nazism and the genocide of six million Jews are not always clearly understood by students in the region.

Instead, many in Southeast Asia see WWII history through the lens of Japanese military occupation, which left a deeper impact on the region. Hitler's atrocities in Europe are less immediate to the local population and are often not considered.

The Nazi swastika’s visual similarity to the ancient Hindu symbol, which is widely seen in temples across Asia, further complicates efforts to separate historical meaning from cultural symbolism.

Elsewhere in the region, similar issues have come up time and time again. In 2017, an Indonesian wax museum was forced to remove a statue of Hitler after international outrage over visitors taking selfies with it. And in Myanmar, swastikas were popular in youth punk fashion until recent years, when greater awareness began to take hold. “It was about rebellion, not about ideology,” said former punk Ko Ko Aung.

Still, critics argue that ignorance is no excuse, as Hitler is still known throughout the world as one of the most despicable people of the 20th century. 

Efforts by platforms like Spotify and SoundCloud to remove Ye’s latest release, which glorifies Adolf Hitler, have failed to stop its spread online. Despite takedown attempts, the track and accompanying video remain widely accessible—especially on X, where it has been viewed millions of times, according to NBC.

The artist, formerly known as Kanye West, has shared two songs this week—“Heil Hitler” and “WW3”—both of which contain lyrics praising the Nazi leader responsible for the Holocaust. While some tech companies have acted to restrict the content, others have not, allowing the material to continue circulating with little resistance. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are littered with the song, with the tune being used in sports edits, especially involving athletes who switched to another team with a line from the song declaring the athlete a "villain."