Lady Gaga was struck on the head by a pole while performing during the third of three shows in Auckland, Sunday, June 10. — Photo AP

BANGKOK: First she made a joke about buying a fake rolex. Now Thailand's culture ministry has filed a complaint to police against Lady Gaga for misuse of the Thai flag during her show last month.

The ministry said the part of Lady Gaga's performance when she wore a traditional headdress and sat on a motorcycle in a skimpy outfit with a Thai flag trailing behind was “inappropriate and hurt Thai people's sentiment”.

“We are not asking police to prosecute her but it's our normal procedure to file complaints to concerned agencies when we receive them,” a senior ministry official, who declined to be named, said by telephone.

The ministry noted that the Thai national flag consisted of three colours — red for the nation, blue for the revered monarchy and white for religion.

Gaga caused a stir soon after her arrival in Thailand last month by tweeting that “I wanna get lost in a lady market and buy fake Rolex,” remarks that some Thais complained cast the kingdom in a negative light.

About 50,000 people attended her concert in Bangkok, which was part of a tour that sparked protests from religious hardliners in Indonesia, the Philippines and South Korea.

Opinion

Editorial

IMF’s unease
Updated 24 May, 2024

IMF’s unease

It is clear that the next phase of economic stabilisation will be very tough for most of the population.
Belated recognition
24 May, 2024

Belated recognition

WITH Wednesday’s announcement by three European states that they intend to recognise Palestine as a state later...
App for GBV survivors
24 May, 2024

App for GBV survivors

GENDER-based violence is caught between two worlds: one sees it as a crime, the other as ‘convention’. The ...
Energy inflation
Updated 23 May, 2024

Energy inflation

The widening gap between the haves and have-nots is already tearing apart Pakistan’s social fabric.
Culture of violence
23 May, 2024

Culture of violence

WHILE political differences are part of the democratic process, there can be no justification for such disagreements...
Flooding threats
23 May, 2024

Flooding threats

WITH temperatures in GB and KP forecasted to be four to six degrees higher than normal this week, the threat of...