ALBAWABA- Shoppers at one of Thailand’s largest malls were greeted this week by a striking sight: giant stone-like faces of Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, and Donald Trump towering over camping stalls and a climbing wall.
The installation, part of a pop-up display at Bangkok’s Seacon Square, echoes the famous Mount Rushmore monument in the United States.
The mall, known for quirky themes like a “Great Wall of China” replica and a “Noah’s Ark” with live animals, said the latest exhibit was designed not to push a message but to “invite conversation.”
“It’s like a powerful statement, all of them together,” said James Kumar, a 32-year-old Australian visitor.
For some, the display carried humor. “I think Trump would really like this,” said American Andrew Davis, noting the U.S. president once joked about joining the real Mount Rushmore.
But he added it would provoke “a huge political drama” if displayed in the U.S., given the country’s deep divisions.
While Trump traditionally stands on the opposite side of the geopolitical divide from the other three leaders, he has openly praised his relationships with Xi, Putin, and Kim.
Some shoppers found the juxtaposition fitting. “As an American, I feel sad to say it is an accurate display,” one visitor said.
Others were uneasy. “I’m surprised Seacon – which is a major Thai company – would let something this politically awkward be displayed here,” said George, a long-term British resident.
So far, diplomats have not reacted publicly, but many shoppers preferred anonymity when commenting, describing the four leaders as “all authoritarians.”
