From San Francisco to Bangkok and more than 5 other cities you can see the mark of BNE almost everywhere you walk in the city. In the past two years this criminal or criminals have defaced the streets of various cities with their three letter moniker that makes sense to no one. Walk along sukhumvit in Bangkok and you are assailed with stickers and spray painted scrawlings every few feet that proclaim BNE was here.
It’s not like this graffiti is a work of art like the world renown Banksy of English fame. There is no art here at all just three letters BNE. Sometimes it’s King BNE or BNE was here but as of late it’s more stickers than anything. This phenomenon of crap apparently started in Japan and was accompanied by a symbol that means visit. Accordingly many believe that along with the symbol the BNE stands for ” Be Nowhere Else”. Nice way to leave your mark.
My many walks through the city streets of Bangkok were always accompanied by this mysterious BNE. Very few of the pictures I took of the city last trip were devoid of the vandalism. And vandalism is exactly what it is. No one knows who is responsible for the world wide attack and I suspect it’s many people thinking they are part of something special or cool.
Bangkok may not be the cleanest city in the world but it definitely has a charm all it’s own and this garbage is really starting to take a toll on it’s streets. I hope someone is caught while tagging their BNE by locals no matter where it happens in the world and they put a foot up their ass…There is nothing cool about being an asshole.
When I was an active SCUBA diver there was a motto that divers the world around went by and it’s fitting if you travel abroad even as a land lover. I modified it a little.
Take only pictures…leave only bubbles smiles
Below is an ABC news story on the havoc these idiots are wreaking around the world:
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Talen this one rings a bell. I remember reading something a few months back but can’t remember the source.
As you say bloody annoying in a country like here that doesn’t normally have a lot of graffiti especially in the back woods where I live.
.-= Mike´s last blog ..Thailand or Malaysia for Retirement =-.
This is what I got after googling:
‘it seems to be the work of a San Francisco graffiti artist called Benet (BeNEt) the stickers and graffiti first started in San Francisco where there’s a $25,000 reward for his capture. It’s hard to say whether he’s responsible for the the ones in Bangkok, Tokyo and the other cities, in fact it’s more likely that others have taken up his cause and I’m sure if you searched the web long enough you be able to find some site that could supply you with the stickers.’
And here’s the site: http://www.bneone.com/
I enjoy graffiti on old buildings ready to be torn down, or deliberate graffiti (where it is planned). But on new structures (post boxes, signs), it’s usually an unpleasant surprise.
.-= Catherine´s last blog ..Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations: Thai Episode =-.
I’ve heard about this benet character before but I think he’s just a bandwagon Jumper with a good match for a name. Instances of these stickers were showing up in Japan way before he was on the scene.
Some graffiti such as Banky’s is completely enjoyable and make you think…this stuff just makes me want to beat anyone with a spray can.
Interesting. Not seen / heard this before. Will keep an eye out.
.-= Ben Shingleton´s last blog ..The Handy Shipping Guide Launches =-.
bneone.com has moved to http://www.bne.cc
Graffiti is seen the world over and to me its a sight for sore eyes although perhaps that’s my age showing. Like Ben I haven’t noticed this BNE graffiti before but I’m sure I now will on my next trip. Catching this Benet I assume chap that Catherine mentions may not be a good thing as it will highlight the problem and probably make matters worse. If they do get hold of Benet then I hope they stick a spray can up his ass and a hard bristled brush down his throat and come to think of it I definitely am getting old. Perhaps spraying BNE on my neighbours front window might give me a new rush of youth.
.-= Martyn´s last blog ..Down Periscope – Dive Dive Dive =-.
I’m with you I would like to beat this person or persons.
I have literaly 200 or more pictures of this garbage from just walking around Bangkok for an hour…it’s everywhere.
‘I think he’s just a bandwagon Jumper with a good match for a name’
I tried for awhile to track the story down but it keeps going in circles. Either that, or I was going in circles
.-= Catherine´s last blog ..Interviewing Successful Thai Language Learners: Rikker Dockum =-.
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