A new art installation resembling Mount Rushmore has been unveiled at Seacon Square shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand. Unlike the original American monument that honours democratic US presidents, this version features the faces of former US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The display is part of a promotional event titled Somewhere Else The Series - The Summit Camp. Visitors can take part in rock climbing, archery, and other camping-themed activities near the two-storey sculpture.
Bangkok's Seacon Square is known for its unconventional exhibits, this year showcasing a "Great Wall of China" and a "Noah's Ark" with real animals, but this is perhaps its first overtly political display.
"It's like a powerful statement, all of them together," James Kumar, a 32-year-old mall-goer from Australia, said on Thursday.
According to a statement from the mall, the concept "wasn't meant to deliver any single message -- but to invite conversation".
American Andrew Davis, described by his partner as a Trump supporter, said the marketing ploy was funny.
However, he said it would be "a huge political drama" if it were displayed in the United States. "That's how divided the country is right now."
The display had not generated a public response from diplomats after its first two days, even though some shoppers wondered whether it was too shocking to last.
"I'm surprised Seacon, which is a major Thai company -- would let something this politically awkward be displayed here," said a long-time British resident who gave his name as George.
(With inputs from AFP)
