By Rap Against Dictatorship (featuring EP$ON, RAFA & Hockhacker)
Note: You can see the English-language translation provided with the video by clicking on the closed-captions (“cc”) button and selecting English. S.O.T.U.S. is the system of hazing of younger university students by older students. The acronym stands for “Senority, Order, Tradition, Unity, and Spirit.” The Thai prodemocracy movement has long been against it, with Netiwit “Frank” Chotipahtpaisal of Chulanlongkorn University and Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak of Thammasat Univerity being prominent activists working to reform or do away with the system as it often involves violence, humiliation, and intimidation, and teaches authoritarian values. The note under the video says, “Sotus สร้างชาติ ใช้รุ่นมาถืออำนาจ หล่อหลอม สร้างภาพ ใช้อำนาจไม่รับผิดชอบ,” which translates roughly: “S.O.T.U.S. creates a country that uses age groups to show their power, which teaches the idea that one can use power without responsibility.”
Lyrics and melody by Commoner สามัญชน; Singable English translation by Ann Norman
Note: This song is stunning. The original with direct translation is HERE. Keep in mind that Pai Dao Din (real name Jatupat Boonpattararaksa) featured in this video, rose to fame by spending 2.5 years in jail just for sharing a perfectly good BBC news article introducing then-new King Vajiralongkorn (that is, he pushed “share” on Facebook). He continued to be the whistleblower sounding the alarm that all is NOT WELL despite the happy propaganda. In the video, I sing in English on top of the Thai version, and also interpret the images at the end.
This is just the old excuse that uses one guy to block what’s real And hide what others feel, no one gets a say Using it to cover shit, though no one thinks it’s right today They menace everyone, who won’t bow, obey.
Yeah again it’s You Know Who . . . And no one speaks his name. Is it really only me, who’ll refuse to play this game?
For the laws that just oppress, let them die . . . remove distress Expose the truths that no one wants to see It may mean we’re cursed to die, but if it works . . . We need to try! Release the chains that cause the misery.
When you look back over time, while we would cheer our love sublime They drove many others out, who didn’t feel the same. Disgusted now, realizing it. A person’s brain is washed by shit. At school it’s slaves they train . . . isn’t this insane.
Yeah again it’s You Know Who . . . And no one speaks his name. Is it really only me, who’ll refuse to play this game?
For the laws that just oppress, let them die . . . remove distress Expose the truths that no one wants to see It may mean we’re cursed to die, but if it works . . . We need to try! Release the chains that hold us in misery.
For the laws that just oppress, let them die . . . remove distress Expose the truths that no one wants to see (Love is different than fear) It may mean we’re cursed to die, but if it works . . . We need to try! Release the chains that hold us in misery. (You’ll rot in hell waiting on their promise)
ในโอกาสวันจักรี
On the Occasion of Chakri Day
วันที่ 6 เมษายน 2564
April 6, 2021
A poem by เพนกวิน Penguin written from jail. My commentary is below the poem.
กรุงเทพเทพเสกได้ เองฤา Can Krungtep be created by the magic spell of an angel? ล้วนแต่ตีนแต่มือ ไพร่สร้าง All the feet, all the hands . . . commoners create and build เวียงวังวัดสะพรั่งคือ ใครก่อ ขึ้นนา The towns, royal palaces, and temples in blossom, who built them up? ใยเทพฉวยชื่ออ้าง ว่าตั้ง กรุงเอง Why does the angel snatch the name, claiming he built it himself?
ปราสาททองอร่ามเรื้อง เรืองสมัย Golden palaces glitter and gleam for ages ทองรีบเร้นจนใคร ขื่นกล้ำ The gold was seized until someone is bitter โอ้ว่าทิพยาลัย สรวงสถิตย์ The palaces where monarchs lived งามวิสิทธิ์วิเศษล้ำ ก็น้ำตาใคร Magnificently and splendidly built on whose tears?
เหงื่อไพร่พรูพรั่งพื้น พสุธา The sweat of commoners pouring to the ground ข้าวจึงเหลืองเต็มนา ทั่วด้าว The rice therefore fully yellows the fields throughout the territory ใช่โพสพเทวดา ใดเสก ประทานแฮ Not the Goddess of Rice casting a spell, granting [it] ผองไพร่ไป่ปลูกข้าว ฤาเจ้า มีเสวย If the farmers don’t farm rice, will the monarchs have rice to eat?
เลือดใครไหลหลั่งป้อง ปฐพิน Who shed blood to protect the motherland? เลือดแน่เลือดไพร่ริน พิภพกว้าง Certainly the blood of commoners flows [across] the wide world เลือดดินย่อมย้อมดิน แดงเดือดค The blood of the land is likely stain the ground red ใช่เลือดบนหลังช้าง ที่ล้าง ธรณี It’s not the blood [of the one] on the back of the elephant that washes the Earth
บุญแรงราษฎร์หล่อเลี้ยง โลกา The virtue and power of the citizens nourishes the world เป็นหลักค้ำผืนนภา แผ่นหล้า It’s a principle that holds up the sky and the land [that is, the country] เหลือยิ่งเอกบุญญา มหาราช ใดเลย Even greater than the principle and merit of any great king ขอนบคำนับอ้า ไพร่ฟ้า จงเจริญ Now let me salute with the words, “Long live the people!”
Note: This poem was written on the occasion of “Chakri Day,” which is the day to celebrate the Charkri Dynasty, of which King Vajiralongkorn is the 10th king. Kruengtep is the actual (abbreviated) name of the city foreigners call “Bangkok.” Kruengtep means “Angel City.” The ones who went into battle on the backs of elephants (at least in the legends) are the kings and princes. Penguin’s last poem evoked two famous จิตร ภูมิศักดิ์ Jit Poomisak songs/poems: แสงดาวแห่งศรัทธา Starlight of Faith, and ฟ้าใหม่ New Sky (both translated at this site). This poem calls up images from a third famous Jit Poomisak song, กลิ่นรวงทอง The Scent of Golden Ears of Rice (translated at Carabao in English). Penguin may be claiming the legacy of this famous poet/revolutionary by writing poems from jail that are similar to his and perhaps as good as his (time will tell). The poem is in โคลงสี่สุภาพ format. The picture of Penguin I used is a screenshot from the music video for the song กล้ามาก เก่งมาก ขอบใจ So Daring! So Talented! Thank You by Paeng Surachet
This was originally a post to alert you that many artists at this site were in jail, charged with lese majesty and denied bail. Pai Daodin, Rung, Ammy, Penguin, Port Faiyen, and Anon Nampa have all now been freed. This is partly due to Penguin and then Rung’s hunger strikes to get bail for all the most recent lese majesty victims. It may also be partially due to the fact that covid-19 is spreading through the prison. Port, who was already in fragile health, got covid-19 and was sent to the hospital. Anon Nampa also got covid-19.
So the concern now is that, 1) many have lost weight and are in more fragile health due to poor conditions at the prison, especially the covid-19 outbreak that affected about half of all the prisoners, 2) frivolous charges still hang over their heads and if convicted (the trials will be held in secret), they may still spend decades in prison, and 3) many have been forced to wear large electronic monitoring ankle bracelets and conditions of their release include that they not disparage the monarchy (they are pointing out huge crimes, not insulting people for the fun of it) and that they not cause any “ความวุ่นวาย” which is hard to translate but means something like “chaos” (the recent protests have been remarkably peaceful relative to protests in other countries or in Thai history.) So people just laugh at these requirements.
Below is my original post, written while the artists mentioned were still in prison:
ALERT: Artists at this Site in Jail
As of March, 2021, 5 musicians featured at this site are currently in jail for lese majesty (and if we count activists who guest star in the music videos, we have 6 artists in total recently arrested for lese majesty).
We have:
1) Poor sick Port Faiyen, of Faiyen band, under the names Port Faiyen and Rishadan Port, authored or coauthored at least 18 songs at this site. He is also a personal friend and advised on many of the translations at this site. Most people thought he had received asylum in France, arriving with the rest of Faiyen band in August 2019, but he never got to France. Right after the assassination of Surachai’s team in Laos, Port had to secretly return to Thailand to get treatment for a life-threatening illness. We covered for him, pretending he was in Laos and then in France. A few months later the regime would assassinate his onetime housemate and informal Faiyen band member Siam Teerawut (as mentioned above). Altogether the regime assassinated 8 people he knew well. He must be released for medical reasons as it clear the regime has been trying to kill him. He is a clever and prolific songwriter, with an accessible style. If you are unfamiliar with his songs, start with พ่อ “Paw” and ทวงคืน “Demand it Back.”
3) Ammy The Bottom Blues (the name of his band is “The Bottom Blue,” first name “Ammy”), was arrested for lese majesty for setting fire to a giant picture of King Vajiralonkorn hanging in front of the jail where they are holding the lese majesty prisoners! He also boldly wears a t-shirt that says, “No God, No King, Only Humans.” Check out two songs he performed at MobFest: “1 2 3 4 5 I LOVE YOU” and a cover of Carabao’s “Made in Thailand.”
4) There is a Suphan Rap by leader of the student movement Penguin, (real name Parit Chiwarak) that is MUST SEE. (This is a prexisting Thai-style of rap, similar to, but not derived from, Western rap). Penquin has been arrested for lese majesty and, is in jail on a hunger strike..
5) While going through the Port Faiyen songs yesterday, I was surprised to discover one that Anon Nampa had contributed to! Anon Nampa is the famous human rights lawyer who gave the Harry Potter speech saying we have to finally discuss the monarchy if Thailand is to solve it’s problems. The song both Port and Attorney Anon contributed to is a love song to a comrade in the struggle titled, “แด่เธอผู้เป็นดวงใจและไฟฝัน To You, the One Who is My Heart and My Dreams.”
5.5) In addition we have student leader Rung (her real name Panasaya Sithijirawattanakul), Pai, and Penguin, starring in a new music video for Paeng Surachet’s hit song กล้ามาก เก่งมาก ขอบใจ “So Daring! So Talented! Thank You.” But they are not in jail for this particular video because it was released AFTER they were arrested for lese majesty. Pai and Penguin were already musicians with songs at Music of Thai Freedom prior to performing in the new video. But with the new release, Rung is added to the sad list of performers contributing to music videos at this site.
That the people on this list are on the right side of history is obvious, and internationally recognized. For instance:
A) ALL of Faiyen band other than Port have received asylum in France (Port would have been admitted too but was too sick to go) in recognition that they were being hunted for assassination for their free speech. The band members now make regular media appearances in France telling their horrific story to all who will listen.
B) Pai Daodin (Jatupat Boonpatararaksa) accepted a prize from Thailand’s National Human Right Commission on behalf of his Dao Din group ( in relation to their environmental activism), and won the 2017 Gwanju Prize for Human Rights from the South Korean May 18 Memorial Foundation.
C) Anon Nampa is on the Time 100 Next 2021 list of emerging leaders shaping the future.
D) Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul (aka Rung),was named one of world’s most inspirational and influential women of 2020 by BBC.
As the situation in Thailand deteriorates, in what is hopefully the last death throes of Thailand’s evil and unsustainable lese majesty law, you may continue to see Thailands best and brightest thrown in jail. Please watch and protest.
Lyrics and melody by ชูเวช เดชดิษฐรักษ์ Chuwet Dedittharak and Natthaphong Phukaew ณัฐพงษ์ ภูแก้ว of the band สามัญชน Commoner
Note: The music video shows a protest from September 19, 2020.
หากเธอได้ยินเยงเพลงบรรเลง hàak ter dâai-yin sĭiang pleng ban-leng If you hear the music playing เธอจงกลับไปเรียกไพร่พล ter jong glàp bpai rîiak prâi pon You must go back and call out the people’s troops มันคือท่วงทำนองของสามัญชน man keu tûuang-tam-nong kŏng săa-man chon It is the tune of the commoner คนธรรมดาอย่างเรา kon tam-má-daa yàang rao Ordinary people like us
หากเธอได้ยินเสียงกลองกระหน่ำ hàak ter dâai-yin sĭiang glong grà-nàm If you hear the drums banging มันคือเสียงเท้าของมวลชน man keu sĭiang táo kŏng muuan chon It’s the sound of the masses กระหึ่มด้วยแรงของเสรีชน grà-hèum dûuay raeng kŏng săy-ree chon Resounding with joined strength of the free people คนใต้ฟ้าเดียวกัน kon dtâi fáa diieow gan People under one sky together
ดวงดาวยังประกายทอแสง duuang daao yang bprà-gaai tor săeng The stars still sparkle and shine จรัสแรงยามมืดมนบนฟ้าไกล jà-ràt raeng yaam mêut mon bon fáa glai Strong and bright in the dark times, in the sky far away ผูกใจเราร่วมประสาน pòok jai rao rûuam bprà-săan [They?] bond our hearts together ศรัทธามั่นสู้ถึงวันบรรลุชัย sàt-taa mân sôo tĕung wan ban-lú chai With certain faith fighting until the day we attain victory
ปรบมือดังเสียงกลอง และป่าวร้องว่าไม่ยอมให้ผู้ใด bpròp meu dang sĭiang glong láe bpàao róng wâa mâi yom hâi pôo dai Clap your hands like drums, and proclaim, “We won’t yield to anyone” มาทำร้ายลิดรอนสิทธิ์เสรี ที่เรามีตราบที่เรายังหายใจ maa tam ráai lít ron sìt săy-ree têe rao mee dtràap têe rao yang hăai jai They harm and deprive us of the rights and freedom that are ours as long as we breath จับมือเดินก้าวไป เราคือเพื่อนกัน jàp meu dern gâao bpai rao keu pêuuan gan Clasp hands and walk on forward. We are friends.
Cover by Ammy The Bottom Blues and Rap Against Dictatorship; “Made in Thailand” by Add Carabao
Note: Ammy of the band “The Bottom Blues” is the lead singer of this cover. He is currently in jail for lese majesty charged with setting fire to a giant portrait of Vajiralongkorn at a protest in front of the prison holding the most recent victims of Thailand’s lese majesty law! This performance happened earlier at “MobFest.” “Made in Thailand” is a classic Carabao song, for which it is customary in performances to update a few lines to the political current situation; so this performance is totally in line with that 30-some year tradition. As for the rap section, note that the phrase “Made in Thailand“ works just like the phrase “Pratet Gu Mee“ (“That’s What My Country’s Got” or That’s My Fucking Country“), which is the title of Rap Against Dictatorship’s biggest hit. The rappers can rattle off a list of complaints and then say “Made in Thailand”! The context of the original “Made in Thailand” song is now irrelevant, but the song was a plea for Thais to buy Thai products. The reason the song is covered here (and altered) is it was once upon a time a monster hit and still signals Thai pride and political activism (and also a little irony in that the songwriter Add Carabao is not participating in the current protests). Compare to “Born in the USA” being used at patriotic events in the US: the details of the original song are no longer relevant because it makes for a great anthem. The translation of the “Made in Thailand” song is pretty solid (altered parts are in blue), while the translation of rap section is very sketchy and full of holes. Please send me any important corrections. Enjoy.
เมดอินไทยแลนด์ แดนดินไทยเรา
Made in Thailand. [In] this Thai country of ours
เก็บกันจนเก่า เรามีแต่ของดีดี
We keep old [ways/things], and have very good things
มาตั้งแต่ก่อนสุโขทัย มาลพบุรี อยุธยา ธนบุรี
coming from, first, the Sukothai [era], through the Lop Buri, Ayuthaya, [and] Thon Buri [eras]
ยุคสมัยนี้ เป็น คสช.
This age it‘s the NCPO [era] [The era of the National Council for Peace and Order or the junta]
(ขอเสียงดัง “เป็น คสช.“)
(Shout it loud, “it’s NCPO!“])
เมดอินไทยแลนด์ แฟนแฟนเข้าใจ
Made in Thailand. Fans [please] understand:
ผลิตผลคนไทย เราใช้เองทําเอง
Products that Thai people use, [we] make ourselves
ตัดเย็บเสื้อผ้า แล้วติดยศให้ตัวเอง
Sewing clothes and attaching a rank [military insignia] on one’s self
กางเกงยีนส์ (ชะหนอยแน่)
[making] jeans (sha na na)
แล้วขึ้นเครื่องบินไป . . . ?
Then [the products] are loaded onto a plane flying off to? . . . [Waiting for audience to fill in word]
(แล้วขึ้นเครื่องบินไป . . . ? )
(Then they are loaded onto a plane flying off to. . . [GERMANY!])
(แล้วขึ้นเครื่องบินไป . . . [เยอรมัน] )
(Then they are loaded onto a plane flying off to. . . [GERMANY!])
(แล้วขึ้นเครื่องบินไป . . . [เยอรมัน])
(Then they are loaded onto a plane flying off to. . . [GERMANY!])
คนไทยได้หน้า ฝรั่งมังค่าได้เงิน
Thais get a good reputation. Farang get the money.
(ขอเสียงดังๆ หายเยอรมันไป )
(Shout it loud, “it disappears off to Germany!“)
First rap by Nattapong Srimuang (Liberate P): [We can’t hear it clearly, so no translation]]
Second rap by Pratchayaa Surakamchonrot (Jakobi): ขออีกเพลงนะ
How about “Democracy”? We have it “Thai-style.” To have to modern style, it‘s like [were asking] too much! [THIS NEXT part is word play with acronyms]: We have MPs, Members of the Provincial Council, .. . chief of police, chief butts, ??? We have Senators who are stupid d.i.c.k’s Fuck it! Those assholes are not like anywhere [else] . . . “Made in Thailand“
It‘s Thailand, land of the serial killer … It’s murder . . . one of the kinds of handicraft … doing injustice. . . the people who have power. It’s a dictatorship that those assholes create . . . Chanocha . . I’ve not going to go back and duck inside a coconut shell. Because of the dictatorship that those assholes create. .. of he people. Those assholes aren’t willing to dissolve parliament [one of the demands of the student movement] because of the dictatorship those assholes create. Dickhead Prayut Chanocha.
I have a deed [to land], but it’s like I don’t have a deed [to land]. I bought it. But it’s like I’m sad right now. Whose land is it? Since when did my mother and father buy it? I have no luck. I have no luck. Where can I live where I’ll have freedom? They say, [whatever you do], don’t live in Thailand. I have no money so how am I going to fly somewhere? I have no opportunity. If I want to go anywhere, I can’t. And so I must stay right here. I’m hoping one day it will be easy. Yo! When damnit, is it going to be easy. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Made in Thailand, Made in Thailand, Amazing Thailand. Amaze. Amaze
Ammy: (ขอเสียงปรบมือดังให้ RAD)
Ammy: (Clap your hands for RAD (Rap Against Dictatorship)
[This last part is straight from the original song:]
เมดอินไทยแลนด์ พอแขวนตามร้านค้า
Made in Thailand. As soon as [they] hang [the clothes] up in the store,
* อยากจะมีชีวิตที่ดีกว่านี้ อยากจะข่มตานอนโดยไม่กังวล I want a life that’s better than this. I want to shut my eyes to sleep without worry อยากจะมีเวลาให้ได้ค้นหาตัวตน ให้ฉันมีชีวิตที่กำหนดเอง I want to time to be able to find myself, so that I have a life that I determine myself อยากจะมีชีวิตที่ดีกว่านี้ อยากจะข่มตานอนโดยไม่กังวล I want a life that’s better than this. I want to shut my eyes to sleep without worry อยากให้รัฐบาลเห็นค่าของคน เอาชนะความจนด้วยรัฐสวัสดิการ I want the government to recognize the value of the person [and] conquer poverty with a welfare state
พ่อแม่ของฉันทำงานหาเงินไม่เคยเว้นวันโดยหวังว่าฉันจะมีชีวิตที่ดีกว่าเขา My father and mother work to make a living, never taking a day off, with the hope that I will have a life better than them ให้ฉันได้เล่าเรียนทั้งที่ค่าเทอมแทบจ่ายไม่ไหว ต่อให้ล้มลงเจ็บป่วยเมื่อใดยังคงต้องฝืนหาเงิน [They] would have me study even though they can barely pay the cost of a term. Even if they fall down and are hurt at times, they still must force themselves to find a way to bring in money. ถูกกดดันให้รับราชการทั้งที่ยังหาตัวเองไม่เจอ ทำได้แค่เพียงเออออเบลอๆไม่อยากให้เขาผิดหวัง I’ve been forced to accept government service even if I haven’t yet found myself. I can do it but it’s just all a blur. I don’t want to disappoint them. สมัครเข้าเรียนในมหาลัยผ่านไปสองปีเพิ่งจะรู้ตัวว่าที่จริงแล้วอยากทำอะไรไม่อยากเป็นข้าราชการ I get into a university [and] two years later suddenly realize what I actually want to do, that I don’t want to be a government employee. จึงตกนรกระหว่างที่เรียนอยู่แต่พ่อแม่ไม่เคยรู้ คิดว่าอยากจะลาออกแต่ก็ยังไม่กล้าพอ ทำได้แค่ต้องเรียนต่อเรียนต่อไป And so I’m in Hell while at university, but my father and mother never know. I want to quit, but I’m not brave enough to do it. The only thing I can do is keep on studying.
[Repeat *]
วันเวลาผ่านไปกับการอดทนร่ำเรียนเพื่อปริญญาแม้ว่าไม่ได้อยากรู้วิชา The days pass, enduring study for the degree, even though I never wanted to learn this subject พอวันหนึ่งรวบรวมกำลังความฝันเล่าให้พ่อแม่ฟังถึงหนทางที่ฉันเลือกเอง Then one day I gather my hopes to tell my father and mother about the path I have chosen แม่ยืนยันให้รับราชการถ้าแม่ป่วยแล้วจะทำยังไง ถ้าแม่ล้มลงลูกจ่ายไม่ไหว หรือปล่อยให้แม่ต้องตาย Mother insists that I have to accept government service. If she gets sick, what will she do? If she starts to fail, her child won’t be able to pay, which might even mean she must die. พ่อตอกย้ำว่าชีวิตคนจนต่อให้ขยันก็ยังต้องจน มันมีชนชั้นนำไม่กี่คน ผูกขาดภาษีของเรา My father stresses that the lives of poor people are such that even though they work diligently they must still be poor. There aren’t many people in the high levels of society. ถ้าหากวันหนึ่งพ่อแก่ตัวลูกก็ดันมาตกงาน ก็ได้แค่หวังเบี้ยชราแค่ 600 ประชาชนไทยมันไม่มีสวัสดิการลูกต้องรับราชการ Suppose I get old and you, son, are forced into unemployment. Then the only hope is for the old age pension of 600 baht ($20.00/month). The Thai people don’t have welfare. Son, you must be a government employee
Note: This is another highly coded song from Yena (compare to Putting on Gold Leaf ) and again I have posted the version sung at MobFest. This song basically asks people to be authentic, or points out that they may not be being authentic when they go with the flow and show their respects to the flag or to the king. Thus the lines about walking hand in hand and declaring one’s love in the month of December are a highly coded reference to ostentatious displays of love for King Bhumibol, whose nationally celebrated birthday was in December. The extreme public displays of undying love for Bhumibol seen at his death are no longer “cool,” and respect for the monarchy in general is quickly reversing due to the disaster of his son and successor, Vajiralongkorn.
ออกไปโห่ร้องถือธงโบกสะบัดตามใจหรือตามกันหรือตามการปลูกฝัง Going out to yell and wave flags, you do that as you like, or as everyone else does, or as has been instilled ก้มลงช่วยมดในคอห่านบนแผ่นดินที่คุณยืนตามใจแค่ตามใจก็แค่ตามหัวใจ Bending down to help the ant in the sewer on the ground that you stand [on], you do it if you like, depending on what you want to do ยืนเคารพใครเคารพคนบนนั้นใครตามใจหรือตามกันหรือตามการปลูกฝัง Standing and showing respects to someone, you do that as you like, or as everyone else is doing, or as was instilled ก้มลงโอบกอดไทยหลังอานบนแผ่นดินที่เรียกไทยตามใจแค่ตามใจก็แค่ตามหัวใจ Bending down and embracing the Thai Ridgeback [breed of] dog on the ground called Thailand, you do it as you like depending on what you want to do.
ทุกคนต่างพูดต่างฝันอยากเห็นโลกที่สวยสดงดงาม Each and every person says and dreams they want to see a world that is bring and beautiful ไม่ยากหรอกแค่ลองพยายามใช้ศรัทธากับเสียงหัวใจที่เราได้ยินมันใกล้ๆ It’s not that difficult; just try having faith [in your dreams] and listening to your heart.
ออกไปขีดเขียนอวยพรใครสักคนตามใจหรือตามกันหรือตามการปลูกฝัง Going out and writing blessings for a certain someone, you do that as you like, or as everyone else is doing, or as has been instilled ก้มลงเขียนโต๊ะด้วยลิขวิดประกาศรักในชั้นเรียนตามใจแค่ตามใจก็แค่ตามหัวใจ Bending over and writing a message of love on your desk in the classroom [with liquid paper], you do that as you like, depending on what you want to do. เดินกุมมือเธอในหน้าหนาวเดือนธันวาแล้วสัญญาว่าจะรักกันตามใจหรือตามกันหรือตามการปลูกฝัง Walking holding hands in the Winter, the month of December, and promising to love, you do that following your heart, or as others are doing, or as has been instilled. พ้นจากหน้าหนาวนั้นเพียงไม่นานเธอทิ้งฉันไปตามใจแค่ตามใจก็แค่ตามหัวใจ ของเธอ After that Winter, not much long after, she abandoned me, because that is what her heart wanted.
ทุกคนต่างพูดต่างฝันอยากเห็นโลกที่สวยสดงดงาม Each and every person says and dreams they want to see a world that is bring and beautiful ไม่ยากหรอกแค่ลองพยายามใช้ศรัทธากับเสียงหัวใจที่เราได้ยินมันใกล้ๆ It’s not that difficult. Just try having faith [in your dreams] and the voice from your heart.
Note: “You Know Who” are the words used for Voldemort in the Harry Potter, and obviously refers to King Vajiralongkorn. Pai Dao Din (Jatupat Boonpattararaksa) is featured in this video. He is the man who, when he was still a law student, served 2.5 years in jail for sharing a BBC news article about King Vajiralongkorn on Facebook. Afterwards he served as an aid to an MP in Parliament and now is among the stars of the current protests. The visuals of the bodies in the river represent the bodies found of two members of Surachai Saedan’s team, Mr. Chatchan Boophawal (Puchana), and Mr. Kraidet Leulert (Gasalong). Theirs were the only two bodies found after the assassinations in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 of 9 political dissidents (most lese majesty victims) living in countries neighboring Thailand. Pictures of all the diseased and their grieving families are shown at the end of the video. The last visual is of crowds of protesters chanting “Ai Hia Oh” which basically turns Vajiralongkorn’s nickname into a swear word in a way that is impossible to translate, but is similar to chanting “fucking king!” in code. MY SINGABLE ENGLISH version of the song is HERE.
มันเป็นเพียงข้ออ้างเดิม เดิม ที่ใช้คนคนหนึ่ง หยุดยั้งทุกทุกสิ่ง That’s the old, old excuse that uses one [certain] person to block everything และกลบซ่อนความรู้สึก ไม่ให้ได้ยินเสียงใคร And hide [other’s] feelings from view, not allowing anyone to be heard แม้ในวันที่ไม่มีใครยอมรับ ก็ยังคงใช้มันกำบัง Even in the day that nobody accepts it, they still use [it] as a shield และคอยคุกคามผู้คน ที่ไม่ยอมก้มหัว and keep menacing the people unwilling to bow their heads
คนที่คุณก็รู้ว่าใคร ไม่มีผู้ใด เอ่ยชื่อเขาตรง ตรง You Know Who . . . no one speaks his name directly มีแค่เพียงตัวฉันหรือไง ที่ไม่เข้าใจสิ่งเหล่านี้ Is it really only me who has a hard time comprehending this?
ปล่อยให้มันย่อยยับไปเถอะ ไอ้ทุกขนบที่สร้างมากดขี่ Let perish every horrible tradition that creates oppression รื้อทุกความจริงอื่น ที่ไม่มีใครอยากเห็น Expose other truths no one wants to see อาจจะถูกสาปแช่งให้ลงโลง แต่ถ้ามันปลดปล่อยโซ่ที่ล่ามคน Maybe [we’re] cursed to go into a coffin. But if it releases the chains that bind people . . . แค่นั้นมันพอจะคุ้มลองเสี่ยงดูไหม would[n’t] that be enough to make the risk of trying worthwhile?
พอได้ลองมองย้อนเวลาไป ครั้งตอนเรายัง บอกรักได้เต็มปาก When you look back over time, on the times we still shouted our love, และคอยไล่ล่าผู้คน ที่ไม่รักเหมือนกัน and [they] kept driving out the people who didn’t love the same as everyone else, คิดแล้วมันบัดซบ และขมขื่น สมองคนคนหนึ่ง thinking about it now, it’s just crass and bitter. A person’s brain ถูกล้างด้วยห้องเรียน ให้กลายเป็นทาสผู้ซื่อสัตย์ ของเจ้านาย is washed by the school so they become a slave, a person loyal to the boss. คนที่คุณก็รู้ว่าใคร ไม่มีผู้ใด เอ่ยชื่อเขาตรง ตรง
You Know Who has no one willing to say his name directly มีแค่เพียงตัวฉันหรือไง ที่ไม่เข้าใจสิ่งเหล่านี้ Is it only me who has a hard time comprehending this? ปล่อยให้มันย่อยยับไปเถอะ ไอ้ทุกขนบที่สร้างมากดขี่
Let perish every horrible tradition that creates oppression รื้อทุกความจริงอื่น ที่ไม่มีใครอยากเห็น Expose other truths no one wants to see อาจจะถูกสาปแช่งให้ลงโลง แต่ถ้ามันปลดปล่อยโซ่ที่ล่ามคน Maybe [we’re] cursed to go into a coffin. But if it releases the chains that bind people . . . แค่นั้นมันพอจะคุ้มลองเสี่ยงดูไหม would[n’t] that be enough to make the risk of trying worthwhile?
ปล่อยให้มันย่อยยับไปเถอะ ไอ้ทุกขนบที่สร้างมกดขี่ Let perish every horrible tradition that creates oppression รื้อทุกความจริงอื่น ที่ไม่มีใครอยากเห็น [and] demolishes other truths no one wants to see (อย่าบิดเบือนความหมายของคำว่ารักด้วยความหวาดกลัวใดใด) (Don’t twist the meaning of the word “love” to be some kind of fearfulness) อาจจะถูกสาปแช่งให้ลงโลง แต่ถ้ามันปลดปล่อยโซ่ที่ล่ามคน Maybe [we’re] cursed to go into a coffin. But if it releases the chains that bind people . . . แค่นั้นมันพอจะคุ้มลองเสี่ยงดูไหม would[n’t] that be enough to make the risk of trying worthwhile? (หยุดรอคอยความหวังจากคำสัญญา เมื่อแลกวิญญาณให้จอมมารร้าย) (Stop hoping they will keep a promise, when you trade your soul [fight to the death] for The Evil One)
