This is an audaious spoof of the Thai National Anthem, made by Khoontong Faiyen for the Pixelhelper protests in Germany. “German version” refers to the fact that the current King of Thailand rules from Germany. For comparison, you can see the official version of the “Thai National Anthem” with translation, here at Music of Thai Freedom
Lyrics of the English version of the spoof (which is not yet on YouTube). The official English version is almost a direct translation of the Thai version, so I won’t translate the Thai version:
Thailand’s king, surrounded by his harem Lots of orgies, paid by us all He’s having fun with his young girls In Germany, on our taxes No peace in Thailand. Everyone under his feet. Oppressed and abused by his tyranny Giving our all to his majesty That he may live happily ever after
Melody by Phra Chenduriyang (Peter Feit), Lyrics by Luang Saranupraphan
“เพลงชาติไทย” “Thai National Anthem” (formerly เพลงชาติสยาม “Siam National Anthem”) has its origin in the Siam Revolution of 1932, and so it is appropriate to catalogue it here at Music of Thai Freedom. The melody is by Phra Chenduriyang (Peter Feit), whose father was a German-American immigrant to Thailand and mother was Mon-Thai. He lived his entire life in Thailand and identified as 100% Thai. The lyrics of เพลงชาติสยาม “Siam National Anthem” were written by Sanga Kanchanakphan aka Khun Wichitmatra. They are very similar to the current lyrics. When the name of the country was changed from Siam to Thailand in 1939, a contest was held to write new lyrics, and Luang Saranupraphan won the contest. [Researched using Wikipedia]
Below is my re-translation of the lyrics (not an official translation; does not completely match the video)
ประเทศไทยรวมเลือดเนื้อชาติเชื้อไทย Thailand brings together the flesh and blood of the Thai people
เป็นประชารัฐ ไผทของไทยทุกส่วน It’s is the people’s state, the land of every Thai
อยู่ดำรงคงไว้ได้ทั้งมวล Who have been able to maintain it all in its entirety [for so long]
ด้วยไทยล้วนหมาย รักสามัคคี With all Thais intending love and loyalty
ไทยนี้รักสงบ แต่ถึงรบไม่ขลาด Thais here love peace, but if war comes [we] are not cowards
เอกราชจะไม่ให้ใครข่มขี่ [Our] sovereignty won’t allow anyone to oppress [us]
สละเลือดทุกหยาดเป็นชาติพลี [We’ll] sacrifice every drop of blood to be an offering to the nation
เถลิงประเทศชาติไทยทวี มีชัย ชโย Ascend, country of the Thai people, multiplicatively! Victory! Chai-yoh! [Hip Hip Hurray]!
Interestingly เพลงชาติไทย “Thai National Anthem” is considered only one half of the Thai national anthem, the other half being the Royal Anthem, titled สรรเสริญพระบารมี or “Glorify His Prestige.” The song สรรเสริญพระบารมี or “Glorify His Prestige” used to BE the National Anthem from 1888 to 1932. It is posted at Music of Thai Freedom only for reference.
Lyrics by สมเด็จพระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ เจ้าฟ้ากรมพระยานริศรานุวัดติวงศ์ Prince Narisara Nuvadtivongs; Melody by Pyotr Shchurovsky (a Russian composer)
This is the Royal Anthem, which used to be the National Anthem from 1888-1932; and is still considered half of the national anthem alongside the one titled “เพลงชาติไทย” “Thai National Anthem.”) It is obviously not a Thai protest or prodemocracy song, and is at this site only for reference. The tune is very impressive and I quite like it. Apologies for the gag-worthy visuals in the video. I translated this song with the help of this article in Thai: ความหมายเพลง “สรรเสริญพระบารมี” แบบวรรคต่อวรรค. The article says that many of the words in this song may be unfamiliar to Thais and explains each unfamiliar word or phrase in depth. For the last two lines, I looked at the translation in this video.
ข้าวรพุทธเจ้า เอามโนและศิระกราน [We are] subjects of his enlightened Buddha-like majesty. Let [our] heads and hearts bow down to him.
นบพระภูมิบาลบุญดิเรก เอกบรมจักริน Pay respects to the guardian of our land who has great power of merit. Upholding the great Chakri dynasty
พระสยามินทร์พระยศยิ่งยง เย็นศิระเพราะพระบริบาล The highest ranking person of Siam. [We are] in cool shade because of His Majesty’s rule
ผลพระคุณ ธ รักษา ปวงประชาเป็นสุขศานต์ The results of his benevolence/kindness is to maintain/care for all the people so they are happy
ขอบันดาล ธ ประสงค์ใด จงสฤษดิ์ดัง หวังวรหฤทัย I will render any wish of his to become true
ดุจถวายชัย ชโย As a felicitation. Chai-yo! [Hurray!]
NOTE: This is a famous German song adjusted by German antimonarchists with the group PixelHelper. They are protesting King Vajiralongkorn outside his hotel in Germany, because he is a serious human rights abuser (including frequent beatings of his staff inside the hotel, sexual misconduct that may extend to the level of human trafficking, and the ordering the assassinations of dissidents). The idea of the original song is about how one would live if they were King of Germany. It has been adjusted in both German and English to apply to King Vajiralongkorn.
Composed by Jin Gunmarchon, Port, Jom, Arnon Nampa; Arranged by Port, Jom, Khoontong Faiyen; Music by Faiyen Band
Please support the artists in exile! Purchase the song for at least 90 cents. Send more to help the struggling artists!
นักต่อสู้กับอารมณ์อ่อนไหว Fighters with a sensitive mood
แม้เพียงเวลาอันแสนงาม Even if only a quarter of the time, it’s very beautiful
ก็พอที่หล่อเลี้ยงอุดมคติให้แช่มชื่น It’s enough to nourish the ideals so [we’re] cheerful
มีพลังเพื่ออนาคตและเพื่อเธอ There is strength for the future, and for you
แด่เธอผู้เป็นดวงใจและไฟแห่งฝัน To you, who is [my] heart and the fire of [my] dreams
แด่เธอผู้เป็นพลังให้ฉันสู้ต่อไป To you, who is [my] strength for fighting on
แด่เธอคนดีเส้นทางเสรีที่คนเท่ากัน To you, dear, the freedom road where all people are equal
แด่เธอจนวันที่ความใฝ่ฝันสร้างสรรค์เป็นจริง To you, until the day our ambitions make it true.
มอบความรักเพื่อเธอเอาไว้ มอบดวงใจเพื่ออุดมการณ์ [I] give you [my] love for safekeeping, [and] entrust [my] heart to the ideals
กี่ขวากหนาม จะสู้ไม่หวั่น เพียงได้กำลังใจจากเธอ However many thorns, I will fight without fear, if only I can have your moral support
In this video, dated Apr 16, 2016, Yammy accuses Dictator Prayuth (“Brother Dtu”) of giving orders to hunt, kidnap, or kill her for singing the song “Offended by a Red Bowl.” Three years later, in August 2019, Faiyen band, including Yammy, made it safely to France through official international refugee channels. Recently band members were posting pictures on Facebook and reminiscing, and in the process revealed that when all the Thai lese majesty refugees in Laos got the warning to run and hide ahead of Thai Dictator Prayut’s visit to Laos from the 13th to the 15th of December 2018, they first thought of hiding out at the house of Surachai Sedan (one of the refugees) but decided to hide out at the home (or hut) of an older friend and fellow refugee Wat Wanlayangkoon (founder of Faiyen band, no longer a member). Which was lucky because Surachai and his team (Kraidet Leulert (aka Gasalong) and Chatchan Boophawal (aka Puchana) were disappeared on that occasion and the bodies of Gasalong and Punchana were later found mutilated and floating in a river! See the song “Who Killed Surachai.”
หนูก็แค่ร้องเพลง ก็แค่ร้องเพลง ขันแดงแสลงใจ
I only sang a song, only sang the song “Offended by a Red Bowl”
ประสาทหลอนกันเลยใช่ไหม ผู้นำปวดใจ สั่งไล่ล่าน้องแยม
We’re all hallucinating, right? The leader is wounded to his soul, and has ordered the hunting of me, little Yammy!
อุ๊ยตาย โชว์ควายอีกแล้ว ช่างไม่มีแวว ผู้นำเลยท่าน
Ow! A buffalo show yet again. He has no leadership!
เพลงขันแดงแสลงใจทหาร กบฎดิ้นกันเพราะโมโหโกรธา
The song “Offended by a Red Bowl” offended the military. The rebels squirm because [he is] so explosively angry
เขาจะมาอุ้ม เขาจะมาอุ้ม
They will come and grab me. They will come and grab me
หนูกลัวถูกอุ้ม หนูกลัวถูกอุ้ม
I’m afraid I’ll be captured. I’m afraid I’ll be captured.
ชั่วดี สำนึกในกะโหลก ไอ้ทหารหัวครก นายกปากหมา
Good and evil, I realize is in the skull. Those stupid soldiers have thick skulls [cement skulls]. The Prime Minister has the mouth of a dog.
จับขันแดง ชาวบ้านยังระอา ร้องเพลงขันแดงโดนจับยิ่งโคตรฮา จะไม่ให้ด่าไอ้ควายได้ไง
They captured the red bowls. The villagers are fed up. If they sing the song “[Offended by the Red Bowls” and are captured, that’s a big joke. So we berate them “buffalos.”
น่าเสียดายงบกองทัพเผด็จการ อาวุธครบครันแต่เลือกกลัวขันแดง
It’s sad: [having] the budget of the dictator’s army and all the weapons, still they chose to be scared by red bowls.
เขาจะมาอุ้ม เขาจะมาอุ้ม
They will come capture me. They will come capture me.
หนูกลัวถูกอุ้ม หนูกลัวถูกอุ้ม
I’m scared I will be captured. I’m scared I will captured.
แค่ร้องเพลงมาไล่จับไล่ฆ่า ปล้นอำนาจเขามันเหี้ยกว่ารู้ไหม
I only sing a song and they come to capture, and kill. But robbing people’s power is more evil [than singing a song]. Do you know that?
มันเรื่องจริงมาจับหนูได้ไง ผู้นำเถื่อนสากลไม่ไว้ การค้าการขายวอดวายหมดแล้ว
It’s true [the lyrics of the song], [so] why come capture me? The international world doesn’t trust the illegal prime minister. Trade and business is now totally razed to the ground
ไปดีนะ คสช. น้องแยมจะรอกรวดน้ำไปให้
Goodbye NCPO! Sister Yammy will pour ceremonial water for you.
เอาความสุขของพวกมึงคืนไป เอาประชาธิปไตยของพวกกูคืนมา
I want the happiness of that horrible group to go away. I want my people’s democracy to return.*
Note: The author recently wrote a long explanation of this song attached below: “‘Laan Pho’ is an area at Thammasat University, Bangkok, the capital of Thailand It is a place where students protested against dictatorship in 1976. . . .”
**ดินสอโดมธรรมศาสตร์ เด่นสู้ศึก The pencil of the Dome of Thammasat rose to fight ได้จารึก หนี้เลือด อันเดือดดับ Having recorded the debt of extinguished angry blood 6 ตุลา เพื่อนเรา ล่วงลับ October 6th, our friends passed away มันแค้นคับ เดือดระอุ อกคุไฟ Resentment boils, smoldering in our chests
เรามีเพียงมือเปล่ามันล้อมปราบ We had only empty hands; they encircled and attacked ระเบิดบาป กระสุนบ้า มาสาดใส่ Sinful bombs, mad bullets came spraying in เสียงเหมือนแตรงานศพ ซบสิ้นใจ It sounded like a funeral horn, as they slumped and died สนามหญ้าคลุ้งกลิ่นไอ คาวเลือดคน The lawn filled with the pervasive odor of human blood
มันตามจับ ตามฆ่า ล่าถึง บ้าน They tracked, arrested, and killed us, hunted us all the way to our homes อ้างหลักฐาน จับเข้าคุก ทุกแห่งหน Accusing and arresting us everywhere เราอดทน ถึงที่สุด ก็สุดทน We endured, until finally patience ran out จึงเปลี่ยนหนทางสู้ขึ้นภูพาน Thus, the path of our fight turned to head up Mount Pu Paan
**อ้อมอกภูพานคือชีวิตใหม่ The embrace of Phu Pann was a new life, คือมหาวิทยาลัยคนกล้าหาญ a University of Brave Ones, จะโค่นล้มไล่เฉดเผด็จการ who would topple and drive out dictators อันธพาลศักดินาอย่าหวังครอง Evil feudalists, don’t hope to rule us!
สู้กับปืนต้องมีปืนยืนกระหน่ำ Fighting with guns, one must have guns to stand and hammer away พรรคชี้นำตะวันแดงสาดแสงส่อง The party led, with the red sun lighting the way จรยุทธ์นำประชาสู่ฟ้าทอง Roaming battles led the people towards the golden sky กรรมาชีพลั่นกลองอย่างเกรียงไกร The Proletariat rumbled drums mightily
**ในวันนี้ลานโพธิ์ธรรมศาสตร์ Today Laan Pho plaza at Thammasat อาจเงียบหงอย May be silent and inactive ก็เพียงช่วงรอคอยสู่วันใหม่ It’s only a waiting for a new day วันกองทัพ ประชาชนประกาศชัย The day the People’s Army declares victory จะกลับไป We will return กรีดเลือดพาลล้างลานโพธิ์ slashing so that the blood of the hoodlums washes Laan Pho clean
* “. . . It was the end of the Cold War era. The Thai king was worried about the domino theory. The Communists were victorious in Indochina; and, Thai students favored socialism. Thus, the Thai king planned to create a situation to suppress and kill the students on October 6, 1976.
Dozens of students were killed. The authorities used weapons of war. Many students were beaten. Some were hung from tamarind trees and beaten. Some were burnt alive in tire fires. The attacker used wooden sticks to stab into the genitals of female students. More than three thousand surviving students were imprisoned.
This event made thousands of students and other people flee to seek shelter in mountainous areas throughout Thailand.
‘Phu Phaan’ is a mountain range at the intersection of many provinces of Thailand. I first took refuge in the Phuu Phaan forest on October 7, 1976. I was 21 years old when I wrote this song. It has been sung for over forty years.
In Thailand, we cannot say the truth––that the Thai monarchy and their regime are the ones who formulated plans to kill the students in the October 6 event, as well as in many subsequent massacres over the last four decades.
Thailand has a lèse majesté law, Article 112 of the Criminal Code, that makes it so citizens are unable to speak the truth about the royal family.
This is one of the reasons I had to take refuge in France in order to have the freedom to speak the truth.”
Wat Wanlayangkoon
18 September 2019
Exile home, Audincourt
By Rap Against Dictatorship, featuring Liberate P, Nazesus & GSUS2 (October 23, 2019)
My translation of the official notes under the YouTube: “Subjugation by the ruling class, diminishment of the people’s voice that been taking place since the coup in 2006—it has been 13 years and the victory of the people looks far away. And so RAP AGAINST DICTATORSHIP made a song to raise our voices about the problem of the worrisome political situation in oligarchical governance, beginning with overthrowing the government in a coup, which included ripping up the constitution and drafting a new constitution for maintaining power of the leaders and their own friends. And in the end, the military government washed themselves by passing a constitution in 2017 that they themselves had drafted, then cheated to steal the national election in 2019.”
There is already an official English translation shown in closed captions (push the “cc” button). If you, still have problems, click on settings (the button that looks like a cog), then turn on subtitles, selecting “English.”
By ฟเย็น Faiyen
From the Album ปฏิวัติประชาธิปไตย (released May 19, 2013)
Buy the Album HERE. Buy the Song HERE and support the artists in exile.
Note: A constant ongoing problem in Bangkok is the traffic being stuck for a royal procession—and it’s not even necessarily the king going somewhere important. It may just be one of the many princesses going out to dinner with friends. Almost everyone of my Thai friends has their own personal horror story or know someone who couldn’t make it to the hospital during an emergency because the streets were shut down for a royal procession. There is no way of assessing the enormous cost (lost hours, fatalities, and babies born by the side of the road) because no one is allowed to register their complaints about royals. In considering policies to improve human rights in Thailand, this is where the rubber meets the road—literally!
ยังว่าทำไมรถจึงติด Do you know yet how this traffic jam happened? ผมเก็บไปคิด คิดดูแล้วจึงเข้าใจ I keep my thought to myself. I’ve thought about it, and therefore Iunderstand อันความจริงนั้นมีขบวนผ่านไป The truth is there are some processions passing by ไม่ว่ารถไฟรถผ้าป่าสามัคคี It’s doesn’t matter if they are trains or the trucks of a Buddhist activity
ทุกๆวันจันทร์วันศุกร์เขาว่ารถติด Every Monday [and] Friday they say traffic is stuck ตลาดหมอชิต เพลินจิตหรือว่าจรัญฯ Mo Chit Market, Phloen Chit, or Charan[sanitwong] ติดเป็นประจำ ไม่ว่าวันศุกร์วันจันทร์
It’s regularly stuck, no matter if it is Monday [or] Friday ติดได้ทุกวันบางวันทำคลอดข้างถนน
It can be stuck every day. Some days babies are delivered alongside the road.
วันก่อนเข้างานไม่ทันตอกบัตร The other day, I came into work, clocking in not on time เจ้านายมันซัดวันนี้ทำไมมาสาย The boss says accusingly, “Why are you late?” ผมตอบ…ปัดโถ่ ไอ่ฟาย I answered . . . What a pity! Buffalo! ไม่รู้รึไงว่ารถมันติดขบวน Didn’t you know that the cars are stuck in traffic for a procession?
นั่นจ่าเฉยทำมึนยืนเซ่ออยู่ได้ That Ja Choey* can stand there looking dazed and foolish. ศักดินาตัวร้าย ทำไมช่างเห็นแก่ตัว The evil nobility! Why damn-it are they so selfish? ต่อแต่นี้รถติดคุณไม่ต้องกลัว After this, when the traffic is stuck, don’t be afraid บีบแตรทุกคันให้ทั่ว รวมหัวไล่ศักดินา Beep every horn everywhere. Join forces to expel those at the top of the feudal system!**
*The Ja Choey seems to be a statue of a traffic police placed at certain points, like a scarecrow with a sign, and is used to help ease the job of the real traffic police.
Released November 10, 2016 Lyrics and Melody by Port Faiyen Arranged by Khoontong Music by Faiyen, Produced by Faiyen
So for the past 10 years, October 13, has been known as “eye opening” day or “enlightenment day” among the Red Shirts. On October 13, 2008, Queen Sirikit and Princess Chulabhorn attending the funeral of a women, Angkhana Radappanyawut, who had been killed by police while protesting on the side of the ultra royalist Yellow Shirts, and said some approving words about her. Many of those in the Red Shirt camp felt betrayed. All Thais have been taught since childhood that the King loves all his subjects and that the monarchy is above politics. Many people I know say October 13, 2008, marks the moment that their eyes were enlightened to the truth about the monarchy. Coincidentally, King Bhumbol died on October 13, 2018. Read more at Wikipedia
วันที่ 7 ตุลา 2551 มีหญิงคนหนึ่งเขาตาย On the seventh of October, there was a woman who died อุดมการณ์เธอ แม้เป็นอย่างไร แต่เธอรับใช้ เสื้อเหลือง Whatever her ideology, she served the Yellow Shirts
13 ตุลา 2551 มีหญิงคนหนึ่งเขามา On the 13th of October, 2008, there was a woman who came งานศพเธอคนนั้น เป็นอันรู้ว่า คนไทยตาสว่างทั่วแผ่นดิน to that woman’s funeral, so that we know. That Thai person enlightened the whole county
* ก่อนนั้นคลุมเครือ แกนนำอ้างเธอ บัดนี้ไม่เหลือ ชัดเจน Before that, it was indistinct. Leaders quote[d] her. Right now there’s nothing left. It’s clear. ขอบคุณที่เธอช่วยทำให้เห็น แท้จริงนั้นเป็นอย่างไร Thank you to the one who made it so we see how things really are
** วีรกรรมของเธอ เมื่อปี 51 เปลี่ยนแปลงการเมืองของไทย Her boldness in ’08 changed the politics of Thailand ผู้คนรับรู้ เบื้องหลังว่าใคร ทำลายคนไทยตลอดมา People recognize who in the background has been destroying the Thai people all along
(Repeat *, **)
พวกเรารู้แล้ว เบื้องหลังว่าใคร คนไทยตาสว่างทั่วแผ่นดิน All of us know now, who has been behind [things]. Thai people are enlightened throughout the land.