• Burmese
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
30 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home News Asia

Junta Leader Writes New Song, Leaving Thais to Face the Music

Reuters by Reuters
December 23, 2015
in Uncategorized
Reading Time: 1 min read
0 0
A A
Junta Leader Writes New Song

Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha gestures after presiding over a corporate event at the Government House in Bangkok on Sept. 9

2.7k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

BANGKOK — Thailand’s junta leader released the lyrics to a new patriotic ballad on Tuesday, the second song he has written since seizing power in 2014.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who as army chief led the May 2014 coup, first wrote the song “Return Happiness to Thailand,” which is played constantly on television and radio stations as part of a public relations campaign by the junta to win over Thais.

The tune has racked up more than 1 million views on YouTube but has been mocked by critics of the junta.

RelatedPosts

Junta Watch: Regime Rips Off Music for Thingyan; Dictator Celebrates Birthday of Channel No One Watches; and More 

Junta Watch: Regime Rips Off Music for Thingyan; Dictator Celebrates Birthday of Channel No One Watches; and More 

April 8, 2023
5k
Rock star Kyar Pauk’s decorated ukulele sold for US$27,500 at an auction to raise funds for the National Unity Government.

Auction for Myanmar Rocker’s Ukulele Breaks World Record

October 18, 2021
12.9k
Myoma band members on a vehicle greet water festival revelers in Mandalay in 2018. / The Irrawaddy

Beloved Myanmar Band Tarnishes Reputation by Playing for Junta Leaders

May 22, 2021
10.7k

His second song, “Because You Are Thailand,” includes lyrics like “If we join hands … the day we hope for is not far away” and “Because you are Thailand, you will not let anyone destroy you.”

Prayuth told reporters the song was his New Year present to the Thai people.

The junta, or National Council for Peace and Order, overthrew an elected government, putting an end to months of protests in Bangkok led by the middle class and elite who wanted to get rid of the civilian government of populist Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

A military government installed after the coup has largely stifled dissent and has gone hard after critics of the junta and monarchy by using a harsh royal insult law to detain dozens of people, prompting stern criticism from rights groups, the United Nations and some Western governments.

The junta has repeatedly delayed planned elections, claiming the country is not yet stable enough to hold a poll.

Prayuth comes from a musical family. His daughters enjoyed brief fame in Thailand as a pop duo called BADZ.

Your Thoughts …
Tags: Music
Reuters

Reuters

...

Similar Picks:

Rock star Kyar Pauk’s decorated ukulele sold for US$27,500 at an auction to raise funds for the National Unity Government.
Burma

Auction for Myanmar Rocker’s Ukulele Breaks World Record

by The Irrawaddy
October 18, 2021
12.9k

Big Bag’s lead singer Kyar Pauk auctioned his ukulele for US$27,500, with all proceeds going to the people’s war against...

Read moreDetails
Naing Myanmar and a group of vocalists (not the original performers) sing ‘Kabar Makyay Bu’ at a pearl jubilee event for the song. / Htet Wai / The Irrawaddy
Burma

Songwriter Who Provided ‘Theme Song’ to 8888 Uprising Finally Honored

by Lwin Mar Htun
August 9, 2018
11.5k

Event held to recall role of ‘Kabar Makyay Bu’ — Naing Myanmar’s reworking of ‘Dust in the Wind’ — in...

Read moreDetails
U Win Pe, one of Myanmar’s most celebrated living artists, at his studio in Yangon / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy
Profile

The Renaissance Man

by Kyaw Phyo Tha
April 4, 2019
11k

Ask painter, writer and filmmaker U Win Pe—one of Myanmar’s most celebrated living artists—to define his talent and he’ll tell...

Read moreDetails
SamRaz performs at the Atlas Rooftop Bar on Jan. 5. / Atlas Rooftop Bar / Facebook
Lifestyle

The Best Bars for Live Music in Yangon

by Lwin Mar Htun
January 14, 2019
10.7k

These six bars may be just the ticket for those looking to pair their drinks with some live music at...

Read moreDetails
/ The Irrawaddy
Lifestyle

Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week

by Wei Yan Aung
April 3, 2018
5.4k

A Lethwei fight, cartoon festival, concerts and more – all in Yangon this week, as picked by The Irrawaddy.

Read moreDetails
Maung Maung with his record collections in Yangon. (Myo Min Soe/The Irrawaddy.)
In Person

Myanmar’s Gramophone Record Collector

by Wei Yan Aung
October 28, 2017
15.2k

Although he worked as a policeman and a lawyer, Maung Maung’s real passion is record collecting.

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post
Indonesia Hunts Militant Leaders After Foot Soldiers Arrested

Indonesia Hunts Militant Leaders After Foot Soldiers Arrested

Chinese Lawyer Gets Suspended Sentence in Online Speech Case

Chinese Lawyer Gets Suspended Sentence in Online Speech Case

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

Is TNLA, Under Chinese Pressure, Conceding Northern Shan Gateway to the Regime?

Is TNLA, Under Chinese Pressure, Conceding Northern Shan Gateway to the Regime?

4 days ago
1.3k
How the Myanmar Military’s Propaganda Efforts Have Evolved Over the Decades

How the Myanmar Military’s Propaganda Efforts Have Evolved Over the Decades

6 days ago
1.2k

Most Read

  • Myanmar Junta Attacks to Reclaim KIA’s Jade and Rare Earth Strongholds

    Myanmar Junta Attacks to Reclaim KIA’s Jade and Rare Earth Strongholds

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • China is Systematically Dismantling Tibetan Monastic Traditions

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • China’s Bet on Myanmar Junta Risks Backfiring

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Defusing the Thai-Cambodian Border Row

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Sagaing Region Braced for Myanmar Junta Airstrikes After Jet Crash

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.