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NATIONAL SONG : Ministry stands by old anthem
The Nation, Published on May 26, 2005

Uraiwan cites Cabinet resolution requiring agencies to play NIO version

The chances that the six new arrangements of the national anthem would ever get a national airing dimmed yesterday when the Culture Ministry vowed to stick to the official version adopted last year.

Culture Minister Uraiwan Thienthong was referring to the Cabinet resolution of December 30, 2003, requiring government agencies and state enterprises to play only the National Identity Promotion Office (NIO) version starting last year. It also asked the private sector to comply.

“The Cabinet resolution is clear. So we have no need to issue any resolution involving the newly arranged versions and to hold a public hearing,” Uraiwan said after chairing a meeting of the National Culture Commission (NCC).

She refused to comment on the Defence Ministry’s request to GMM Grammy for various versions of the anthem in a bid to attract a wider audience. When the entertainment house came up with six renditions, it faced a storm of criticism.

“Please ask the Defence Ministry direct,” she said, adding that it was a sensitive issue to have various interpretations around of the anthem, considered one of the country’s important songs.

A source said the new versions of the anthem had sparked a heated debate at the NCC meeting.

While several commissioners felt they did not cause any harm because they used the same lyrics and melody as the original, many others questioned the need to have any rearrangements at all.

“The key question is, what for? I don’t think this is for promoting patriotism,” said Surichai Wankaeo, a commissioner and Chulalongkorn political scientist. But GMM Grammy appeared to have good intentions, he said.

On the Defence Ministry’s request, GMM Grammy had produced the versions for free. Executive director Nitipong Honark said his company had accomplished what it set out to do and the rest was out of its hands.

“Whether all six new versions will be used, whether only some of them will be used, or whether all of them will be scrapped, is up to the government,” Nitipong said.

The six versions do not deviate much from the original anthem people hear on television and radio everyday, he said. “If you listen carefully, you will notice a slight difference in the national anthem played by each station anyway because of the different recordings,” he added.

PM Thaksin Shinawatra said he did not yet have details of the six versions, but that any country’s anthem should have only one standard.

National artist Manrat Srikaranonda said the NIO rendition strictly respected the original composed by Phra Jenduriyang. Manrat was among the experts chosen to prepare the NIO adaptation.

“We hardly altered anything, except slight changes in pronouncing some words to make them clearer. The original one is already a masterpiece and should not be tampered with,” Manrat said.

[Xfxhbcxp]

Govt wants a national anthem for every occasion
The Nation, Published on May 24, 2005

The National Culture Commission (NCC) and music experts will review six new versions of the national anthem before they are tabled before the Cabinet.

In response to opposition to the newly arranged versions, NCC secretary-general Prissana Pongtadsirikul yesterday said the re-mixed editions would be appraised by her commission. “Only after the reviews will they be forwarded to the Cabinet,” she said.

According to Prissana, Culture Minister Uraiwan Thienthong had already approved the six versions, which combine the original lyrics with new melodies. “While retaining the same values as the original version, the new melodies will allow the national anthem to be played on more occasions,” Uraiwan was quoted as saying.

“We also have a regulation by the Office of the Prime Minister that governs when the anthem can be played,” she said.

Last year, the Defence Ministry asked GMM Grammy Pcl to create new versions of the national anthem so that it could be played more often.

The ministry said the move is necessary, because the anthem lacks appeal for many younger Thais. Also, some children cannot remember the lyrics, the ministry said.

According to GMM Grammy, the first version is for official use and sung by popular singer Seksan Sukpimai. The second version – sung by young vocalists would be played at formal and semi-formal events.

The third version, sung by the popular singers Thongchai McIntyre and Nantida Kaewbuasai, is recommended for ballroom dances. The fourth version, also sung by young vocalists, would be used insecondary schools and universities.

The fifth version is aimed at children, with famous child singer Chatupatr Laothamatas, aka Nong Plub, providing the vocals. The sixth version, performed by a traditional Thai orchestra, is aimed at the elderly.

[VtLe67WR]

I had the "privilege" to listen to all of them from my bed in the early morning hours. Well, I guess they are better than the original one, if only for the sake of change.

What I don't like about them is how "Western" they sound. They use western instruments, the style is western - one of them has jazz elements in it - only the lyrics and the familiar tune tell that it has to do something with Thailand. That's strange for the national anthem of a country. It's as if the US chose to play its anthem by an ensemble of traditional Thai instruments.

I wonder what a morlam version of the Thai anthem would sound like...

[AlekseyZubkov]

And those are easier to memorize?

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Culture czars set to rule on new versions of anthem
The Nation, Published on May 25, 2005

The controversial proposal to officially adopt six new arrangements of the national anthem recorded by a major media company will be submitted to the National Culture Commission (NCC) today for a final decision.

While the existing version of “Phleng Chat Thai” is played every day through government-owned media channels, the Defence Min-istry’s effort to produce a “more in-spiring” version has run into opposition from other government agencies and been criticised publicly.

Among the harshest critics is Culture Minister Uraiwan Thien-thong, who warned yesterday that even if the new versions recorded by media giant GMM Grammy Plc won the culture commission’s endorsement they would still need to face a public hearing.

The minister has made no secret of her opposition to Grammy’s new arrangements of the anthem, saying she hadn’t even bothered to unwrap the demo cassettes containing all six songs sent to her by the company.

“Changing the national anthem is a matter of concern to all Thais – not the private affair of a particular entertainment company,” she said.

Uraiwan was responding to Monday’s statement by the commission’s secretary-general, Prissa-na Phongthadsirikul, that the Cul-ture Ministry was “not against” Grammy recording the anthems.

In late 2003, the Defence Minis-try asked Grammy to come up with a new arrangement of the anthem for broadcasts on government-owned media channels. The idea drew criticism from sections of the public when it was first reported, with some fearing the new arrangements would “dilute” the spirit of the song and the sense of patriotism it is meant to inspire.

Another critic was Amornwit Nakhonthap, a Chulalongkorn as-sociate professor and director of the Ramjitti Institute. He said the en-tire affair needed serious discussion before any final decision was made.

A Culture Ministry lawyer, who asked not to be named, said copyright claims could be utilised by the media company to cite ownership of the approved versions, if no precondition against this was agreed upon before the National Culture Commission made its decision.

[Indian Butt Magic]

"God Save the Queen" was the National anthem in Australia, then The Governor general sacked the Australian Prim Minister in 1975, after he changed the National anthem, after that date there has been so many national anthems I still don't know what it is.
Now do we really want the same predicament in Thailand.