A battle of political songs – between pro-democracy activists on one side and the police on the other – took place in front of army headquarters this morning in what is a new twist in the aftermath of Army Commander-in-Chief Apirat Kongsompong’s resurrection of the outdated ultra-nationalist song, “Nak Paendin” (Burden of the Land).
A small group of student activists, led by Prit Chivarak and Thanawat Wongchai, rallied in front of army HQ at about 9.30 am to demand the army chief stop broadcasting the alleged “hate” song.
The group read a prepared statement demanding the song be taken off the air and later pasted the text on a signboard in front of the HQ. They also held banners claiming the song incites hatred and division. All the student activists were escorted by police to Nang Lerng police station for questioning.
Shortly afterward, pro-election activists Aekkachai Hongkangwan and Chokechai Paibulratchana showed up in front of Army headquarters with a large Teddy bear and an audio recorder.
Using the toy bear, Aekkachai tried to re-enact the scene of a violent event from October 6th, 1976 when a student was hanged on a tamarind tree at Sanam Luang on the campus of Thammasat University, but he was prevented from doing so by the police.
He later played the anti-junta song, “Prathet Goo Mee” (What My Country Has), in front the police blocking the entrance to the army HQ. Minutes later, the police countered by blasting from their loudspeakers a patriotic political song, “Kwanfun Un Soongsong” (The Ultimate Dream).
