Cover
story: 10 Jan 07 / Vol.
23 No.19 |
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Every modern country has her national anthem. The United
Kingdom was the first country to get one by adopting God
Save the King/Queen as early as 1745. But the United
States did not have hers until 1931, when The Star-Spangled
Banner officially became her national anthem, more
than a century and a half after her independence.
Thailand is different from the other countries in this respect,
in that while every country has one national anthem, Thailand
has two, one for the nation and the other, named Sansoen
Phra Barami in Thai, for the King. Both are of equal
importance and sacredness. Here is a story about their origins:
Thailand got her first national hymn early in the reign
of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V, 1868-1910), the father of
modernization of this country. Three years after his enthronement,
he made his first tour overseas. When he arrived at Singapore,
he was greeted with a guard of honour with a military band
playing God Save the Queen. Then he proceeded to
Batavia, as Jakarta was then known. The Dutch authorities
there had earlier asked the Siamese government for a copy
of the Siamese national anthem but got a Thai song entitled
In Praise of His Majesty used during the reign
of King Rama II (1809-1824). And the tune turned out to
be unimpressive.
In the early morning normally at 8.00 a.m.,
students line up to pay respect to the
national flag and to sing the national
anthem before starting their classes. |
After returning home, King Chulalongkorn commissioned the
bandmaster of the Royal Guards, Mr. Hevutzen, a Portugese,
to compose a Western-style majestic song similar to God
Save the Queen to be played at the arrival of the King
at a ceremony and at his departure from the place. The result
was the present version of Sansoen Phra Barami. Later,
Mr. Jacob Feit, an American musician of German origin, who
came to Thailand as a tourist and then settled down in Bangkok,
re-arranged the song into a four-part chorus. But it is seldom
heard today.
King Rama V |
The lyrics of the song were first written by Prince Naris,
the King's half brother and a well-known scholar, and were
slightly changed by King Rama VI (1910-1925) before the song
was officially adopted as the National Anthem in 1913.
King Rama VI |
Then a bloodless revolution broke out in June 1932 which changed
the political system of Siam from absolute monarchy to constitutional
monarchy. Among the things that the revolutionary party, which
comprised returned students from European countries, demanded
was a new national anthem. A tune composed earlier by Prince
Paribatra (or Boriphat) of Nagara Svarga (Nakhon Sawan) called
Maha Chai or the Song of the Great Triumph
was adopted with words written by Chao Phraya Thammasak, the
first speaker of the new National Assembly.
But a few days later, the revolution leaders found it unsatisfactory
and ordered Phra Chenduriyang, the son of the above-mentioned
Mr.Feit and a Thai mother, to compose a Western-style march
to be used as a national anthem. Phra Chenduriyang at first
did not want to do this because he was loyal to the king,
having drunk the water of allegiance when he was made a Phra*
by the king. Moreover, he was then serving as an official
in the Fine Arts Department. However, he was forced** to accept
the work and was given a one-week deadline to complete it.
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For
the first three days he could think of nothing and became sleepless.
Fortunately, on the fourth morning when he was on a tramcar
on his way to his office, he suddenly found inspiration in Brahms'
Symphony No.1 and his musical idea flew out like a spring. He
could not wait to write it down. After getting off the tram
at Sanam Luang, he rushed to his office. In about a quarter
of an hour he finished the melody and immediately took it to
the army officer in charge at the Propaganda Department (later
Public Relations Department). And the new Siamese National Anthem
was born. The words were written by Khun*Wichit Matra.
Ratchadamnoen Road-Sanam
Luang Ground in 1917; Tram in Siam
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The new song was widely sung and played throughout the country
but was not officially adopted until 1934 when a committee voted
to accept Phra Chenduriyang-Khun Wichit Matra's version as the
National Anthem after a slight change of the words. The former
anthem, Sansoen Phra Barami became the Royal Anthem,
which was sung or played exclusively to greet the King, to bid
him farewell or to pay homage to him. In
other words, it is used when the King arrives for and departs
from an official function and also at the beginning and/or the
end of a sport or entertainment event where a large group of
people are present.
The "Sansoen Phra Barami"
is sung or
played to greet Their Majesties the
King and Queen, to bid them
farewell or to pay homage to them. |
Then in 1939, the government decided to change the name
of the country from Siam to Thailand, and it was found necessary
to change the words of the anthem to conform to the new name
of the nation. A public contest was held and the version submitted
by Colonel Luang Saranuprabhandh in the name of the Royal Thai
Army was chosen as the winner. On 10 December 1939, the original
tune and the new lyrics were officially adopted as the National
Anthem of the Kingdom of Thailand and have been in use up to
the present.
*Phra and khun: non-hereditary titles conferred by the king
on government officials, ranking third and fourth, respectively
among five such titles. The system was abolished after the 1932
Revolution.
** According to Witsanu Sapsuwan, a pupil of Phra Chenduriyang,
the musician was actually threatened at gunpoint by a military
officer.
Last year there was a call to change both the tune and words
of the anthem. The proponents had even got new versions ready
for adoption. But the proposal met with strong opposition from
many sections of the public and had to be abandoned.
The tune and words (in English) of both anthems are given below.
The English translations are from Thailand in the 90s published
by the Office of the Prime Minister in 1995.
Sansoen Phra Barami (Royal Anthem)
We, Your Majesty's loyal subjects,
Pay homage with deep heartfelt veneration,
To the supreme Protector of the Realm,
The mightiest of monarchs complete with transcendent
virtues,
Under whose benevolent rule, we Your subjects,
Receive protection and happiness,
Prosperity and peace;
And we wish that whatsoever Your Majesty
may desire,
The same may be fulfilled.
National Anthem
Thailand is the unity of Thai blood and body.
The whole country belongs to the Thai people,
maintaining thus far for the Thai.
All Thais intend to unite together.
Thais love peace, but do not fear to fight.
They will never let anyone threaten their independence.
They will sacrifice every drop of their blood to contribute
to the nation, will serve their
country with pride and prestige-full of
victory. Chai Yo (Cheers).
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