Molam artist Patipan Luecha performs the protest song “March to oust dictatorship” at a student protest at Khon Kaen University in February. (Read the lyrics below)
March to oust dictatorship (Khon Kaen style lam doen rhythm)
Melody and lyrics by Patipan Luecha
Our land is in hard times.
We are under the gun . . . brothers and sisters,
And at this point if you don’t fight,
You will become undone.
Don’t be afraid . . . brothers and sisters,
The breaking news just came in –
Dictatorship’s taken over the country, and it’s imprisoning people.
Oh! I’m so angry ‘cause the land’s coming down!
I’m living in Isaan but no one’s interested. The damn junta
took power from the people and its laws to threaten the people!
I can’t stand it. I can’t live with this no more!
I hope that we will fight and never retreat.
Fight fearlessly against this damn government!
Fight fearlessly against the dictatorship!
Brothers and sister, don’t give in to it!.
Our land where the people prevail
Don’t be afraid of these scoundrels!
Don’t be lulled by the coup d’etat!
Bring the dictatorship to extinction and the people will progress!
Dictators speak in sugar-coated lies.
In truth it’s yet an unmasked Satan;
Saints with sinful hearts carrying out coups.
The nation is ruptured, the people oppressed,
The dictator’s smile hides a murderer.,
The guns they’re carrying are pointed at our heads.
Those who don’t obey them will come to ruin!
Their guns send us death and their laws control us.
If we all get scared, they will keep suppressing us.
Come, brothers and sisters! Let us come together and use
our power to push against the dictatorship,
Change the politics and return to the people,
Move forward, bring the change, return the power to the masses!
We’re going to win and have freedom at last!
A village in northeastern Thailand is terrorized by a powerful ghost and descends into chaos as two factions fight over how to exorcise the demon. A short story by Charuphat Petcharavej that can be read as a parable of the country’s political conflict.
“Awakened” is a graphic novel by Claudio Sopranzetti telling the story of Nok, a manual laborer with a yearning for true democracy and rights. In the end, Nok was defeated by a single bullet in the May 2010 clashes. Though the bullet blinded him, it is not clear whether he also lost sight of his ideals.
The short story "The Northeast" by Isaan writer Tee Anmai links memories of war with the deadly crackdown on protesters in April-May 2010.
In the second part of our series "Remembrances of Red Trauma", we publish the short story "The room on the 7th floor" by northeastern writer and SEA Write Award nominee Phu Kradat.
