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Thaksin and the National Anthem
- October 20, 2004
Every morning at 8am the National Anthem is played across the
country as flags are raised. On TV montages of patriotic images
are shown while the anthem plays. A recent controversy erupted
as Thai-language editorialists noticed that the Prime Minister
was now part of these images on government TV channel 9.
The Prime Minister shot is part of a series of one-second images
that includes photos of the Muslim South followed by shots of
army maneuvers (above--photos on this page are in the order
they appear, but do not include every single shot). The image
of the PM shows him with his eyes lowered in a humble manner
the entire time--it is as it was known that the inclusion of
the PM would be controversial. Immediately after the PM images
are a series of longer three-second shots that include HM The
King and the Royal Family.
However outrageous this might sound, it is probably not coincidental
that this controversy is being brought up as the election nears--the
images have been running since January without comment.
NATIONAL
ANTHEM: Ch 9 stands by its use of PM’s image - The
Nation, October 19, 2004
State-run television station Channel 9 yesterday defended
its decision to include a picture of Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra during its daily broadcast of the national anthem,
saying it depicted national solidarity....
The picture of Thaksin exemplifies a harmonious and unified
nation, which is why the station’s senior executive used
it, he said.
Thaksin is the first elected prime minister to be included in
the montage of images that accompany the national anthem...
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