Every district nationwide has been asked to spend THB5,000 (US$158) to hold a national anthem singing event at 8am on Monday for National Flag Day to promote awareness of the song played publicly each day at 8am and 6pm, according to an order circulating online.
The two-page order sent to every provincial governor directs them to organize the event in each of the nation’s 878 districts at a total cost of THB4.4 million. Part of a so-called national anthem awareness campaign, THB1,000 of the funds are to promote it, THB1,000 is for transportation and materials (including flag purchase) while the remaining THB3,000 is for food and drinks.
The document was signed by Kritsayapong Siri, ministry permanent secretary.
The order was widely criticized for using their tax money to host what amounts to propaganda already routinely promoted in the public sphere, including at public schools. The anthem is already played during school morning ceremonies as well as in public spaces and television every morning and evening.
“Wow, this country has so much leftover money,” Facebooker Ryan Kyiv wrote.
“It’s just singing, why do you need to allocate funds?” Manit Chonthong wrote.
Until the 18th century, when Thailand was Siam, the flag during the Ayutthaya period was a plain red rectangle. Combinations of a white chakra and elephant were placed on it until 1916, with the current red, white and blue flag adopted Sept. 28, 1917 – now celebrated as flag day.
The government has been beset by the largest protests in nearly a decade, which the former army commander derided as being led by “nation haters.” A rally today is being staged outside the new parliament building to pressure lawmakers to amend the constitution to return power to the people.
