Yuenyong Opakul, better known as Ad Carabao, is facing a defamation charge after insulting the governor of Suphan Buri. Yuenyong, a veteran singer/songwriter and founder member of the iconic ‘songs for life’ band Carabao, is Thailand’s most famous rock star.
While playing a concert at a birthday party in the Song Phi Nong district of Suphan Buri on 12th October, Yuengyong criticised governor Natthapat Suwanprateep, who was in the audience as a guest at the party. Calling the governor “ai sat” (a strong insult), the singer complained that he had been denied permission to perform at the annual Don Chedi Royal Monument fair earlier this year.
The governor has since issued a video statement, saying that Suphan Buri had been subject to coronavirus restrictions at the time of the fair, which prevented large public performances. Yuengyong apologised via a written statement on Carabao’s Facebook page two days ago: “จึงขอกราบขออภัยท่านผู้ว่าฯ... ส่วนเรื่องคดีความผมพร้อมอ้าแขนรับความ” (‘I apologise to the governor... regarding a lawsuit, I am ready to face the charges’). Natthapat yesterday filed a criminal defamation charge against the singer, and police are currently investigating.
While playing a concert at a birthday party in the Song Phi Nong district of Suphan Buri on 12th October, Yuengyong criticised governor Natthapat Suwanprateep, who was in the audience as a guest at the party. Calling the governor “ai sat” (a strong insult), the singer complained that he had been denied permission to perform at the annual Don Chedi Royal Monument fair earlier this year.
The governor has since issued a video statement, saying that Suphan Buri had been subject to coronavirus restrictions at the time of the fair, which prevented large public performances. Yuengyong apologised via a written statement on Carabao’s Facebook page two days ago: “จึงขอกราบขออภัยท่านผู้ว่าฯ... ส่วนเรื่องคดีความผมพร้อมอ้าแขนรับความ” (‘I apologise to the governor... regarding a lawsuit, I am ready to face the charges’). Natthapat yesterday filed a criminal defamation charge against the singer, and police are currently investigating.
Yuenyong’s 2006 album ตะวันตกดิน (‘sunset’) featured the single สมภารเซ้งโบสถ์ (‘the abbot who sold his temple’), which satirised Thaksin Shinawatra as a square-faced abbot. (Caricatures of Thaksin as an abbot appear on the VCD edition of the album.) Another song from that album, เว้นวรรค (‘take a break’), seemed to imply that Thaksin should resign as PM; it also appeared on the various artists album ประเทศไทย 2549 (‘Thailand 2006’). แสงทองส่องทาง (‘golden light shining the way’), from Yuenyong’s 2012 album กันชนหมา (‘dog buffer’), lamented the “แก๊สน้ำตาห่ากระสุนปืน” (‘tear gas and spray of bullets’) faced by protesters in 2010.
Two days after the 2014 coup, Yuenyong released the single นาวารัฐบุรุษ (‘the statesmen’). The song, and its militaristic music video, seemed to endorse Prayut Chan-o-cha as a potential reformist leader. It was later included on his album เห็นมั้ยบัวลอย (‘do you see this, Bua Loi?’). นาวารัฐบุรุษ has echoes of an earlier Carabao track, มหาจำลอง รุ่น 7 (‘the great Chamlong, 7th generation’), from their album ประชาธิปไตย (‘democracy’), which praised Chamlong Srimuang.
Two days after the 2014 coup, Yuenyong released the single นาวารัฐบุรุษ (‘the statesmen’). The song, and its militaristic music video, seemed to endorse Prayut Chan-o-cha as a potential reformist leader. It was later included on his album เห็นมั้ยบัวลอย (‘do you see this, Bua Loi?’). นาวารัฐบุรุษ has echoes of an earlier Carabao track, มหาจำลอง รุ่น 7 (‘the great Chamlong, 7th generation’), from their album ประชาธิปไตย (‘democracy’), which praised Chamlong Srimuang.
