New Thailand tourism music video features PM Prayut
The Thai Khu Fah Facebook page that is run by the government to encourage tourism has launched a new music video starring PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. The video features photos of the prime minister and the group of government officials that accompanied him on a recent trip to Nopparat Beach in Krabi.
The pictures and video of the prime minister on the beach are accompanied by music from Nantida Kaewbuasai, a famous Thai singer who is now serving as President of Samut Prakan Provincial Administrative Organisation. The song, “Sand and Sea”, was recorded in 1998.
The music video was hastily cobbled together overnight by the team of the government spokesperson and given a final review by PM Prayut himself before being revealed at yesterday’s cabinet meeting.
The prime minister had commented that he enjoyed meeting locals in Krabi during his beach visit – his second trip to the beach after travelling to Phuket in July and moving around the island as the Sandbox programme launched to first test allowing international travellers to return. PM Prayut expressed positive sentiment as he left Krabi to return to Bangkok and was said to be pleased with the music video that commemorated his visit.
While showcasing the country’s beautiful beaches is a staple of Thailand tourism promotional material, the prime minister may be somewhat of an odd choice of who to show enjoying the beach. But PM Prayut reassured that the purpose of the video was to boost tourism and not to promote himself, as some have suggested, perhaps ahead of next year’s elections.
The response online to the music video have ranged from comments full of praise and compliments for the video and its star to condemnation of the quality of the production and chiding the concept of the video as looking foolish.
SOURCE: Thai PBS World
