‘Prathet Goo Mee’ is a window on the spirit of our times
Whatever you think of the raw, unfiltered and profanity-laced “Prathet Goo Mee...”, this tirade against all that has gone wrong in our society offers a crystal clear reflection of a younger generation fed up with the status quo.
The protest song has attracted more than 20 million views on YouTube since it was posted last week.
The camera panning around a crowd as it cheers the lynching of a mutilated body invokes a tragic episode in our bloody political history. It may also be a reflection of the vicious cycle that has plagued this country for decades.
The voices of these angry young men are no doubt anathema to many “culturally sensitive” ears. But the anguish they express at living in a system that bans them from speaking about what matters most to them – in their own lives and in society as a whole – is all too real. And it’s only fair that they should be given the chance to speak out. After all, these angry young men will be the ones who have to live with whatever the older generation has wrought.
Anan Pakvasa
Bangkok
