Nene Royal reaffirms Thai roots after Cambodian online claims
Phuket singer Nene Royal rejects online claims that she is Cambodian, reaffirming that she is Thai and proud of her roots in southern Thailand.
- Following her successful audition on America’s Got Talent, online users began claiming that 16-year-old singer Nene Royal was Cambodian.
- Nene Royal directly addressed the claims, stating that she is from Phuket, Thailand, and has no Cambodian ancestry.
- She explained that she often introduces herself as being from Phuket specifically to express pride in her southern Thai roots.
- The singer's Thai identity was further reinforced when she was welcomed by Thailand's Prime Minister at Government House to celebrate her success in representing the nation.
Phuket teenager Nene Royal has rejected claims by some Cambodian social-media users that she was Cambodian and had moved to Thailand, insisting that she was born and raised in Phuket and was “100% Thai”.
The posts emerged after her America’s Got Talent audition attracted international attention, with some users thanking her for supposedly bringing recognition to Cambodia.
The 16-year-old singer-guitarist, whose real name is Rattikarn “Praew” Amloy, rose to prominence after delivering a rock-driven performance of The Cranberries’ ‘Zombie’ during her audition for Season 21 of the US talent show. She received four yes votes from the judges and advanced to the next round.
Speaking at Government House in Bangkok before the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday (July 14), Nene admitted that she had yet to fully grasp how quickly she had become famous.
“Everything happened so quickly,” she told reporters, explaining that her life had changed considerably and that people now recognised her wherever she went.
“I can’t even go out to buy meatballs now,” she joked.
Nene revealed that her greatest ambition was to become a global artist, release her own music and embark on international concert tours. She has already written two or three songs and indicated that they would be released soon.
Asked why she often introduced herself as being from Phuket rather than simply from Thailand, Nene explained that she wanted international audiences to know that she was from southern Thailand and was proud of her roots in the island province.
Addressing the online claims directly, she stressed that she was from Phuket, Thailand, and had no Cambodian ancestry.
She also urged Thai fans to follow her social-media accounts and continue supporting her as she prepares for the next stage of the competition.
Prime minister joins Nene for Government House performance
Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul welcomed Nene to Government House alongside Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul, Tourism Authority of Thailand executives and other Cabinet members.
The event was organised to recognise the young musician’s success in bringing international attention to Thailand and showcasing her musical abilities on a global stage.
Nene opened with ‘Som San’ by Thai rock singer Sek Loso, with Anutin joining her for part of the song. Deputy Prime Minister and Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Minister Yodchanan Wongsawat also took the microphone.
Other ministers attending included Labour Minister Julapun Amornvivat and Education Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong.
Nene then performed ‘Zombie’, recreating the song that brought her international recognition on America’s Got Talent. Her electric guitar solo drew particular attention from the prime minister and applause from the ministers and members of the media watching the performance.
After the show, Anutin presented Nene with a souvenir and joined her for photographs while making a rock hand sign. He offered encouragement to Nene and her father, wished her success in the competition and reaffirmed the government’s readiness to support her.
