Phatthalung smiling, now Bangkok too
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An arts festival in the south helps kick off the junta's "happiness campaign" now at Sanam Luang
Well, Phatthalung is happy. Which province wants to be next? “When the nation is divided, the National Council for Peace and Order unites it – it returns our happiness,” a shadow puppet explained at the Phatthalung Arts Festival earlier this month. The words came from the mouth of puppet master Rungwichai, but the sentiment was widely shared among the 400 artists participating in the festival hosted by the Bunditpatanasilpa Institute.
The two-day event celebrated Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s birthday and the institute’s 17th anniversary while also backing the junta’s campaign to “Return Happiness to Thais”.
The grounds of City Hall resembled a boisterous temple fair with performances from all four regions of the country underway on several stages. The food on sale was just as diverse, nibbled and gobbled as people modelled for portrait painters or tried making ceramics. Meanwhile lecturers and their students from the Phatthalung Dramatic Art Institute swapped ideas.
“Already you can see people enjoying themselves, and it’s not just a superficial enjoyment,” Culture Ministry permanent secretary Apinan Poshyananda told The Nation.
“I think, deep down, the people really want this. Especially in Phatthalung – it’s quite an ‘exotic’ place anyway, where people come to relax, and the environment is very assuring.”
Apinan, newly appointed to the post, knows the “happiness campaign” faces a steeper climb in other provinces, “like Nakhon Ratchasima, Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen, where tensions have been a little bit high. So, when we go there, we expect to have some places for discussion to encourage people to enjoy themselves and make things more harmonious.”
The ministry aims to use the arts and culture to tune up that harmony. All this year it’s hosting events like the Phattalung festival, spreading good cheer with a Bt100-million budget.
“The money comes from the ministry, with help from the provinces as well,” Apinand said. “We do this every year anyway, but this is a matter of focusing more on specific areas and issues. So there’s no extra outlay from the government – this is from an already existing budget.”
After taking its smiley road show to several upcountry provinces, the NCPO and the ministry are giving Bangkok a taste this week at Sanam Luang. Since Tuesday, thousands of people have been enjoying lovely food and free concerts courtesy of all the major music labels.
A huge amount and variety of Thai dishes were on sale and being given away along all sidewalks around the royal ground. Again, it came from all four regions of the Kingdom. Several government ministries set up tents to promote their work and explain what’s planned. The fair runs through Sunday.
There is of course the hope that such efforts to foster unity in the short term evolve into solid plans for the nation’s lasting reconciliation. “Thank you, NCPO and the Culture Ministry, for hosting this event,” declared the Phatthalung puppet master Rungwichai. “We hope there will also be sustainable management, including better economic management and good governance.”
HAPPY NOW?
“Returning Happiness to Thais” runs until Sunday at Sanam Luang in Bangkok. Events begin at 5pm with multi-dominational prayer services.
Performances and live music start at 7, and there are free films at 8 nightly, with “Naresuan 3” tonight and part four tomorrow. Saturday is “Suriyothai” and “Kabot Thao Srisudajan” (“The Kingmaker”) on Sunday.
