New 9-minute Royal Anthem opens with the late King’s 1976 speech

The late King’s speech made shortly after the 6 October 1976 massacre is used as a prelude to the new 9-minute long Royal Anthem video.   

On 14 November 2016, the Television Pool of Thailand released a music video for Thailand’s Royal Anthem that will be played before movie screenings in all cinemas. The nine-minute long video opens with a speech the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej delivered on 31 December 1976 during his annual New Year address.

In his speech, which came in the aftermath of the 6 October 1976 massacre at Thammasat University, Bhumibol states that, “The Thai people have clearly expressed their wishes.”

“With this, there is a common understanding and there is an opportunity to work together in order to fulfil our aspirations. Although there may be obstacles or challenges along the way, we can overcome them as long as we sincerely cooperate with one another.”
 
The music video shows footage of a mass singing of the anthem held at Sanam Luang on 22 October this year and was filmed and edited by the film director ML Chatrichalerm ‘Mui’ Yukol. It features music performed by the Siam Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by S.P. Somtow.
 
 
The new 9-minute long Royal Anthem video that will be played before movie screenings
 
The full speech reads:

“People of Thailand, thank you for expressing your kindness and cordiality to me, the Queen and all of our children. Thank you for your cooperation and support in all our activities which has given us much encouragement.

The Thai people have clearly expressed their wishes. With this, there is a common understanding and there is an opportunity to work together in order to fulfil our aspirations. Although there may be obstacles or challenges along the way, we can overcome them as long as we sincerely cooperate with one another. However, we should also understand that the country’s overall situation is not so promising.

I strongly wish that all of us could understand and see the reality of the situation in our country.

Currently our country needs to be improved and developed to the highest level of efficiency so that we can fully optimise the use of resources on our land, as well as wholly benefit from the labour force and wisdom of all Thais. We must utilise them in order to swiftly advance our country and bring about prosperity in all dimensions.

For this purpose, we must urgently execute many development projects and implement them quickly and fruitfully. We cannot delay them for any reason otherwise we will lose out on any potential benefits and in this case it will be damaging.

We can contribute by being strongly determined to uphold the nation’s interest, forego personal interests and refrain from unnecessary disputes.

Those who hold duties and responsibilities must tend to them and successfully fulfil them to the best of their potential and with honesty, with compassion, compromise and goodwill. Our collective work will soon lead to success and a lasting development for our nation.

I would like to invite the blessings of the Triple Gems and all things sacred to the Thai people to protect you all from danger and misfortune and to bestow upon you good health, inspiration, wisdom and unity, so that you can perform your duties in order to move our country forward while also maintaining our sovereignty and peace for the sake of our well-being and prosperity. I wish you all happiness and success in your endeavours throughout the New Year.”

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