This is not the first time that the Thai government has targeted the rap group Rap Against Dictatorship (RAD). In recent years, the rappers have repeatedly targeted themselves against the military dictatorship and members of the constitutional monarchy. Now a song called “Patiroob” (English: “Reform”) has been classified by a court as a threat to the country’s national security. As a consequence, the song has now disappeared from the internet.
A song critical of the government disappears from the internet
On the 7th, the music video for “Patiroob”, which was released back in 2020, was deleted from RAD’s official YouTube account. The reason: A court described the lyrics of the song, which propagated the idea of social equality, as “obscene” and recognized the verses as threats to the incumbent prime minister and the ruling king. The court ruling also shows that voices critical of the monarchy had accumulated in the band’s social networks in the comments under the song. The music video for the song, which the band says it has now removed from all platforms, showed footage of an anti-government demonstration in Bangkok. A statement on the verdict can now be found on the group’s Facebook page, ending with the following sentence:
Creating something to reform, improve or change seems difficult in a totalitarian country right now, but the time will come soon
In their texts, RAD denounce social grievances in Thailand:
What does the verdict mean for Thailand’s music landscape?
The content of “Patiroob” was about the repressive and violent handling of pro-democracy demonstrators by the government and about state corruption. The song also condemns the current government formation, which is based on a coup d’etat. The lawyer Tittasat Soodsan, who supported one of the RAD rappers in challenging the song ban, showed up to the news portal “prachatai” worried about the verdict. The court not only referred to the “obscene” text in its judgment, but also to reactions from fans on the Internet who were critical of the government. This circumstance could cause great uncertainty and fear within the music industry in Thailand. Rapper Dechathorn, a member of RAD, was also upset that rap’s artistic exploration of societal problems was seen as a threat to the country’s security. Together with his lawyer, he is currently advising to appeal the verdict.
The story recalls a similar case in Spain
The arrest of the Spanish rapper Pablo Hasél in early 2021 caused violent clashes between demonstrators and the police in several Spanish cities. The rapper was accused of insulting the monarchy and glorifying terrorism, after which he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. The basis for the verdict were the rapper’s song lines and various statements on Twitter. His detention was viewed by sections of the population as an attack on freedom of expression.