"Sieng Kammakorn" is the first music video and multimedia project in the Thai labor movement. This multimedia program presents a collection of progressive songs of the movement. It is designed for narrowcasting via video tapes, video CDs or DVDs as well as for broadcasting on terrestrial, cable and satellite television and for webcasting via internet television networks. Produced by the Thai Labor Museum and videographed by WAYANG, the initial phase of this project presents three key songs of the movement: (i) "Saksri Kammakorn" (Dignity of Workers), (ii) "Kidthueng Tuk-kata" (A Doll at Kader), and (iii) "Sai Lerd Reng-ngan" (Spirit of Labor).
According to the well-respected and veteran unionist, Somsak Kosaisook (Secretary-General, Labor Coordination Center of Thailand), "Songs and music express the culture of workers. It is a powerful tool to build unity and solidarity in the trade union movement to fight against exploitation by employers. The trade union movement should nurture this unique culture, to promote the dignity of workers and to continue this practice for our future generations. "
Arunee Srito (Advisor and former President) of the Thai Women Workers' Unity Group adds, "Songs and music can raise consciousness among workers, bringing workers together and building empowerment. "
Paisal Puech-mongkol-who wrote the "Saksri Kammakorn" song about 25 years ago - explains that the lyrics are in four parts. The first part narrates the hardship and injustice faced by workers. The second part touches on their dignity as they struggle to feed their families. The third part is directed towards their struggle for justice -- they are the people who have built the world, and they have nothing to be ashamed of being workers. The last part calls on workers of the world to unite and fight for a better world for all.
The melody and musical composition of this song about the dignity of workers is actually a direct adaptation from a folk tune known as "Sri-Nual". This popular tune is for a dance traditionally performed by farmers and peasants in Thailand to celebrate a good harvest or some occasion worthy of a big gathering with a spirit of unity.
So, when presented with new lyrics, reflecting their hardship and struggles in the cities, the workers immediately identify with this composition. "Saksri Kammakorn" is now regarded as the workers' anthem! Workers at every picket line, sit-in, protest march or rally, including during May Day every year sing it with dignity.
Somsak Kosaisook adds, "Saksri Kammakorn reaffirms that workers have inalienable rights. So they must be fairly treated and justly paid. The dignity of workers should be respected. "
Wichai Narapaiboon, who is a progressive singer and cultural activist well respected for his commitment and contributions to the Thai labor movement, composes the lyrics and music of "Kidthueng Tuk-kata". He firmly believes that songs and music are powerful media for people to communicate with one another. Traditionally, a lullaby is sung by a mother to communicate with her baby - for example, to tell that it is time to sleep well. Likewise, labor movement songs and music can also tell stories about hardships, poor living conditions, exploitation, inhumane treatment, sickness and death. These songs can serve as a collective voice to tell the world that these miserable conditions exist. At the same time, these songs can encourage workers themselves to reclaim their own dignity and demand their rights.
"Kidthueng Tuk-kata" was composed following the tragedy in May 1993 at the Kader toy factory in Thailand that burned down with the loss of 188 lives - the majority of whom were young women workers. 469 other workers were injured. Many of the workers died simply because the fire doors were deliberately locked to keep workers in - due to a management policy against theft. Other workers died because the poorly-built structure collapsed minutes after the fire broke out.
Tienruen (Kader worker): "As I ran around, I saw many friends gathered at the window. Some friends pushed the other friends down. I was one of them being pushed down. I fell. .. hurt my stomach. I could not move. Somebody pulled me out. I felt sharp pain in my legs. I had to crawl. I said to them, please help the people at the back. After I crawled a bit more, the whole building collapsed. "
Tumtong (Kader worker): "I jumped and landed on the bodies of my friends. If not for the support of my friends whose bodies cushioned my fall, I might not have survived!"
Boon (Kader worker): "Factory employers should provide insurance for workers. They have insurance for their factory dolls but not for the workers. The lives of workers are less valuable than their dolls! They can die for nothing!"
Tienruen: "Until now, I still have nightmares. When I hear loud sound and smell smoke, I get frightened and feel like fainting. "
PARADON, an all-women workers' band was formed after the Kader tragedy on 25th July 1993. "Paradon" in the Thai language means friendship or sisterhood. Being young, gifted and workers, they were quickly recognized as The Workers' Band performing for the cause. PARADON is still the only all-women workers' band in Thailand.
For the past seven years, PARADON has been playing a very vital and active role (especially during workers' demonstrations and strikes) by singing and disseminating messages and building social awareness. Their songs and music not only entertain but also motivate workers to come out and get involved in the struggle for workers' rights and other social issues.
Virtually all the six founding members (Sumalee Lailuad, Kanchana Boonmathan, Patcharee Lailuad, Suwanna Thanlhek, Prakhop Yoddamnern, Kanokwan Kongkeuy) were full-time factory workers at the time. At present, PARADON is made up of three women workers who are all excellent vocalists as well as musicians. Two sisters of PARADON have recently joined the Thai Labor Museum, as part-time staff while the third sister is still a full-time factory worker. All three of them are committee members of a local trade union and all live in a union premises together with other women workers in the sprawling Omnoi Omyai Industrial District in the outskirts of Bangkok.
With persistence and hard work -- together with the guidance and support of Wichai Narapaiboon -- PARADON released their first cassette album in 1995. Over the years, PARADON has participated in several other cassette albums featuring progressive Thai labor songs produced by the Thai Labor Museum.
PARADON is famous for their touching rendition and popularizing of the "Kidthueng Tuk-kata" song.
Sumalee Lailuad (lead vocals & bass): "We sing about workers' lives and hardships, their aspirations as well as their demands. We make workers reflect that there are people who care. They are not alone in their struggles. We have taken the tasks as our cultural responsibility to carry on with various cultural activities, designed to support the struggle of workers, becoming part and parcel of the labor movement. "
Sumalee: "Whenever we perform our song about the Kader tragedy, the sad melody really moves us. We can see the image of workers being trapped in that factory, screaming for help, trying desperately to get out of the burning building with little air left. It was hopeless! It was a horrible inferno! Some were trying to jump out from windows, but all the windows and doors were barred with iron rods. They were trapped like animals in cages. Just think how their families back home in the villages would feel. How would they react to this tragic loss, being informed that their daughters -- earning meager wages at this factory making dolls for export -- were burned to death. It must have been very painful. .. "
Patcharee Lailuad (vocals, keyboard, lead guitar & "pin"): "In this particular song, I see the employers so greedy and selfish that they don't take the safety and lives of the workers into consideration at all. Yet these workers had helped them to prosper financially with their sweat and labor. This song urges that we should never allow this horrible thing to happen again. All concerned parties should figure out how this tragedy can be prevented in the future. Rules and regulations must be strictly enforced for the safety of workers. "
Kanchana Boonmathan (lead vocals & percussion): "It has been 8 years but I have not yet forgotten the horrible fire at the Kader factory. It was a most terrible thing ever to happen to any factory and to workers. Nothing could possibly replace the loss of lives and aspirations. We know that the Kader company was well compensated by their insurance companies. But this Kader company is far from adequately responsible for the loss of young lives and welfare of the injured workers and their dependents. No adequate assistance has come. Meanwhile, the Government itself is not helping the workers much! We, the workers, wish to see that the Government seriously and quickly establish an independent Occupational Health and Safety Institute or any similar agency mandated to strictly inspect the working environment in all workplaces for the sake of safety. We hope that these official agencies could be depended on in the future. "
Somboon Srikamdokkhae, President, Council of Work and Environment Related Patients' Network of Thailand (WEPT): "We are a group of workers who are affected by occupational health hazards. There are many work-related diseases but we do not get legal protection. The employers and even the Government do not acknowledge that there are work-related diseases. We have proposed the establishment of an independent "Occupational Health and Safety Institute" to enable the affected workers to participate in the process of prevention of work-related diseases. But the Government and the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare did not respond. So we collected 50,000 signatures and, under the new Constitution of Thailand, we submitted a petition to Parliament to debate the issue. The Government still does not respond. The bill for the establishment of this proposed "Institute" has not been passed. " The struggle continues. ..
Wichai Narapaiboon also composed the music and lyrics of "Sai Lerd Reng-ngan. " Around 1987, there were only a few movement songs and music performed during labor activities. At the time, there were disunity and personality conflicts among labor leaders. Subsequently, the labor movement as a whole was not able to effectively represent the interest of the workers. Wichai Narapaiboon was eager to see the movement regaining its vitality and momentum: "I really wished that the labor movement could again speak with one voice, moving on to the same direction and with the same ultimate goal. I wished to see that the movement could at least serve and function as the consolidating force to rebuild the labor movement - making the movement a strong and dynamic force to be reckoned with. With this wish and concern, I started to work on this song. "
In Somsak Kosaisook's assessment, the "Sai Lerd Reng-ngan" song represents a piece of workers' cultural heritage - a voice of the workers calling for unity and solidarity. "We believe that all workers are fraternal brothers and sisters, regardless of the color of their skin, creed, sex or religious belief. The statement that 'labor creates the world' means that workers of the world must take more participatory roles in social, economic, political and cultural developments. "
For further information, please contact: Alternative Video Resource Network - WAYANG, P. O. Box 52, Bungthonglang, Bangkok 10242 Thailand; e-mail: "wayang" wayang@ksc. th. com; waying@yahoo.com