I just came across a recent video by the Thai band Cocktail called “You” (เธอ). It is about a Thai soldier who fell in love with a Vietnamese girl while fighting in the Vietnam War in 1965. In 2014 he then goes back to find her.
Some of the scenes of the ex-soldier hanging around his hotel room in Vietnam reminded me of the opening part of Apocalypse Now, which made me wonder to what extent American stereotypes about the war have been internalized by people in Thailand.
I was then intrigued to see that on the guy’s hotel bed he had a copy of Vietnam War: A Report Through Asian Eyes, a 1972 book written by Japanese journalist Katsuichi Honda. I have never read this book, so I’m not sure to what extent Honda was able to show a different perspective on that war, however as I continued to watch the video for “You,” it became clear that this video does have a definite Thai perspective to it.
There is a monologue in the beginning in which the ex-soldier explains that he is looking for the girl, and he says that he is tormented by the fact that he doesn’t know who she is. He then asks, “Have you been reborn? Or did you die?”
As the song plays we come to learn that the girl he fell in love with died in 1965, however, she was reborn and he finds her in 2014. However, she doesn’t recognize him, until he dies, and then she comes to realize that she was in love with him in her past life.
We also learn that he actually died in 1965 too, so the “ex-soldier” who went to Vietnam in 2014 was actually the reincarnation of the soldier who died in 1965.
Are you confused?
Yes, it is kind of confusing, but it is this way because this story (like countless other stories and movies in Thiland) employs the concepts of karma and rebirth. So this video does definitely have a Thai perspective to it.
At the same time, the influence of Hollywood characterizations is also apparent in this video. It’s therefore an interesting combination of images and ideas.
In any case, here is the video, and I’ve made a rough translation of the lyrics below (different parts get repeated at different times in the song), while the Thai-language lyrics can be found here.
We’re so far apart, it shouldn’t seem like we’re close,
And my mind is still always agitated by memories.
I think of the time when we first met,
You and I never wanted to be apart,
And now I have to face the trembling in my heart,
Worried about our being apart,
Worried that your heart has changed.
It’s raining lightly like the time I met you,
Your eyes are still stuck in my heart, unforgettable,
Our love has not gotten old, right?
Or time has not changed the shape of your heart.
You, do you still miss me when the two of us are still far apart,
And when time keeps us distant?
Do you know that the person far away still feels anxious,
Whenever he looks at a picture of you,
And that his tears still fall?
The morning dew and the cold wind seize my heart,
The wind blows softly, carrying my love away,
And taking it to where your heart is.
Time should make our hearts change while we are far apart,
But I always only have you in my heart.
This Post Has 7 Comments
Enjoyed the post Le Minh.
American stereotypes about the war internalized in Thailand.
{absorbing the thought}
I’m unclear – What stereotypes can be connected specifically to the war?
At 5:28, reminded me of “Good Morning Vietnam”, with the interaction between Adrian’s female pursuits and her VC brother (although in this video it could also be her husband i suppose). Definitely see Hollywood connections to this video with heaps of re-birth. As a photographer, the video has that nice HD, tilt/shift perspective that i personally enjoy.
Yea, that’s what I mean – the extent to which Thais have internalized Hollywood’s rendering of the war.
Hi, I appreciate your article and I agree with it, especially your translation is very good, and quite poetical. Only one note: the soldier is not a Thai, but an American soldier, and this can be desumed from two facts: first is that Thai army never took part to patrols in Vietnam, and he wears like an American soldier; second is that he talks in English with the girl (“hey, you”, “thank you”). Being a mixed Thai and American actor, I think Ananda does appear to Thai eyes definitely more western-looking than how he actually is (or better, looks in western eyes). I would say that also the reincarnation of the soldier is a westerner, in the intent of the video maker. Just like the girl is always Viet, I mean both the 1965 girl and the reincarnation (That is taking a selfie, lol… were we talking about internalizing western customs, huh?) So this basically is a Thai narration of a wholly US-Viet tale of love travelling through reincarnations (or better, a only dreamed love: when the love story is supposed to develop, during the convalescence of the soldier, it actually is a dimension that never was, as we finally know that they in fact both died just after falling in love, in that eye contact).
🙂
Thanks a lot for commenting. I have a couple of thoughts. 1st, there is a very good recent book on the role of Thai soldiers in the Vietnam War:
http://www.uhpress.hawaii.edu/p-9780824834890.aspx
And from that book we can see that actually, yes, Thai soldiers did in fact take part in patrols.
Beyond that, I think we get into a very complex discussion. Yes, the actors look mixed Thai. . . but don’t pretty much ALL popular actors/actresses in Thailand now look mixed Thai?? Given how popular luk kreung/hapa actors/actresses/singers are today, to what extent can we say that the person who made this video was trying to be “accurate” as opposed to just trying to make the video popular?
So I stick by my claim in this blog post that I think that there is a very strong Hollywood influence in this video. I don’t think that it is attempting to be quite as realistic as you are arguing it is, because I don’t think that the people who made this video have an accurate understanding of the past.
At the same time, what the book above points out is that the Thai soldiers who served in the Vietnam War played a very important role in later episodes in Thai history. It would be really interesting to know how many of them are still alive and what their positions are today.
This comment is more than a few years late, but I found the detail of the cross necklace that the soldier is wearing to be quite fascinating. I agree with the analysis in this post, as this would fit the “romanticized” narrative of the Vietnam War in Thailand (and certain aspects of the video, such as the reincarnation you mention, are very Thai), but the choice of a cross necklace instead of the typical Buddhist pendant that soldiers wore seems to suggest an American soldier rather than a Thai soldier. Or perhaps a Christian Thai soldier? I was confused by this contradictory detail, and was wondering if you had any thoughts on that.
Thanks for pointing this out!! I did not notice that.
Hmmm. . . Well the first thing that I would say is that this is a music video, rather than an historical documentary. So we would shouldn’t expect the details to be all accurate. That said, yea, why isn’t the guy wearing an amulet?
There is a good book called In Buddha’s Company: Thai Soldiers in the Vietnam War:
https://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Company-Soldiers-Southeast-Politics/dp/0824834895
And in that book it talks about how incredibly important amulets were for the Thai soldiers.
So what was the idea here? My guess would be that it has something to do with global hipness today, rather than any statement about the war and the Thai that participated in it. I’ve been noticing cross necklaces on young people all over the place, with no reference to Christianity. Somehow it has become part of some sense of coolness among people who are not Christians. It could be that this is an example of that.
I have to admit though that I’m not really sure, but that’s my hunch.
What a coincidence! I just started reading In Buddha’s Company as a part of a final project, and that is largely what prompted my comment.
I can definitely see what you mean about the cross being a sign of “hipness” rather than of religion, I’ve seen many earrings and necklaces with crosses being sold by street vendors in Thailand that would attest to that. It definitely is a confusing detail, though, particularly considering the importance of the amulets to Thai soldiers.
In any case, thank you for the great post and for your response!