The katoey's song remains the same
Ziri Sutprasert August 31, 2012 1:00 am
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/life/The-katoeys-song-remains-the-same-30189467.htmlI often write about LGBT choices in popular music because the song lyrics are very telling about our situation and the visuals in the music videos reflect the artists' imagination.
You can tell a lot about the performer's true self from a video.
Well-known Thai songs about katoey over the years include "Plaeng Sut Tai" ("The Last Song"), "Chan Kor Pen Phuying Khon Nueng" ("I'm a Woman") and "Mai Dai Kor Hai Ma Rak" ("I Don't Ask for Love"). Together they chart a change in attitudes among katoey.
Suda Chuen-ban's "Plaeng Sut Tai" is from the classic film of the same name, about cabaret star Somying Dao-rai, who committed suicide after loved turned tragic.
Suda's extreme emotion speaks of the katoey heart. When the song came out in the 1980s, katoey were stigmatised as abnormal and trans-females as artificial women of low value. The attitude crushed Somying, leaving her feeling worthless - and suicidal.
