Personnel at a Royal Thai Navy base in Phuket have been enjoying a piece of the limelight following their recent début on YouTube. Their version of ‘Gangnam Style’ has created plenty of interest within Thailand and has also been picked up by international news organisations including the BBC.
I’m not sure what Sadej Tia the ‘Father of the Royal Thai Navy’ would make of it all, but the video was apparently created for a farewell party for the staff stationed at the Navy Third Area Command at Cape Panwa in Phuket. With some servicemen and servicewomen leaving for other bases in Thailand, it was a chance to enjoy some ‘sanuk’ and was also a good public relations exercise for the Royal Thai Navy. All of the high ranking officers, including the Commander, Vice Admiral Taratorn Kajitsuwan, took part in the video.
There may also be some friendly rivalry that prompted the video with sailors from the US Navy having already produced their own version of the hit song by Korean rapper Psy. The Thai sailors are aiming to clock up more YouTube hits than their American counterparts before ships from the US Navy dock in Phuket later this week for shore leave.
