อยากได้อะไรทำไมไม่บอก Yaak Dai Arai Tamai Mai Bok (If You Want Something, Why Don’t You Tell [Us]?)

By ยืนยง โอภากุล Yuenyong Opakul, aka แอ๊ด คาราบาว Aed Carabao
From the album “7 + 1” (2013), containing songs by seven prominent Songs for Life artists, plus one band. (THIS IS A REALLY! Good album. BUY IT HERE)

From the Wikipedia entry on “South Thailand Insurgency” (accessed March, 3, 2015): “The South Thailand Insurgency is an intractable conflict taking place mainly in Southern Thailand. It originated in the 1960s as an ethnic separatist insurgency in the historical Malay Patani Region,. . . but has become more complex and increasingly violent since 2001. . . .Local leaders have persistently demanded at least a level of autonomy from Thailand for the Patani region and some of the separatist insurgent movements have made a series of demands for peace talks and negotiations. However, these groups have been largely sidelined by the BRN-C, the group currently spearheading the insurgency which sees no reason for negotiations and is against talks with other insurgent groups. The BRN-C has as its immediate aim to make Southern Thailand ungovernable and has largely been successful at it. . . .Over 6,000 people have died and more than 10,000 have been injured between 2004 and 2014 in a formerly ethnic separatist insurgency, which has currently been taken over by hard-line Jihadis and pitted them against both the Thai-speaking Buddhist minority and local Muslims who have a moderate approach or who support the Thai government.”

English translation of lyrics (เนื้อเพลงแปลเป็นภาษาอังกฤษ):

*ถ้าหมุนย้อนเวลากลับมาได้ ฉันอยากให้วันนี้เหมือนเมื่อก่อน
tâa mŭn yón way-laa glàp maa dâai chăn yàak hâi wan née mĕuan mêua gòn
If one could get time to circle on back, I would want today to be like before:
ก่อนที่เสียงปืนแตกภาคใต้ ก่อนสงครามเย็นจะลามใหม่ที่ปลายขวาน
gòn têe sĭang bpeun dtàek pâak dtâi gòn sŏng-kraam yen jà laam mài têe bplaai kwăan
Before the sound of guns splits the South, before the cold war can spread again to the tip of the ax,*
สงสารผู้คนปักษ์ใต้บ้านเรา ปักษ์ใต้บ้านเรา
sŏng-săan pôo kon bpàk dtâi bâan-rao bpàk dtâi bâan-rao
Pity the people in our Southern home, our Southern home.*

ถ้าขอโทษแทนกันนั้นทำได้ อยากขอโทษแทนเขาเพื่อไถ่ถอน
tâa kŏr tôht taen gan nán tam dâai yàak kŏr tôht taen kăo pêua tài tŏn
If one could apologize on behalf of others, I want to apologize, on their behalf, for the purpose of redemption
ถอนบาปที่ก่อกรรมทำไว้ ถอนรากกันจนเมล็ด ขยายที่ปลายขวาน
tŏn bàap têe gòr gam tam wái tŏn râak gan jon má-lét kà-yăai têe bplaai kwăan
To withdraw the sin that was commited already, to eradicate [it] all unitil the seed(s) spread(s) out to the tip of the ax**
สงสารบ้านเมือง ปักษ์ใต้บ้านเรา สินสันติสุข
sŏng-săan bâan meuang bpàk dtâi bâan rao sĭn săn-dtì sùk
So sorry for our country. Our Southern home. The end of tranquility.

**ทุกข์ที่ทับที่ถมกดทับ ช่วยกันนับช่วยกันแบแก้ไข
túk têe táp têe tŏm gòt táp chûay gan náp chûay gan bae gâe kăi
The suffering that is covered up and pressed down[?] [Let’s] help each other take account of it. Help each other bring it out, and fix it.
รวมคิดรวมแรงร่วมใจ คิดอะไรอยากอะไรให้แจงมา
ruam kít ruam raeng rûam jai kít a-rai yàak a-rai hâi jaeng maa
Lets combine our thoughts, our strength, our hearts. [If] you think something or want something, we want you to come explain it.
หาข้อสรุปด้วยเหตุด้วยผล จะได้หลุดพ้นสู่สันติสุข
hăa kôr sà-rùp dûay hàyt dûay pŏn jà dâai lùt pón sòo săn-dtì sùk
With reason, search for a conclusion, and [we] will break free towards peace.

อยากได้อะไร (สันติสุขๆ) ทำไมไม่บอก
yàak dâai a-rai (săn-dtì sùk săn-dtì sùk) tam-mai mâi bòk
If you want to get something, (peacefulness, peacefulness) why don’t you tell [us]?
อยากได้อะไร (สันติสุขๆ) ทำไมไม่บอก
yàak dâai a-rai (săn-dtì sùk săn-dtì sùk) tam-mai mâi bòk
If you want to get something, (peacefulness, peacefulness) why don’t you tell [us]?

อยากได้อะไร ทำไมไม่บอก
yàak dâai a-rai tam-mai mâi bòk
If you want something, why don’t you tell [us]?
อยากได้อะไร ทำไมไม่บอก
yàak dâai a-rai tam-mai mâi bòk
If you want something, why don’t you tell [us]?

(**,*)

ถ้าอยากได้อะไรก็บอกมา ปรารถนาอยู่กันอย่างสันติ
tâa yàak dâai a-rai gôr bòk maa bpràat-tà-năa yòo gan yàang săn dtì
If [you] want something, then say. Our mutual desire is still peace
บ้านเมืองคงไม่ยึดถือทิฐิ ศาสนาชาติพันธุ์แตกต่างกันได้
bâan meuang kong mâi yéut tĕu tít-tì sàat-sà-năa châat pan dtàek dtàang gan dâai
The country probably won’t cling to stubborn convictions. The religions of ethnic groups can be different from each other.
เราอยู่รวมกันได้ ทั้งแบ่งปันกันได้ ขอให้บอกมา
rao yòo ruam gan dâai táng bàeng bpan gan dâai kŏr hâi bòk maa
We can live together. We can portion everything out. Please tell us.

อยากได้อะไร ขอให้บอกมา
yàak dâai a-rai kŏr hâi bòk maa
[You] want something, [we’d] like you to tell [us]
อยากได้อะไร ให้บอกมา
yàak dâai a-rai hâi bòk maa
[You] want something, please tell [us]

(สันติสุขๆ)
(săn-dtì sùk săn-dtì sùk)
(peacefulness, peacefulness)
(สันติสุขๆ)
(săn-dtì sùk săn-dtì sùk)
(peacefulness, peacefulness)
(สันติสุขๆ)
(săn-dtì sùk săn-dtì sùk)
(peacefulness, peacefulness)

* The band แฮมเมอร์ Hammer, has a very famous song called “ปักษ์ใต้บ้านเรา” (“Our Southern Home”) that came out in 1980. Add uses the same phrase here, perhaps to evoke that song? The band members of Hammer are Muslim Pakistanis, born in Bangkok, who then moved to the South of Thailand. Add wrote songs for Hammer immediately before starting Carabao,
**The shape of Thailand on a map is like an ax, so I think this is a geographical reference. The Southern part of Thailand is the handle of the ax. The tip of the ax would be way across the country. So maybe, this is about the conflict spreading geographically.

For an even better (stunning) song on this theme, check out ตอบหนูที Dap Nu Tee (Please Answer the Child). Watch out! It’s really sad.

Carabao in English

อยากได้อะไรทำไมไม่บอก Yaak Dai Arai Tamai Mai Bok (If You Want Something, Why Don’t You Tell [Us]?)

Lyrics Translations for the Band