Classic Productions by Surin Phaksiri 2: Molam Gems from the 1960s-80s Front Cover

Lyric

Lam Phloen Thinking about Sa-U

Chabaphrai Namwai

Verse 1:

It's you

People of Thailand, please listen to me

Leave your homeland

To become a laborer in Saudi Arabia

Because they've heard they can get tens of thousands of baht per month in salary

A lot of people are heading to Saudi Arabia

Because they can barely stay still

A lot of people leave Thailand and look for employers overseas

They get a passport and then get on a plane

People are so desperate to go abroad that they're going into debt

Put their land as collateral

They've sold their fields and cattle

Some of them were cheated out of their homes

Hook 1:

Saudi Arabia's debt, mixed with disappointment (Repeated)

Their children and wife are left and untreated

Verse 2:

Thai people, please be calm and don't be a sucker!

People from Yasothon Province and others who want to go to Saudi Arabia to work

Some people say that Saudi Arabia is the real deal

"I paid almost 20,000 baht for their flight, but how am I going to pay for their return trip?"

Hook 2:

They felt sad and conflicted (Repeatedly)

When they left Thailand for Saudi Arabia

Verse 3:

They had to pay extra money

Friends, friends who were cheated by Sa-Udon (*2)

They are ashamed to talk about the past

My friends, friends deceived by Sa-Ubon (*3)

They regret that they have lost their home

Their life was ruined by the dreams of the Saudis

Hook 3:

They've lost thousands upon thousands of dollars

There's no way to get it back, so they have to be patient

They sold their farm, much to their chagrin

They left their hometown for nothing

I'm worried about their wife and feel sad

Verse 4:

They feel sorry for themselves (Repeat)

They sold more rice because they didn't have enough to eat

They put all their money as collateral and are in debt

They can't hide their frustration at the bad luck they've had

It's a good thing they were able to pay off some of their debts

There are a lot of people who are in debt

I'd like to advise all their fans

Don't forget about our country, Thailand

Hook 4:

Good luck to you in Saudi Arabia

I'll be waiting for you

Good luck to you

Chaba is waiting for your call

Don't get upset, lest we break up

Every night before I go to bed, I send their love to you

Verse 5:

Don't forget their words, their love (Repeat)

Chabaphrai is waiting to hear from you

Come back safe and sound (Repeat)

Give me two kisses on the cheek

And then I'll marry you (Repeat)

Hey, honey (Repeat)

* Footnotes:

1: Saudi Arabia

2: A term coined from the combination of Saudi Arabia and Udon Thani Province. In the 1970s and 1980s, Saudi Arabian migrants became a social phenomenon in Thailand, and there were many cases of fraud targeting Thai workers. The irony of the tragic situation was that they lost the money they had made to go to Saudi Arabia due to fraud and could not even go to there, so people whispered, "After all, they went to Sa-Udon, not Sa-U (Saudi Arabia)

3: The Ubon Ratchathani Province version of the above event

  • Lyricist

    Surin Phaksiri

  • Composer

    Surin Phaksiri

Classic Productions by Surin Phaksiri 2: Molam Gems from the 1960s-80s Front Cover

Listen to Lam Phloen Thinking about Sa-U by Chabaphrai Namwai

Streaming / Download

  • 1

    Lam Phloen Handsome Guy

    Lumyai Sungkamani

  • 2

    Lam Phloen Call Me Please

    Chomsawai Saentawisok

  • 3

    Lam Phloen Putting a Girl in Her Place

    Thongmi Malai

  • 4

    Keawta Lam Phloen

    Keawta Prayalae

  • 5

    Lam Phloen Please Get Along with Me

    Chamnian Mitpracha

  • 6

    Lam Phloen No Appease No Love

    Chabaphrai Namwai

  • ⚫︎

    Lam Phloen Thinking about Sa-U

    Chabaphrai Namwai

  • 8

    Lam Phloen Friend and Friend (Instrumental)

    Sonthaya Kalasin

  • 9

    Lam Phloen Young Widower

    Homhuan Saksakul

  • 10

    Lam Phoen Let's Go to Kathina Festival

    Phairin Phonphibun

  • 11

    Lam Tangwai Phairin

    Phairin Phonphibun

  • 12

    Lam Phloen Sakhon Na Khon

    Banyen Siwongsa

  • 13

    Lam Tangwai Gigolette

    Sonthaya Kalasin

  • 14

    Lam Phloen Folk Song

    Somthin Charoenchai

  • 15

    Lam Phloen Open-air Cinema

    Chabaphrai Namwai

  • 16

    Lam Phloen Nakhon Phanom

    Banyen Siwongsa

  • 17

    Lam Phloen Before Farewell

    Sukchai Petch-ubon

  • 18

    Lam Toei Ram Wong Romance

    Kampun Foongsuk

  • 19

    Lam Phloen The Story of Walking in the Forest

    Chamnian Mitpracha

  • 20

    Lam Phloen Let's Fall in Love

    Naree Rungruang

  • 21

    Lam Toei A Promise of Isan Girl

    Kampun Foongsuk

EM Records again shines the spotlight on legendary Thai producer Surin Phaksiri in this second edition of his classic productions from the 1960s-80s. The first edition, released in 2019, focused on his innovative productions in the luk thung style. This 2022 release features his stellar, glowing molam gems from the 60s-80s, drawn mainly from his golden era in the late 70s and early 80s. Surin Phaksiri is a highly esteemed figure in Thai music, rooted deeply in his native region of Isan in northeast Thailand, a producer with a deep respect for the traditional artistry of his culture, yet always moving forward, looking outward, listening ahead. The molam style of Thai music showcases the voice; indeed, the genre's name means "expert singer", and Thailand is blessed with an abundance of experts, singers with amazing control, grace, vitality and finesse. This collection of 22 songs features 15 singers, ranging from venerated legends to unjustly unheralded masters of the art. These songs were recorded and released after the era of the 7-inch single; with the advent of the cassette boom in Thai music, most producers adopted a quantity-over-quality conveyer belt production style, churning out soundalike material to fill the expanded length of cassette tape. Phaksiri resisted these tides and continued to work with a single-song mindset, tailoring each production's instrumentation and arrangement to precisely fit each singer and song. This care and integrity can be clearly heard in this sweetly groovy collection. These gems, originally released on 7-inch vinyl, are all first-time official reissues, a project years in the making. Compiled by Soi48, who also provide liner notes.

Artist Profile

  • Chabaphrai Namwai

EM Records

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