Even Thailand’s Prime Minister Is Praising BLACKPINK’s Lisa For Her Solo
BLACKPINK fans aren’t the only ones impressed with Lisa‘s hit solo debut, “LALISA.” Even the Prime Minister of her home country, Thailand, recently recognized the star for her success.
Before becoming a YG Entertainment trainee, Lisa was born and raised in Buriram, Thailand. As such, it’s no surprise she expressed plenty of love for her country in “LALISA,” which features Thai traditional music, costume, and design elements. In a press statement earlier this week, a government spokesperson revealed Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s admiration for Lisa following her debut.
According to spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, the “LALISA” music video has spurred on Prime Minister Prayut’s readiness to boost the value of Thailand’s creative economy and promote the country’s “soft power.” In politics, soft power refers to the drive to attract other nations through culture and other appealing values—for example, the Hallyu Wave in South Korea.
The spokesperson went on to say that the “application of Thai culture” is expected to boost the country’s economic value as artists like Lisa spread the appeal of Thailand internationally. Prime Minister Prayut praised Lisa for featuring examples of Thai craftsmanship and architecture in her music video, stating that he expects the burgeoning spread of Thai culture to inspire more citizens in creative pursuits.
Gen Prayut admires success of Thai artists including individuals whose works reflect their dedication and determination to inspire many Thais in creative industries in arts, music and films.
— Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, Thailand government spokesperson
In particular, the Thai craftsman, manufacturing, and fashion design industries are set to see a boost in confidence, says the Prime Minister. With releases like “LALISA” generating interest in Thai dress and merchandise, these markets will be able to expand even further globally.
All this ties into the government’s recent goals to promote the Thai creative economy. In the future, spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana states that Thai food, film, fashion, boxing, and even traditional community lifestyles will become new cultural exports.
In response to the government’s statements, even non-fans in Thailand were supportive of Lisa. “Very successful… all the power to her,” said one Thai netizen, while another expressed that they hope Thailand follows in the footsteps of the “online cultural phenomenons” created by South Korea and Japan. One commenter also expressed that they hope the government can show more support to Lisa and invest in her further, stating they’re “proud that this Thai girl never forgot her roots.”
In other news, sellers from a small meatball industry in Lisa’s hometown of Buriram, Thailand are also praising Lisa for dramatically boosting their sales this week.
Meatball Sales Are Soaring In Buriram, Thailand & It’s All Thanks To BLACKPINK’s Lisa
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