Radiodiffusion Internasionaal Annexe

♬ Pleng Mak Ka Rok / ເກາະເງິນຂ້ອຍຈົນໝົດ / เพลงหมากกะหรอก

Every once in a while, there’s a record that connects the dots. 

I knew there had to be rock ‘n’ roll in Laos, being that it is located between Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. But that was only a theory until I stumbled upon the Chanthara Outhensackda single purely by accident. I thought it was Thai, and it wasn’t until I tried to get it translated that I found out it was Lao. I’ve found two other songs by Chanthara Outhensackda since then, but that was it. It seemed like a dead end. Then, I picked up the K. Viseth single. While not really a rock ‘n’ roll record, it was interesting due to the fact that it was recorded in Thai instead of Lao – but the title on the record was listed in Lao.

And now we have this record by Kor Keokampha. The song is sung in Thai and listed on the record in Thai. But the record label – which is the same as the K. Viseth record – is Lao. The label is ວົງດົນຕຣີຣາບອາກາສວັງວຽງ which translates to: Vang Vieng Paratroopers Band.

The Vang Vieng Paratroopers Band was founded in 1966 by bandleader Col. Phengkiaw Suvath, along with songwriter Lt. Sanong Ounvong (a.k.a. ‘Mi Dam’). Vang Vieng was a center  of defense for the right-wing Royal Lao Government against the communist Lao People’s Liberation Army during the country’s civil war, and the Vang Vieng Paratroopers were part of the CIA-backed operation to that effect. They recorded at the studios of Lao National Radio and played a major role in the popularization of Lao Ban-na music – which was largely inspired by Thai Luk Thung. K. Viseth had a massive hit with “Thai Dam Lam Phan” in neighboring Thailand – where it was covered by Buppha Saichon – and by 1970 had defected there. The group was most active between 1968 and 1972, and had been performing across the border in Thailand as early as 1969, following K. Viseth’s success. Kor Keokampha was apparently the band’s successor after K. Viseth’s defection. [Source]

This single was most likely recorded after K. Viseth’s 1969 hit, with the band’s / label’s hopes of continuing their success in the Thai market. The song title “Pleng Mak Ka Rok” / “ເກາະເງິນຂ້ອຍຈົນໝົດ” / “เพลงหมากกะหรอก” translates to “Gambling by Shaking the Dice”, which would explain that bit at the beginning of the song. It was written by Udomsak Khampon (a.k.a. ‘Sak Udomphon’), under the name ‘Sgt. Khamkhom Mueangnakhon’. He was from Lampang in Northern Thailand but apparently crossed the border to enlist with the Vang Vieng Paratroopers and wrote several songs in Lao while stationed with them. [Source]

If you would like to listen to more music by Kor Keokampha there is a playlist on YouTube that you can find HERE.

Many thanks to the amazing Peter Doolan of Monrakplenthai for translation and detective work / research about this record.

Released by ວົງດົນຕຣີຣາບອາກາສວັງວຽງ of Vang Vieng, Laos. No catalog number or release date listed.