A Famous Mon Singer Entertains Mon and Burmese Migrant Workers in Thailand

Independent Mon News Agency
December 18, 2005

A famous Mon singer, Manoke Chan and five Mon singers from Mon State, Burma, have entertained for Mon and Burmese migrant workers in Mahachai, Samut Prakan District in Thailand for three nights in a Mon temple festival.

Manoke Chan, who well known as ‘Nyein Si Thu' in Burmese name, was invited to sing in the festival show and his group have entertained the workers who are from their homes from 15 th December to 17 th December.

“I enjoined it. It was a different support from inside Burma . It encouraged me too much,” said Manoke Chan, who was the first time on the stage in Mahachai, where thousands of Mon and Burmese workers are working in fishing industries belonged to Thai employers.

“I satisfied with the great audience's supports,” said Manoke Chan, who won the best singer prize by the Burma regime's singing, dancing and writing contest in 1995, when he was in high school in Mon State .

Manoke Chan and the Mon artists group arranged their special stage show to entertain for Mon and Burmese migrant workers in Mahachai while several Thai stage shows involved in Wat-Karn-Pha festival.

Thousands of Mon migrant workers from central Bangkok, Samut Prakan District and others area joined the shows and some Burmese migrant workers asked Manoke Chan to sing the Burmese songs, which were recorded after he won the best singer prize.

“I was very happy. I had never joined Mon show like this in Burma . Now I joined it and it was the first time for me. I don't think I am so happy like this. I shout a lot. I stand near the stage,” Ma Hla, the singer's fan exposed with laughing.

Manoke Chan produced both Mon and Burmese songs in tapes and CDs in Burma . His co-female singer is Soe Sandar Tun and she is also a famous Burmese singer in Mon State for soft voice.

Now he sang in the stage together with Mi Sa-Ra-Phee, Mehm Saing-Wanna, Nai Sike Chan and Sa-Noon Chan and Mi Art Chan.

This Mon music show was the second time which Manoke Chan tried to travel to Mahachai as entertainment trip. He was stopped his trip in a half-way in the first time by Thai immigration departments while he was trying to cross the border to proceed to Bangkok .