Aspiring PM tells pop star who cancelled after 2014 coup that country is ‘fully democratic’ now
Taylor Swift is coming to Southeast Asia next year but fans will have to go to Singapore if they want to see her.
But if Pita Limjaroenrat has his way, the American pop megastar will add Thailand to her itinerary. After all, he said, she’s overdue for an appearance here, having cancelled a planned performance in 2014 shortly after the military coup.
The Move Forward party leader and prime ministerial candidate made the pitch on Wednesday evening on Twitter in response to a tweet from Swift about new dates being added to the European leg of her Eras Tour in 2024. He wrote:
“Hey Taylor! Big fan of yours. Btw, Thailand is back on track to be fully democratic after you had to cancel last time due to the coup. The Thai people have spoken via the election and we all look forward to welcoming you to this beautiful nation of ours!
Do come and I’ll be singing Lavender Haze with you!
– Tim”
Swift was scheduled to play a sold-out show in Bangkok on June 9, 2014. But a curfew was in place in the immediate aftermath of the military coup staged by Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha on May 22 of that year.
Organisers BEC-Tero announced on May 27 that the concert was being cancelled “due to recent events”. It did not elaborate.
The singer played some other dates in June of that year but the Bangkok show was never rescheduled.
Swift is scheduled to play six shows in Singapore starting on March 2 next year. Online presales of tickets opened on Wednesday with more than a million people reported to have been in the queue.