Best of Thailand, General InterestBest Commercial Ever – Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be)
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Best Commercial Ever – Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be) |
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| Best of Thailand, General Interest 8 Comments |
Thailand Princess Mother’s Volunteer Foundation, Srisangwan School, Doris Day, and a Powerful Message
How can Doris Day, the Thailand Princess Mother’s Volunteer Foundation, and a Thai insurance company combine to bring national attention to a very special school for disabled children? In this article I want to share a story that has led me to learn about The Princess Mother’s Volunteer Foundation and the Srisangwan School.
Living and working in Thailand I have pretty much adapted to the fact that the English language is not spoken with any regularity by the large majority of Thai people. That is why, when I overheard my assistant Bo quietly singing Que Sera Sera (yes true story…) I was more than a little bit surprised.
I asked her why she knew this song and she told me about hearing the song from a Thai television commercial for health insurance. I asked her if she thought it was a good commercial and she replied that it ‘gave her strong feelings’.
So I dialed up YouTube and found a Doris Day version of this song and we watched a nostalgic video clip of the song from Hitchcock’s ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much’. I am sure that Bo is now one of very few Thai people to have enjoyed Doris Day singing this 1956 Academy Award winning song.
Que Sera Sera was written in the mid-50’s by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, made popular with the baby boomer generation by Doris Day, and here I am immersed in Thai culture and… well I am not sure what I was feeling but I really wanted to see this Thai commercial.
Through the magic of YouTube we managed to find the commercial and I watched, several times, what turns out to be one of the most powerful commercials I have ever seen; it nearly brought me to tears. The commercial is promoting health insurance and was produced for a company called Thai Insurance Company. The production is beautiful and the message is crystal clear; we simply never know what life is going to deal us – Que Sera Sera.
The children in this video are from a special school called Srisangwan School. It is a school for disabled children and is a project of the Princess Mother’s Volunteer Foundation. The commercial does a magnificent job of showing the joy in these children’s hearts and the pride in their parent’s eyes. Like it did for Bo, this commercial gives me strong feelings and I want to share it and I would especially like for people to learn about Srisangwan School.
Her Royal Highness the Princess Mother Somdej Phra Sri Nakharindra Boromaraj Chonni is remembered for her great contributions to the well-being of the Thai people. The Princess Mother’s Volunteer Foundation is recognized as the first foundation in Thailand that provides services for disabled children and Srisangwan School is a part of the Foundation.
Srisangwan School opened officially on February 11, 1965 with the main purpose being to help enrich the lives of children with disabilities. Srisanwan School emphasizes the importance of meeting the specific needs of these children and accelerating their development by providing medical devices such as wheelchairs, crutches, and walkers, as well as learning tools to enhance their writing, reading, and speaking skills.
My heartfelt thanks to Thai Insurance Company for bringing us this beautiful television commercial, Doris Day for popularizing one of the most recognizable songs in the western world, and Thailand’s Princess Mother for her love and generosity and for leaving the people of Thailand with many precious gifts, including the Princess Mother’s Volunteer Foundation and the Srisangwan School.
Que Sera Sera, Whatever will be will be, Arai ja gerd gaw tong gerd, อะไรจะเกิดก็ต้องเกิด
If you are able to help the Princess Mother’s Volunteer Foundation and Srisangwan School they will gratefully accept donations of money, food, stationary, clothes, or medical devices and equipment that can be used to treat the disabled.
Thailand Travel Online is in contact with the Foundation and will gladly act as intermediary and translator. Please just Contact Us if you are able to help in any way.
You may also contact The Princess Mother’s Volunteer Foundation directly at:
78/11 Moo. 1 Tiwanon Rd.
Bangtalad, Pakkred
Nonthaburi, Thailand 11120
Tel. (66)2 583 9596-7, Fax. (66)2 583 6681 (no English speaking operator)
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:47 pm
I watched the video. It is really amazing what the power of the mind can do. I am sure that the teachings of Buddhism has a lot to do with the positive outlook that these children and their parents so obviously project. A beautiful thing to see.
October 3rd, 2009 at 4:20 am
What a powerful advertisement and superb blend of the soundtrack and vision to illustrate the issue. Well done Thai Insurance Company and their advertising agency. Also congrats to TTO for writing about this and highlighting the charitable works of the Thai royal family and reminding visitors to Thailand that despite the country’s development and high standards there are many families that face difficulties but still manage to smile despite their hardships.
October 4th, 2009 at 12:02 am
This is a beautiful and moving commercial. Watching the children sing so joyously, and the mothers looking on with love, pride and a tinge of sadness, stirred my emotions. In my work with handicapped children I’m struck with how much they teach us about love, patience and humanity.
Doris Day, who popularized Que Sera Sera, is very much alive and living in Carmel, California. From the reports of people who know her, she is healthy, still singing and doing good works for those who have no voice.
October 8th, 2009 at 1:36 am
so stunning adv…spooky everytime watching especially the smily boy in the wheel.
October 16th, 2009 at 6:00 am
[...] caso, conviene dedicarle unos minutos al post que es origen de la circulación de este video-anuncio Best Commercial Ever – Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be) y que explica la historia de la Fundación que cuida y apoya a niños minusválidos de [...]
November 12th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
[...] can read a little about the school and the video. I have some reservations about this performance being used in an insurance [...]
November 14th, 2009 at 12:20 am
Its really a nice video
enjoyed watching it…
January 8th, 2010 at 5:19 am
[...] job of showing the joy in these children