The first English translation of the national anthem soon followed, although it is unclear who wrote it. The lyrics for the anthem accompany a melody written by Thai composer Phra Chenduriyang ( พระเจนดุริยางค์).
He submitted his winning lyrics on behalf of the Royal Thai Army. The current Thai National Anthem was written in 1939 by Luang Saranupraphan (หลวงสารานุประพันธ์), who won a lyrics contest that was held when the Kingdom’s name was changed from Siam to Thailand (which literally means “Free Land” in Thai).
