Suchit Wongthed's poem sheds light on how university students were like before the Student Revolution of 1973 that gave university students the reputation of being a significant force in Thai politics. The poem was written in the context of the 1957 coup which saw General Sarit Thanarat successfully using university students to march against the government of General Plaek Phibulsongkram, and these students later swiftly changed their stance to become supporters of the new government once Sarit Thanarat came to power. During that period, only a very small percentage of Thais attended universities. Those who had the chance to get a college education saw themselves as future leaders of the Thai government. Also, with the growing economy under Thanarat's plan for national development, the university students had a personal interest in supporting the established order. It is rather telling that the most highly-regarded student role then was that of a “cheerleader,” someone whose duty was to lead other students in expressing pride in the faculty or college during big events like the university sports games and to reprimand or punish rebellious students.