THE PEOPLE & CULTUREARTSThai-German composer Peter Feit (also known by his Thai name, Phra
Chen Duriyang), who composed Thailand’s national anthem in 1932.
Lôok Tûng & Mŏr Lam
The bestselling modern musical genre in Thailand islôok tûng (literally
‘children of the fi elds’), which dates to the 1940s. Analogous to country and
western music in the USA, it’s a genre that appeals to working-class Thais.
Subject matter almost always cleaves to tales of lost love, tragic early death,
and the dire circumstances of farmers who work day in and day out and
are still in debt. The plaintive singing style ranges from sentimentality to
anguish and singers are often backed by Las Vegas–style showgirl dancers.
Mŏr lam is Thailand's blues; it's a folk tradition fi rmly rooted in the
northeast of Thailand and is based on the songs played on the Lao-Isan
kaan (a wind instrument devised of a double row of bamboo-like reeds
fi tted into a hardwood soundbox). The oldest style is most likely to be
heard at a village gathering and has a simple but insistent bass beat and
is often sung in Isan dialect. It has traditionally had a ‘country bumpkin’
image, butmŏr lamhas jumped the generational fence and now has an
electrifi ed pop version and seriously silly side.
As economic migrants from across the country have moved to Bang-
kok, the two genres have begun to merge. Contemporary singers regu-
larly cross from one style to another with a few songs in between.
Thailand’s most famouslôok tûng singer was Pumpuang Duangjan,
who received a royally sponsored cremation when she died in 1992 and
a major shrine at Suphanburi’s Wat Thapkradan. Gravelly voiced Siri-
porn Ampaipong helped carry the tradition afterwards and is still be-
loved. The new lôok tûngg princess is Tai Orathai, a college graduate who
can vibrate those dramatic notes with rivers of feeling.
Jintara Poonlarp is a current fi xture in the constellation; she’s quite
nouveau with a trendy haircut and Bangkok-style fashions instead of
the farm-girl look. Mike Pirompon excels with the oh-so-sad ballads and
Rock Salaeng puts the rock-and-roll in lôok tûng.
Thai Rock & Pop
The 1970s ushered in the politically conscious folk rock of the USA and
Europe, which the Thais dubbed pleng pêu·a chee·wítt(‘songs for life’).
Chiefl y identifi ed with the Thai band Caravan, this style defi ned a ma-
jor contemporary shift in Thai music. Songs of this nature have political
and environmental topics rather than the usual love themes. During the
authoritarian dictatorships of the ’70s many of Caravan’s songs were offi -
cially banned. Another longstanding example of this style, Carabao mixed
in rock and heavy metal and spawned a whole generation of imitators.
Thailand also has a thriving teen-pop industry – sometimes referred
to as T-pop – centred on artists chosen for their good looks, which often
means they are half-Thai, half--fa·ràngg and sport English names. Thai-
land’s king of pop is Thongchai ‘Bird’ Mcintyre (also known as Pi Bird).
His fi rst album came out in 1986 and he has followed up with an album
almost every year since. With Madonna’s staying power coupled with a
nice-guy persona, he is very popular with Thais in their 30s and 40s.
The current crop of pop stars are imitating Korean pop stars (Japan pop,
or J-pop, is out). Girly Berry is a group of attractive, young songstresses
with a signature dance move (see it on YouTube), essential for pop groups.
The 1990s gave birth to an alternative pop scene – known as ‘indie’ –
pioneered by the independent record label Bakery Music. During indie’s
heyday, Modern Dog, composed of four Chulalongkorn University gradu-
ates, orchestrated the generation’s musical coming of age. Another indie fi x-
ture was Loso (from ‘low society’ as opposed to ‘hi-so’ or socialites), which
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