Made in Thailand: Studies in Popular Music serves as a comprehensive and thorough introduction to the history, culture, and musicology of twentieth- and twenty-first century popular music in Thailand. The volume consists of essays by local experts and leading scholars in Thai music and culture, and covers the major figures, styles, and social contexts of popular music in Thailand. Each essay provides adequate context so readers understand why the figure or genre under discussion is of lasting significance.
Discussing musical development and shift of sociocultural spheres of Thai popular music among nationhood, media platforms, and identity politics from the early years to the present, these scholars explore and rethink the connections between the development of Thai popular music and politics of music genres in Thailand. Made in Thailand includes a general introduction to Thai popular music, followed by essays organized into four thematic sections: Histories, Contemporary Issues, Politics of Sound, and Region and Cultural Politics. Offering a comprehensive look at popular music phenomena in the country, Made in Thailand is an essential resource for scholars and students in the fields of popular music studies, ethnomusicology, popular musicology, Asian studies, and Thai studies.
CONTENTS
Preface
Introduction
VIRIYA SAWANGCHOT
PART I : HISTORIES
1 The Amplification of Modern Music: How Did Radio Broadcasting during the 1930s–1950s Influence Thai Modern Music?
FRANCIS NUNTASUKON
2 The 1950s–1970s Pleng Lukgrung and the Modern Gender in Thailand
JIRAWATE RUGCHAT
3 The Revolution of Pleng String and Politics of the 1980s Generation
VIRIYA SAWANGCHOT
PART II : COMTEMPORARY ISSUES
4 Reconstructing Thai Musical Identity: The Adaptation of Thai Classical Music to Popular Music in Recent Decades
GREAT LEKAKUL
5 Notes on Gender and Aesthetic Expression in Thai Indie Scene
WANATAYA MONGKON and SIRIPAT NAKNAM
6 Pleng Lakorn: Thai Drama Series Theme Song and Changes of Popular Music Production
ATCHAREEYA SAISIN
7 Dancemocracy as Political Expression in the 2020 Thai Pro-democracy Movement
ANNA LAWATTANATRAKUL
PART III: POLITICS OF SOUND
8 The Representations of Music Texts and the Female Voices in Haruethai Hirunya and Fon Tanasoontorn's "I Am Not Okay"
KUNTHEE BANJUKEAW
9 Noise: Relistening to Non-musical Sound in Thailand
THATCHATHAM SILSUPAN
10 A Discussion on Rock Guitar Heroes in Thai Heavy Metal Music
PHAKPHOOM TIAVONGSUVAN
11 Rod-Hae: Sound System Culture and Live Music Performance in Northeastern Thailand
VIRIYA SAWANGCHOT and SIRASAR BOONMA
PART IV: REGION AND CULTURAL POLITICS
12 Popular Music and the (Global) South of Thailand in the Place-Making
SIRIPORN SOMBOONBOORANA
13 Song as a Resource for Cultural Translation: Tai Popular Music in the Borderlands of the Upper Mekong
WASAN PANYAGAEW
14 Morlam as Method: Isan Music and Its Knowledge
GRIDTHIYA GAWEEWONG and ARTHIT MULSARN
CODA
15 Thai Pop and Vidding of Thai Television Dramas by Transcultural Fans in China
BRENDA CHAN
AFTERWORD
“Political Music Isn't Necessarily Boring": A Conversation with Pisitakun Kuantalaeng
Biography
Viriya Sawangchot is a cultural researcher based in Bangkok. Recently, he has been working as a senior researcher at the Center of Geosocial and Cultural Research for Sustainable Development (GSCR) at Walailak University, Thailand.
