Bangkok (Lonely Planet) - Andrew Burke [26]
Thai Jazz
Yet another movement in modern Thai music has been the fusion of international jazz with Thai classical and folk styles. Fong Nam, a Thai orchestra led by US composer Bruce Gaston, performs a blend of Western and Thai classical motifs, which has become a favourite for movie soundtracks, TV commercials and tourism promotions. Fong Nam plays regularly at Tawan Daeng German Brewhouse. Another leading exponent of this genre is the composer and instrumentalist Tewan Sapsanyakorn (also known as Tong Tewan), who plays soprano and alto sax, violin and klùi with equal virtuosity. Other groups fusing international jazz and indigenous Thai music include Kangsadarn and Boy Thai; the latter adds Brazilian samba and reggae to the mix.
Thai Alt/Indie/Hip-Hop
In the 1990s an alternative pop scene – known as glorng sěhree or ‘free drum’ in Thailand, also pleng đâi din, ‘underground music’ – grew in Bangkok. Modern Dog, a Britpop-inspired band of four Chulalongkorn University graduates, is generally credited with bringing independent Thai music into the mainstream, and their success prompted an explosion of similar bands and indie recording labels. Other major alternative acts in Thailand include Apartmentkunpha, Futon, Chou Chou and Calories Blah Blah. Truly independent labels to look for include Small Room, Panda Records and Spicy Disc.
The indie stuff is almost always reserved for concert performances or one-off club appearances. One spot with regular weekend concerts is the outdoor stage at Centrepoint, Siam Sq. The biggest indie event of the year is Fat Radio-organised, Heineken-sponsored Fat Festival, a three-day outdoor music festival held annually in November. For the latest indie Thai, tune into Fat Radio (www.thisisclick.com/104.5).
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ITUNES PLAYLIST
Prepare for your trip by loading up your music player with the following Thai albums, all of which are available at iTunes:
GMM Memory Hits Vol 1 The best of modern Thai pop from the country’s biggest label, from Bird to Loso.
Da Jim Rap Thai A fun taste of Thai hip hop.
Big Ass Begins Catchy Thai hard rock.
Ruam Hit Pleng Thai Amata Lukthong 2 Lôok tûng classics from the king of the genre, Chai Muang Sing – look for the influences from Carlos Santana.
Palmy Poppy, but less sappy than most contemporary Thai pop – try not to dance to Yahk Rong Dung Dung.
GMM Country Hits Vol 1 A crash course in contemporary lôok tûng and mǒr lam.
Job 2 Do Ridiculously popular Thai reggae/ska/folk.
Silly Fools Mint The type of Thai-language rock/pop kids in Bangkok grew up with.
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Hip-hop is huge in Thailand in terms of radio play and CD sales, but few Thai groups are proficient in performing this genre. Hip-hop/ska artist Joey Boy not only paved the way for others, but released lyrics that the Department of Culture banned. One song, for example, included the Thai euphemism for male masturbation, chák wôw (fly a kite). Another hip-hop act that has gained attention is Thaitanium, an all-Thai group that does all its recording in New York and distributes its music independently in Thailand.
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CINEMA
Thailand has a lively homespun movie industry and produces nearly 50 comedies, dramas and horror films every year. Cinema is possibly the country’s most significant contemporary cultural export, and several Thai films of the last two decades have emerged as international film festival darlings.
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top picks
THAI FILMS
Thai cinema has come leaps and bounds in the last 15 years, and the following films, which range from comedy to conceptual, are a good introduction to the genre.
Mon Rak Transistor, Pen-Ek Ratanaruang (2001)
Faen Chan (My Girl), Komkrit Treewimol et al (2003)
Nang Nak, Nonzee Nimibutr (1998)
Ong Bak, Prachya Pinkaew (2004)
Sud Pralad (Tropical Malady), Apichatpong Weerasethakul (2004)
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Birth of