Edith Cowan University Research Online Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses 2006 Thai popular music: The representation of national identities and ideologies within a culture in transition Lamnao Eamsa-Ard Edith Cowan University Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses Part of the Ethnomusicology Commons, and the South and Southeast Asian Languages and Societies Commons Recommended Citation Eamsa-Ard, L. (2006). Thai popular music: The representation of national identities and ideologies within a culture in transition. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/62 This Thesis is posted at Research Online. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/62 Edith Cowan University Research Online Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses 2006 Thai popular music: the representation of national Identities and Ideologies Within a Culture in Transition Lamnao Eamsa-Ard Edith Cowan University Recommended Citation Eamsa-Ard, L. (2006). Thai popular music: the representation of national Identities and Ideologies Within a Culture in Transition. Retrieved from http://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/62 This Thesis is posted at Research Online. http://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/62 Edith Cowan University Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. A reproduction of material that is protected by copyright may be a copyright infringement. 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Thai Popular Music: The Representation of National Identities and Ideologies Within a Culture in Transition By Lamnao Eamsa-ard A Thesis Submitted in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of Doctor of Philosophy, Faculty of Communications and Creative Industries Edith Cowan University 2006 USE OF THESIS The Use of Thesis statement is not included in this version of the thesis. DECLARATION I certify that this thesis does not, to the best of my knowledge and belief: (i) incorporate without acknowledgement any material previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any institution of higher education; (ii) contain any material previously published or written by another person except where due to reference is made in the text; or (iii) contain any defamatory material. Signature: Date: ABSTRACT Thai popular music always reflects and reproduces the concerns of Thai people in changing times especially in regard to issues relating to identity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the preservation of Thai identity and the ideologies surrounding it and the adoption of Western innovation in Thai popular music. The issues surrounding the identity and ideology of Thais, such as class, gender and ethnicity are explored within the area of Thai popular music. I use ethnography as the major tool for gathering and analysing the research data. Using triangulated ethnographic techniques, involved in-depth interviews, focus group discussion, document analysis and participant observation. including critical listening of the music, watching TV and video music programs. The ethnographic approach is supported by semiotic and discourse analysis especially of the songs’ meaning and the comments of the respondents. The study demonstrates that there are various degrees and aspects of Thai identity in Thai popular music, and likewise there are many styles of Thai popular music. Each style represents a different aspect or degree of Thai identity. Furthermore, Westernness, as a form of pervasive of modernity is always incorporated in every genre of Thai popular music. Thai popular music is a representative of a process of modernization where Thai and western cultures blend to form something new but also distinctly Thai. Each musical genre reproduces Thai identity and an ideology that represent different aspects of class, gender and ethnicity in modern Thai culture. Pleng lukgrung (country music) is a representative of urban Buddhist Thai culture from the capital city of the nation and supports a dominant Thai ideology that emphasises nationalism, patriotism and Buddhist-inflected behaviour and the values of the elite ruling class culture. Pleng lukthung represents the different Thai identities of ordinary people from different indigenous ethnic groups of Thai people from the four regions of Thailand as well as the Thai urban working class identity. Pleng string involves the identity and ideology of young urban people who have come to form new elite group. The major themes of pleng puea chiwit deal with political discontent and opposition to the conservative tradition i and comment on numerous social injustices and it represents the minor ethnicity in Thai society. Gender roles are different among the four different musical genres. In pleng lukgrung, and pleng lukthung the role of men is superior to women while pleng puea chiwit comment on the social problems related to feminism, especially the perceived inferiority of women in Thai society. Pleng string illustrates how more freedom of sexual expression by women compared to the earlier genres, suggesting that Western social influences have become particularly powerful among the new urban elite. My research findings challenge the validity of the concepts of conventional Thai identity and ideology defined by the dominant groups in Thai society and opens the way for other studies of popular culture within a similar research framework to this study. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The moon tonight is so bright and beautiful But why do I feel lonely and confused Thinking about my life here, it’s still gloomy The sky above me is bright but why is my heart so sad If I have success, everything will be fine But if I fail, I don’t know what to do then I’ve dedicated my life to achieve my goal Though many times I was exhausted and depressed I don’t want to tell anyone what l feel Just force myself to be patient And tell myself to continue until sunrise (Translated from Thai lyrics) I wrote this song one night in Perth during a long period of writing this thesis in 2004. At the time, the difficulty in writing the thesis in a foreign language and in a strange country was making me depressed. I found writing a PhD thesis much harder than writing a popular song. Fortunately, I was supported by efforts by many helpful people from the earliest stages through to the completion of this project. Without the love, encouragement, assistance, and inspiration of these people, I would never have finished this thesis by myself. My best wishes go out to them. First of all, I would like to give my sincere gratitude to Dr Brian Shoesmith, my principal supervisor, who encouraged me to research this topic, which was neglected by most scholars in Thailand. I greatly appreciate his consistent support, encouragement, and advice. He provided me with an excellent opportunity to further develop my academic skills. In his role as supervisor, Brian dedicated both his time and effort well beyond the call of duty. Our relationship as a diligent teacher and an impressionable student will remain a treasured memory. I also wish to extend my thanks to Dr Ubonrat Siriyuwasak, my co-supervisor from Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. She first encouraged me to research Thai popular music as a Masters student in 1993, and has now helped me realize this project. I’m also thankful that she encouraged me to present at the Sangnam Forum International Conference: History, Present, and Future of Popular Music Industries in Asia, in Seoul, Korea, in June, 2005. As a result, I regard her as my ongoing supervisor. iii I would like to thank Edith Cowan University, for providing an opportunity to undertake my PhD and a scholarship to do my fieldwork in Thailand. I thank Professor Mark Hackling for making the PhD study available for me and introducing me to Dr Brian Shoesmith. I thank Professor John Renner and Dr James Cross, for providing the prerequisite course to attend ECU. Special thanks to Eleanor Kappella, Michelle de Souza, Vivien Shoesmith and Bethany Anderson for polishing the thesis and teaching me academic English, especially Bethany who diligently edited my entire thesis draft and thanks also to Lyn Leslie, a helpful and friendly librarian at ECU, Mt Lawley. I owe thanks to the staff of the school of Communications and Multimedia such as Associate Professor Arshad Omari, Head of the School of Communications and Mutlimedia and Barbara Peterson for helping me access the excellent educational facilities. I Thank the Office of Rajabhat Institution Committee in Bangkok, and Rajabhat Institution Pibulsongkram in Phitsanulok Province for providing me the scholarship to do my PhD. During my stay in Perth, Australia, I met many friendly people who provided hospitality and accommodation. Special heartfelt thank to Nigel Wakefield, a young Australian rock musician, and his girlfriend Michelle. Nigel is my best friend in Australia who provided me a romantic house near the Indian Ocean to live with him for a year. He taught me to speak and write in Standard English and to understand Western pop culture. I offer my thanks to the generous families and good friends who I stayed with in Australia, including John & Ladawan Halpin, Ed & Carole, Rodney and Glen Wakefield, Alan & Gina Storey, Mark & Maria Woodhouse, Kim & Vanessa Hawkins, Dr Jeremy & Penporn Pagram and Vijitra & Brendan Mckell.