Obituary: Thongsai Thapthanon

Musicians gathered late last month in Roi Et province for the funeral of master phin player Thongsai Thapthanon, who passed away on March 20, aged 77. Thongsai began playing the two-three stringed Isan (Northeast Thai/Lao) lute at the age of four and was a key member of the pioneering Petch Phin Thong band, which, under the leadership of Noppadon Duangporn (1941-2019) developed Isan popular music, especially luk thung Isan (north-eastern-style country music).

Thongsai and Noppadon added an electric guitar pickup to Thongsai’s two-stringed phin, which used metal bicycle wires for strings, which enabled the instrument to accompany singers or take the lead. They brought the phin to the front of the stage, cementing its position as one of the ‘trinity’ of molam instruments, along with the iconic khaen (free reed bamboo mouth organ) and the sor (fiddle).

Thongsai joined Noppadon’s band in 1970 using the nickname Thongsai Hua Nak, which was derived from the famous naga (serpent) head of his instrument. A year later, Thongsai led a molam troupe to perform in front of a Buddha statue at Ubonrat Dam and later presented a ‘golden’ phin to HM King Rama 9 at the graduation ceremony at Khon Kaen University, who said that the instrument was the ‘crown jewel’ of Isan’s musical instruments. 

The rise in popularity of the phin over the past 25 years is testament to Thongsai’s incredible energy and enthusiasm for molam music. He wrote many compositions and tunes that highlighted the phin’s versatility and he mentored many of today’s top phin players (Bangkok Paradise International Molam Band’s phin player, Khammao, was a student); his home was always open for visitors.

Thongsai won many awards during his 60-year career, including Outstanding Artist (Isan music) by the Office of the National Culture Commission in 2000, although he never received the kind of official support he deserved.