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Traditional Music and Clothes
 Thai Music
Since ancient times Thai music has played an important part of everyday life for Thai people.
The songs were taught from one person to the next aurally. Rather than providing notes and history
to songs, as western music did, a teacher would play a simple melody to the student. He would then
play that melody back to the teacher. Once this was done the student would memorize the melody.
As the student developed more complicated melodies were taught. Over time more melodies are learnt
and combined together until traditional songs are created. It has only been in the last half a
centaury that musical notation has been used in schools. In fact in some traditional schools
the method of memorising melodies is still taught.
As stated before, traditional Thai music is important to Thai culture. Thai music is also
important to Thai Buddhism. Not only is the traditional music played at buddhist ceremonies
but the principles of learning the music follow a principle of buddhism. The act of memorisation
(of melodies) for the sake of knowledge is found in buddhism as well.
During the Ayutthayain period, as trade increased between Thailand and it's neighbours, the mix of cultures
also increased. This resulted in Indian instruments being adopted by Thais. Songs were then
created for upto 4 or 8 musicians at a time. The lyrics became short stories. Some of these songs
from the Ayutthaya period were so popular that they are still heard today in stage plays.
In recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in traditional Thai music. Many of the
young Thai musicians are trying to integrate traditional music into modern pop songs to
keep the genre alive.
Thai clothes
Most Thai people these days were western clothes. However on Fridays, many of the government
employees will wear clothes similar to the traditional dress. Traditional dress is a very
simple cotton shirt and pants, or blouse and skirt. There is not much colour to the clothes.
However wedding dresses are in a different league. They are often bright silk and intricately
embroided with a sash over one shoulder.
Some of the hill tribes still wear ancient dress from the Ayutthayain period.
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