Old-school Thai tunes: Where to buy 'em, where to hear 'em
Bangkok's clubbers were stunned a few years ago when DJ Maft Sai first hit the decks with some old school Thai. And we’re talking old. This guy spins Thai folk songs, classic luk thung (Isaarn music) and Thai funk, instead of the usual hip hop and drum n' bass club favorites.
And for the party people wondering just where the hell does this guy dig up his music -- we can help. Some of what he spins can actually be found in MBK's Mae Mai Pleng Thai. This CD shop on the first floor of the mall sells Thai music that some might have thought -- or hoped -- had been long forgotten.
Starting from the early 1950s up to the disco tunes of the 1970s and 80s, Mae Mai Pleng's collection is vast and covers most of the well-known artists of those times. For 200 baht a CD, shoppers can enjoy a taste of what real Thai music is like – not the Korean pop rip offs buzzing on the radios today.
If you'd rather hear a modern take on those classics, check out Maft Sai live on Friday, October 16 at Raindogs. Or there's always Bangkok's upcountry-style karaoke bars for those inspired to belt out a few hits on their own.
