Phleng Phuea Chiwit

A type of Thai folk music, strongly influenced by elements of Western folk and rock music with a protest theme mainly centered on the hardship of working-class people and favoring a democratic political system. The term means “songs for life.” In the 1980s, phleng phuea chiwit combined Western folk music with an increasing mixture of rock music, Latin rock, and country. Phleng phuea chiwit typically incorporates elements of Western as well as Thai folk ballads, more rhythmic Thai styles such as mor lam and luk thung, and occasionally elements of Thai classical music as well. More recently, elements of reggae, ska, and Latin music have found their way into the genre. As for the instrumentation, early phleng phuea chiwit was generally in a more folk style, with acoustic instruments, while later versions are often more rock-style arrangements, with electric guitars, bass, and drums. 1973–1990s.