Abstract

Piphat Mon is the traditional form of music of Burmese Mon people. Following Mon immigration into Thailand, the art form was adopted and adapted by Thais as a medium for entertainment and worship. In the current climate of globalization and the influence of western trends, representation of Piphat Mon has been reduced to funeral ceremonies in a small collection of Thai provinces. This research examines the historical background and current conditions of Piphat Mon in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, its primary location in Northeast Thailand, with the aim of creating a set of performing arts standards. The results of this research show that Piphat Mon has changed in light of social and cultural changes to Thailand since 1998. Nowadays there are a number of problems with artistic performances of Piphat Mon in Korat, particularly concerning the attitudes of the performers, the sound, the equipment and the location. Using the standards created during this study, a solution to these problems is provided and Piphat Mon in Nakhon Ratchasima will continue to be developed and maintained despite the popularity of Western music.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.