Development of Image of Rural Migrant Women in Thai Country Music

Abstract

This academic paper summarizes the author’s observations on a social phenomenon about rural women in Thai country music. Thai country songs reflect or represent rural changes most vividly and clearly. It follows, therefore, that if we want to better understand the changes that have been taking place in women in a new context, Thai country music is a good place to review how they have come about. The author sets two objectives in the study: to show the evolution of the representation of rural migrant women in Thai country songs, and to show the role of Thai country music in portraying such a phenomenon to the Thai society.

In the study there are two sets of samples used in the analysis. The first set – songs written from 1977 onward – portrayed how rural women, poverty-driven and debt-ridden, migrated to urban areas. They were more concerned with the uncertainty of the urban society and were not very successful in their ventures. The second set – songs written after the recovery of the Thai economy in 2000 – depicted rural migrant women in a more hopeful light. They came to town to seek a better life and education. They even assumed a role of the head of the family. The music highlighted their values as hard-working, ambitious, hopeful, and persevering in their drive for success. The factors that account for such changes can be explained in terms of how Thai society has witnessed the migration of rural women to towns and cities and how these women have evolved or adjusted themselves. Thai country music shows or registers such events through lyrics in each period. Thus, Thai country music provides a reflective approach to the study of the phenomenon. It serves as a medium that runs parallel and related to this group of women, ensuring that the real world and the symbolic world of music are never completely separated.