Traditional Thai musical instruments (Thai: เครื่องดนตรีไทย, RTGS: Khrueang Dontri Thai) are the musical instruments used in the traditional and classical music of Thailand. They comprise a wide range of wind, string, and percussion instruments played by both the Thai majority as well as the nation's ethnic minorities.
In the traditional Thai system of organology, they are classified into four categories, by the action used in playing:
Traditional Thai musical instruments also are classified into four categories, by the region of Thailand in which they are used.
String
A music teacher in Mae On, near Chiang Mai, playing a suengA boy playing a khim (hammered dulcimer)Thai traditional musical ensembles at Wat Kungtapao Local Museum
Chakhe (จะเข้) - crocodile-shaped fretted floor zither with three strings. The first two strings are made from silk, and the last is made from bronze
Phin (พิณ) - three-stringed lute used in the Isan region
Phin phia (พิณเพียะ) - chest-resonated stick zither played by the Northern Thai people
Sueng (ซึง) - plucked lute from the northern region
Phin hai (พิณไห) or hai song (ไหซอง) - a set of earthenware jars with rubber bands stretched over the open mouths
Bowed
Saw duang (ซอด้วง) - higher two-string fiddle with hardwood body; used in classical music
Saw sam sai (ซอสามสาย) - three-string spike fiddle with coconut shell body; used in classical music; also known as the most beautiful of the fiddles
Saw u (ซออู้) - lower two-string fiddle with a coconut shell body; used in classical music
Saw saw krapawng (ซอกระป๋อง)- two-string fiddles with body made from a metal can; used in the Isan region; saw krapong is smaller
Saw pip (ซอปี๊บ) In a larger version of the saw krapang, the resonator is made of aluminum or large stainless steel crafted into the box. Bamboo neck and wooden pegs (shaft), it uses steel strings. The sound is lower than that of saw krapang. Usually, saw pip is only for the blind and beggars used for the purpose of busking to earn money.
Saw bang/Saw phu thai (ซอบั้ง) - a made from bamboo, used in the Isan region. It is similar xi xa lo of Thai people (Vietnam).
Salo (สะล้อ) - two- or three-string spike fiddle used in the northern region
Klong seng (กลองเส็ง), Klong ching (กลองจิ่ง), or Klong tae (กลองแตะ) - large drum played with sticks; generally played in pairs and used in competition in the Isan region, particularly by the Phu Thai people
Gong chimes
Khong wong lek (ฆ้องวงเล็ก) - higher gong circle; comprises many small tuned bossed gongs mounted in a rattan frame
Khong wong yai (ฆ้องวงใหญ่)- lower gong circle; comprises many small tuned bossed gongs mounted in a rattan frame
Khong mon (ฆ้องมอญ) - set of many small tuned bossed gongs arranged in vertical curved frame; usually primarily in funeral music
Khong rang (ฆ้องราง) - set of eight tuned gongs suspended horizontally in a straight frame; similar to the southern Philippine kulintang; rare
Pitched percussion
Ranat (ระนาด) - trough-resonated keyboard percussion instrument; generally played with two mallets and used in Thai classical and theater music[1]
Ranat ek (ระนาดเอก) - higher xylophone, with bars usually made of hardwood
Ranat thum (ระนาดทุ้ม) - lower xylophone, with bamboo or hardwood bars
Khaen hok (แคนหก, hok meaning "six") - small khaen with 12 pipes in two rows of 6; usually used by children or beginners, or sold to tourists
Khaen jet (แคนเจ็ด, jet meaning "seven") - medium-sized khaen with 14 pipes in two rows of 7
Khaen paet (แคนแปด, paet meaning "eight") - medium-sized khaen with 16 pipes in two rows of 8; the most commonly used variety
Khaen gao (แคนเก้า, gao meaning "nine") - khaen with 18 pipes in two rows of 9; usually very long
Khaen sip (แคนสิบ, sip meaning "ten") - an "improved" version of the khaen paet; little used
Pi chum (ปี่จุม; called ปี่ซอ pi so in northern Thailand) - free reed pipe used in the northern region
Gourd mouth organ - used by the Akha (called lachi), Lisu (called fulu), and Lahu (called naw) peoples of the upland regions of northern Thailand
Jaw harp (called chongnong (จ้องหน่อง) in central Thailand and huen (หืน) in northeast Thailand) - played primarily among ethnic minorities of northern Thailand, as well as by the people of the Isan region.
Wot - a circular panpipe made of 6-9 various lengths of small bamboo pipes. Play by holding between the hands, and while rotating, blow downwards into the pipes.
(mai-ruak or mai-hia, mai-ku-khan)
Phin - a fretted, plucked lute
Pong lang - log xylophone played by two players with hard stick. Its shape is like a xylophone consisting of 15 wooden bars stringed together
Jakhe (Kabue) - one of the important instruments in the mahori khamen ensemble. It has three strings
Grajabpi - The krachappi is a plucked stringed instrument. Its turtle shape sound box is made of jackfruit wood
Saw kan truem - a bowed string instrument with a wooden soundbox, the head of which is covered with snakeskin.
Pi chum (called pi so in northern Thailand) - a free reed pipe made of bamboo, with a single metal reed
Pi nae - a double reed oboe that resembles the saranai or chani but larger in size; it is made of wood and usually accompanies the large gong.
Phin phia - or sometimes simply called "pia" or "phia". The body is made from a coconut shell.
Glong teng thing - Klong Teng-thing is a two faced tabular drum and used as one of percussive instrument.
Talotpot - or Malotpot is a two-faced tubular drum of 100 centimeters long.
Glong tingnong - The biggest and longest drum with one face made of hide about 3–4 metres long.
Glong sabat chai - The most famous drum in northern, hanging on the double wooden bars carried by men
South
Thap - The goblet-shaped drum used for providing the changes of rhythm and also for supporting rhythm of the Nora (Southern dance drama).
Glong nora - Klong nora or Klong nang: a barrel-shaped drum used to accompany the Nora dance or the Nang talung (Shadow puppet) performance
Mong ching - Mong and Ching: two important percussion instruments used for accompanying the Nora dance (dance drama) and the Nang talung (shadow puppet) performance.
Khong khu - pair of small bossed gongs suspended horizontally in a wooden box; used in theater music and music of southern Thailand
Pi - a quadruple-reed oboe type with six finger holes producing at least three octaves of pitches range.
Trae phuang - Trae phuang or Krap phung: a percussion used to provide rhythmic punctuation of the Nora ensemble.
