Thaimusic - Luktung - Jonas Anderson

Jonas Anderson is one of best known singers in Thailand of the Thaimusic genre known as Luktung and most surprisingly is not a Thai. Jonas Anderson was born in Sweden and came with his parents to Thailand when he was just 9 years old. They settled in Nakorn Ratchasima in Isaan, N.E. Thailand which is right in the heart of Luktung music country. Jonas Anderson always had a deep interest in music and together with some friends formed a group that toured Bangkok and Isaan, with a repertoire which included several Thai songs.

It was quite by accident that Jonas Anderson became involved with Luktung music. He was invited to sing a Luktung song at a Community event and became interested in Luktung and the Thai culture associated with Luktung. Luktung is a difficult style of music to master but Jonas persevered and received training from the great Luktung singer, Ajarn Wilai Panom as well as other Thai Luktung singers who helped him enormously. Jonas Anderson has now devoted his career to promote Thai Culture through the medium of Luktung music.

Luktung as a music style had become to suffer in popularity along with other styles of Thai traditional music because of the huge impact of Western Pop in Thailand. Jonas, perhaps because of his novelty value as a non-Thai Luktung singer, has helped to preserve the genre which fortunately is now making a comeback.

Jonas Anderson’s first Album was “Phom Chue Jonas” (My name is Jonas) which was released in 2000 and since then has recorded many other Luktung albums, some with another “non-Thai” Christy Gibson. Together they have just released a new album called Jonas and Christy.

Whilst Jonas Anderson is now fluent in Thai and Isaan dialect, he himself is the first to say that he still has a lot to learn, both about Luktung and Thai Culture but no one has done more for Luktung music in recent years than Jonas Anderson and his albums are among the best selling of all Luktung artists in Thailand.