Prayoon Yomyiam - Mother Prayoon Of LamTad Traditional Show Selebrate by Google Doodle

National artist Prayoon Yomyiam, better known as Mae Prayoon for her 'lamtad' traditional show, her skill in various types of traditional and folklore songs. She was recognised as a national artist in 1994.

Prayoon Yomyiam Selebrate by Google Doodle

Prayoon was pronounced dead at 5.20 pm on Saturday at Chulalongkorn Hospital where she received treatment for heart complications sustained during dialysis in October. She experienced complications at 3.30 am on Saturday and was in a coma before she passed away.

Prayoon Yomyiam, a singer affectionately known in Thailand as Mae Prayoon or “Mother Prayoon.” Born on this day in 1933, she began singing at the age of 15 in a style of traditional Thai folk music known as Lam Tad. Originating in central Thailand, this popular form of antiphonal singing involves groups of men and women who take turns playfully poking fun at each other with improvised humorous lyrics, accompanied by a drum called a Klong Ramana.

Renowned for her clever lyrics with dual meanings (a technique known in Thailand as song ngae song ngam) Prayoon Yomyiam never failed to delight audiences. Cassette recordings and videos of her Lam Tad performances circulated widely throughout Thailand, helping to promote the Lam Tad tradition and keep it alive. By 1994 she was named a National Artist of Thailand, a title conferred annually by the National Culture Commission of Thailand recognizing notable artists in the country’s cultural heritage.

Prayoon helped to preserve and popularize the Lam Tad style of music,which once faced extinction before being introduced into nationwide popular culture via television. Aside from helping the music make a comeback domestically, she introduced Lam Tad to other countries as part of Thailand’s state-sponsored tourism campaign. Using her talents to spread laughter and cheer, Yomyiam helped keep Thailand’s folk culture alive for generations to come.

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