The Ranat Thum of Thailand
The ranat thum is a Thai musical instrument that dates back to the 1800's. It is a lower-pitched xylophone with 21 or 22 bars constructed of bamboo or other hard wood. The bars hang together by strings and the instrument is shaped like a boat. The ranat thum is classified as a percusion idiophone with a rating 111.2. It is a boxed-shaped metallophone that is placed on the floor and played while sitting. It has two and half octaves that are struck by a mallet.
ABOUT - RANAT THUM
Young man learning to play ranat thum
Children learning to play ranat thum
The ranat thum is used in traditional Thai folk ensembles like the Piphat. Thailand's beloved princess, Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, is an accomplished musician well-known for her mastery of the ranat ek, which is a higher-pitched version of the ranat thum. There does not appear to be any gender or class restrictions on who is allowed to play this instrument. Therefore, anyone can try to master the art of making beautiful Thai music with this traditional instrument as seen below.