November 23, 2001

Somphan Thongtae's Name Triggers Gossip

By Thomas Schmid

Gossip in the local media and in music industry circles has it that Music Train's luuk thung singer Somphan Thongtae has a penchant for superstitions and white magic.How come? Well, apparently the artist's original name was Somchai Mora, but he changed it to Somphan Thongtae a few years ago when he started his singing career.Some people think that it sounds very similar to the name of prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's son, Phanthongtae. Get the drift? Som-phan Thongtae!Some nastier comments even accused the singer of trying to practice white magic, saying he had chosen the name so some of the Shinawatra family's fame and fortune would reflect on him.Somphan, however, strongly denied any preconceived intentions and insisted that the alleged parallels merely are sheer coincidence."My mother advised me to change my real name to Somphan Thongtae after she visited a fortune teller who told her that it would be more auspicious for my singing career. Anyhow, I changed my name long before Thaksin even became prime minister or anybody had ever heard about his son,"he explained.Many still think there is a pinch of superstitions involved with the notion of the fortune teller's advice and all. If not with Somphan himself, then surely with his mother.