Reconstruction of social ideology through the power of music: Case study of Suntaraporn band, Thailand

Documentary research was applied to identify the historical development, forms, and values appreciated in Suntaraporn's music. Social exclusion leading to a new form of social stratification was investigated. The author adopted semiotic analysis by focusing on the aesthetic level. To identify perception, cognition, interpretation, and reception history, the socio-cultural roles of Suntaraporn's music were highlighted as: 1) the establishment of modern Thai music as a symbol of new class differentiation, and 2) the role of music as a social mechanism to increase State power over the life of commoners.