Jintara Poonlarp

Lore & Background

Jintara Poonlarp was born in Kaset Wisai district, Roi Et province, Thailand, in the Isan region. Her birth name was Tongbai Janlueang, later changed to Tongbai Poonlarp when her parents registered their marriage. Her birth date is uncertain: she celebrates 6 March, and her ID card lists that date, but 12 March 1971 is commonly given; her Facebook page gives the year as 1969. She began performing in her early teens and made 20 audio-only recordings for GMM Grammy, then five for Master Tape, followed by further series titled 'Luk tung sa on' and 'Mor lam sa on' on VCD, CD, and audio tape. Her first five albums were only luk thung, but later albums combined luk thung, mor lam, and sometimes string (Thai pop). Her best-known string songs are 'Mah Tummai' and 'Faen Ja,' both with Thongchai McIntyre. She tours from September to May each year and has performed in Europe and North America.

Reader's Guide

Jintara Poonlarp's significance lies in her sustained popularity and productivity in Thai country music genres, particularly mor lam and luk thung, over more than three decades. With 50 original albums and 47 singles, she is among the most prolific artists in these styles. Her work often addresses themes common in Thai country music, such as poverty, homesickness, and unfaithful lovers, as in her song 'Sǎo Isǎan plát tìn.' She also engaged with global events, as in 'Arlai World Trade,' which addressed the 11 September 2001 attacks and drew comment in Thailand's English-language press. In 2003, the Thai Ministry of Culture proposed banning her song 'Tears of a Lieutenant's Wife' on state-run media. She expanded into acting with a television role in 2001 and a film role in 2006. Her return to popularity in 2018–2019 with the song 'Tao Ngoi,' which hit No. 1 on Thai music charts and earned 123 million YouTube views, demonstrates her enduring appeal. She also earned an honorary degree from Roi Et Rajabhat University in 2004.

Did You Know?

• Her birth date is uncertain: she celebrates 6 March, but 12 March 1971 is also commonly given.
• She returned to popularity in 2018–2019 with 'Tao Ngoi,' which hit No. 1 on Thai music charts.