M.R. Thanadsri Svativas is a venerable person and he is one example of the magnificence and virtue of Thai person of respect. Last year he was chosen to be "National artist as most excellent singer" and there was also his concert in February 2008. With unusual technique and mesmerising rhythm, many of his songs are still prevalent in the memory of Thai people.
A member of Royal family, M.R. Thanadsri was born in Phetchaboon palace, grew up at Sa Prathum palace and married at Sukhothai palace. Since the political revolution after the throne abdication of the King Rama the 7, he chose to study at Thammasart and Politics University, where people in his family were mostly in the military service and they want him to study at a military academy in Russia. His friends were both rich and poor people. He once said "the Thammasart students at that time do not hide their poverty. They accept that poverty is a garment of life, but anyone who tried to attend the university is great in life." Because of his warmth, he had many friends and in a time of hunger and hardship, he sang songs to help his friends. He also participated in both singing and writing clubs and was a clerk of the ministry of foreign affairs. For some time, he furthered his education in England and then came back into the entertainment business. He was an tv actor, a screenwriter and a composer. His songs were very popular for high-class people with lyrics about love.
Since 1962, he has been a gourmet and adapted the "Michelin Guide" program to a Thai venue. He made his own custom symbol from a gas stove icon and then changed it into a green "Shell Chuan Chim logo" which comes from from Thai five-color porcelain (Ben Cha Rong).
M.R. Thanadsri has a passion for food and cooking. Some of his recipes carry interesting stories from life in Palace. He traveled throughout Thailand to taste food in many restaurants and wrote articles about them in newspapers and magazines such as Siamrath Sabdavicharn. Many restaurants he went to tried to keep his standards and quality for which they received the Shell chuan chim sign as a reward.
In 2008, M.R. Thanadsri was honored as the "excellent most singer." In my opinion, I wonder if he might be curious about how long it took to get this reward because now he is 87 years old. However, the lovely sounds of the songs he sang are evidence that his songs are everlasting. At present, he still works as a gourmet with his own tv program and as a columnist in magazines and newspapers. It is not too surprising that his popularity has not faded with Thai audiences. When we watch the program, we feel like we're meeting with a respectable senior relative. His symbolic voice and humble manner make us happy and relaxed at the same time. In the past I met him and I found that he was definitely one of the Thai "wise men" who understands the way of living happily. His lifetime achievement as a National artist is not unquestionable.
|