Student Fon represents Thailand in Japan

Fon, second left, playing Koto.

2007 was the 120^th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Thailand and Japan, and there were many celebrations throughout both countries. Nattasuda Anusonadisai (Fon), a second year student at Asian University was chosen to represent Thailand at one such event. She writes:

“I was invited to perform Thai Dances in a prefecture called Saga on Kyushu Island. Despite the fact that I was a solo dancer, there were a couple of youngsters from Udonthani invited to present how well Thai agricultural areas are being developed with Japan’s support. The main event was held on 2 December, but we got there a week earlier because of the meetings with the Governor plus some formal preparation and practices. Frankly speaking, I was so tense. All the governmental processes went smoothly and the Governor was so sweet. He even tried to make conversations about sports: “How was the last Thai Vs Japan baseball score?” Baseball is so popular in Japan but I hardly ever heard anybody speak about it in Thailand or, do they? After all the governmental complexity, we were taken to see the local sights and we visited some high schools and ‘Care for the community’ houses.

A couple of days before the main event, my adopted “mother” (the one I have known for many years, from back when I was on an exchange program) was informed that I had to play the Koto (a Japanese musical instrument) for the opening, in my dance costume! It took me ages to recall all those lessons, and to tell the truth, I was way more excited and worried about this than my twenty minutes of three Thai dances.

When the day of the performance came, a stagehand briefed me to get behind the curtain once the Koto playing was finished, then catch my breath before going out to perform my two songs. It was not easy, because those two songs lasted for about seventeen minutes and I had to give my professional smile to the audience for the whole time. So when anybody asks how I felt about it, I simply said ‘Good’, just to make sure that I am not fainting while doing the next performance. The first two dances were ‘Rabum Sri Nuan’ and ‘Rabum Mae Bot Lek’ which belong to the middle Thai and the last one that required a different costume is called ‘Rabum Sri Wichai’ from Southern Thailand.

I admit it was tiring but it really was worth doing and I was so happy and grateful that I got the chance to represent my country- it is an honour that I will remember for the rest of my life. Besides, it was so exciting to be in the Japanese newspapers and on the local TV!”