Monument X: Thailand Straight Edge

Bangkok straight edge band Monument X are bringing the positive youth crew spirit and message to a new generation of hardcore kids in Thailand. Formed around May 2012, the band came together to play the kind of fast, energetic, straight edge hardcore they loved, at a time when there were not really any youth crew or straight edge bands in the Thai scene.

Thailand’s hardcore scene might be smaller than the ones in Malaysia or Indonesia, but Monument X show how much energy can exist in a young scene that is still growing. Their songs carry the familiar youth crew themes of staying true, speaking your mind, standing your ground, and building something positive with your friends, while also giving a glimpse into what hardcore looks like in Bangkok and the wider Southeast Asian scene.

The interview was answered by Michael Choothai on vocals, with Niko Kallio on second guitar, on behalf of Monument X.

How did you get interested in hardcore and punk? What were the factors that introduced you to hardcore, straight edge, and the ideas that come with all of these?

The first time I got introduced to hardcore was around four years ago by my friends. I remember watching a video of Youth of Today and other straight edge bands, and I thought they were amazing. Their lyrics were very meaningful to me, and they were something that I could look up to and follow.

When and why did you decide to start the band together? What past and present projects have you guys been involved in, and are they all connected to straight edge and youth crew?

Monument X started around May 2012 because we wanted to make a band that plays the same style of hardcore that we all enjoy listening to. There weren’t any straight edge or youth crew-style bands in Thailand, so we decided to fill that void.

What does the hardcore punk scene in Thailand look like? How many people come to shows? Are there divisions between people with different social backgrounds or music tastes, or is there unity, with everyone going to all the shows and supporting DIY ethics in one way or another?

The scene here is smaller than the ones you could find in Malaysia or Indonesia, but the number of hardcore kids and people coming to shows keeps rising every year. Hardcore shows can range from 50 people to around 200 people, while in Indonesia they can have more than 1,000 people. Despite not having quite the same numbers here, it doesn’t mean that the kids won’t go all in with stage dives, sing-alongs, and moshing at every show. There is hardly any division between the people going to shows. In the small hardcore scene of Thailand, everyone is friends with each other, and we share and support each other in any way we can.

What kind of places do you use for shows, and what do the gigs look like? Is there anything happening in hardcore punk outside of Bangkok? What about bands, zines, and activities outside the city?

Usually, we play shows in bars like Immortal Bar or on outdoor stages. There aren’t many places to arrange shows in Thailand, but we make the most of it. The shows are always very energetic, with people giving it all, whether it’s a new local band or a headlining international band. If you’re interested in taking a look at a Thai hardcore show yourself, you can find great videos from our friend Oum the Snapper, xOUMxHC on YouTube. There are small scenes outside of Bangkok, but almost all of the activity happens in Bangkok.

As a whole, most of the hardcore bands here play heavy hardcore, which is a very popular style. There aren’t really any traditional zines to speak of in Thailand. People take full advantage of the internet to express and share their ideas and creativity through outlets such as Facebook.

Is there social or political pressure on you for being punk or straight edge in your country? What are the similarities and differences between Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries?

In regard to political pressure, Thailand isn’t as conservative toward punks as, for example, Indonesia, where it isn’t unusual for police to arrest punks just because of the way they look. Here, people who don’t know about punk subculture may give you strange looks, but most of the time people don’t care about what you look like or do.

For straight edge, most people don’t really know what it’s about. When I tell them what goes into being straight edge, they usually view it as a positive thing, so there isn’t any pressure on how you choose to live your life. The scenes in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore are very similar to each other, with the only major differences being the amount of people attending shows and the different languages. Differences between styles may be that the Malaysian scene favors melodic hardcore, and the Indonesian scene enjoys youth crew style. Other Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia don’t have established hardcore scenes yet.

What are your reasons for being straight edge? Do you see straight edge as a revolutionary mindset that has an impact on the world outside of the hardcore punk scene?

I’ve never felt the need to take drugs, get drunk, or smoke. In my opinion, you can have a better life without them, and straight edge is just that: a life free from drugs or other substances. Straight edge is a choice you make yourself. The current culture that commands people is that they will do what others do, whether it’s drinking or partying. Claiming edge will set you apart from everyone else in their eyes, and they will react to that accordingly, either accepting you for your own choices or viewing you as an outcast.

I think it’s very hard for straight edge alone to have a radical impact on current trends and norms, just because of tradition and how people think. For now, straight edge as a mindset is embedded well into its hardcore roots, but we may not yet know if it will spread beyond that.

What do you think of the fashion in the straight edge scene? Collecting records and buying merch and Nike shoes is not common only in the Western scene, but something that people from all over the world are trying to copy to be cool. Are straight edge kids from Thailand getting criticism, for example from crust punx, about how stupid it is to wear Nike shoes or something like that?

I think it’s good to show support to the bands you like by buying their records and merch, but if you don’t actually listen to the music and go to the shows, you’re not contributing to the hardcore scene in any way. Wearing a band shirt and other clothes just to look cool in the eyes of others is not cool in my opinion. As long as you show support to your favorite bands and contribute to the hardcore scene in some way, the fashion and whatever criticism comes with it don’t matter.

One of the problems that we hear about Thailand is prostitution and sex tourism. Is there anything people can do in regard to defending workers’ rights, be it sex workers or people working in sweatshop factories? Do you as a band have songs or messages dealing with issues of sexism, homophobia, or workers’ rights?

Thailand has been trying to get rid of its reputation for sex tourism for a long time and improve the rights of workers, mostly in response to the outcry of the people. I think the best way to help people is to simply spread the message, though there are many other better and more effective ways than through hardcore music. We don’t have any songs yet dealing with problems of equality, because they aren’t very prevalent here in Thailand as they would be in the West. In Thailand, people are very open-minded, and everyone is treated as an equal, which Thailand is known for.

Thailand is among the countries that have a woman prime minister, roughly one out of five men is gay and can be openly so, and workers now have a set minimum wage and other rights to go with it, so things are looking pretty great in that way.

What would you say about the culture in modern Thailand? What are the problems that people face every day? How do capitalism and globalization mix with the traditional way of life, spiritual traditions, or religion? Are there people in the hardcore punk scene who are openly religious or some kind of nationalist?

I think Thai culture is shifting away from conservative and traditional Asian culture to a more Western one. Westernization has brought things like shopping malls, such as the famous Central World, which is among the largest in the world, and other things typical of Western society, along with consumerism and the problems that come with it. If you venture outside of Bangkok and its towering metropolis of skyscrapers, you may find that people still live quite a simple life, free from first-world problems. I would say that spiritual traditions still remain largely unaffected by globalization, which is the way Thailand wants to keep it in the future.

I haven’t met any people in the Thai hardcore scene who have been zealous about their religion or nationalist views. I think the Thai hardcore scene is open to all kinds of religions and opinions, though people mostly don’t choose to display them more than they usually would.

What are some of the best shows by foreign bands that you’ve seen so far or bands you’ve played with?

I think all of the shows have been great, but the best show by far was the Bane show, which was also the first show of Monument X. We were very excited to share the stage with such a great band, and the members of Bane were all very friendly, great guys. Other notable shows include Edge Fest, where we went to play in Malaysia. We played with bands like Braveheart from Indonesia and Homerun, Second Combat, and Kids on the Move from Malaysia. It was the first Edge Day show I’d been to, and a lot of people came to sing along to our songs. Everyone had a great time.

Anything else you want to add?

This year, Monument X will release a new EP and also hopefully tour around Southeast Asia. You can listen to our songs on Bandcamp and keep in touch with us on what we do on our Facebook page. You can also find us on the Hard Care 2 compilation alongside bands like In My Eyes, Better Times, Good Clean Fun, and Second Combat. It’s a charity compilation that raises money to help victims of human trafficking in Cambodia, so I recommend you guys check it out at xmorethaninkx.bandcamp.com.

I would like to thank everyone who supports us and all the people who make the shows happen and contribute to the hardcore scene, everything from arranging shows to taking pictures and spreading the word to making new bands. Support your local hardcore scene. For last words, I would like to say: be yourself, stand your ground, and show the world what you stand for.