Q&A: Vichiern Kalhong

January 19th, 2008

Vichiern Kalhong, 46, and his other blind friends can be found playing at the corner of Rama 4 and Silom roads. Their band has a singer, drummer and keyboardist. Throw in a loudspeaker, microphone and donation box and you’ve got a concert. When he’s not performing, Vichiern is shy and quiet, as we learn when we speak to him.

BK: You like this spot?

Vichiern Kalhong: We’ll play anywhere that’s free and has lots of people. We usually come here on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, but if we can’t play here, we go to Sanam Luang or Ta Chang instead.

BK: What songs do you like to play?

VK: Only Thai songs. Some are new; some are old. I can play many styles: luuk thung, songs for life, pop hits or anything that we know the music and the lyrics to.

BK: How about your band?

VK: There are five people in this band, and we all live in the same house. Everyone can play and sing because we were trained by a disabled aid organization that we are members of. We share the money and bought the equipment together. While three of us play, another two collect money.

BK: How long are your days?

VK: It depends. We try to start early, about 6am to 4pm. If we are late, we will miss the people who are going to work or going home. There are many people at that time.

BK: Do you have any problems with the police?

VK: Most policemen sympathize with us and let us perform. But some are very strict about where it’s legal to play and sometimes throw us out. They don’t confiscate our equipment or fine us, though. We just call our driver to pick us up and leave.

BK: How much do you make per day?

VK: Because of the difficult economic situation today, we earn only about B1,000 per day. But we have to pay B500 for transportation. Our driver takes us and the equipment here in the morning, and when we want to go home, we just give him a call. The rest of the money, we share among ourselves. Most of it goes for rent and household expenses.

BK: Would you like to change jobs?

VK: I can’t. We are blind and no one will give us a chance. We cannot do anything more than what we are doing now.