The late Tonsai Taptanon was born in 1952 in Ubon Ratchathani province. He began playing the phin at the age of four. At eight, he joined a phin folk group and continued touring after finishing fourth grade. He was the first to electrify the phin. Listening to his music, you don´t believe it’s possible to coax such sounds from a two-stringed lute.

He died in 2024 at the age of 76.