| Thongchai McIntyre | |||||||||
| Honorific Suffix: | TCh RNgBh | ||||||||
| Native Name: | ธงไชย แมคอินไตย์ | ||||||||
| Native Name Lang: | th | ||||||||
| Birth Name: | Albert Thongchai McIntyre | ||||||||
| Birth Date: | 8 December 1958 | ||||||||
| Birth Place: | Phasi Charoen, Bangkok, Thailand | ||||||||
| Othername: | Bird | ||||||||
| Education: | High Vocational Certificate | ||||||||
| Alma Mater: | Thonburi Commercial College | ||||||||
| Years Active: | 1983–present | ||||||||
| Module: |
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Thongchai McIntyre (Thai: ธงไชย แมคอินไตย์, in Thai pronounced as /tʰōŋ.tɕʰāj mɛ́k.ʔīn.tāj/; born Albert Thongchai McIntyre; 8 December 1958) is a Thai singer, actor and 2023 National Artist Performing Arts. He is also sometimes known as Bird Thongchai, Phi Bird ("Older brother Bird") or simply Bird (in Thai pronounced as /bɤ́ːt/). He finished high diploma management major from Thonburi Commercial College.
Considered to be Thailand's No.1 superstar,[1] he is one of the most successful singers in Thailand's history, having sold more than 25 million albums.[2] He is best known for his string (Thai pop) and luk thung music. He has also acted in numerous films, on television, musicals, and in commercials. He is of Mon, Scottish and Thai descent.
McIntyre was born in Bangkok's Wat Nimmanoradi neighbourhood to parents Udom and James McIntyre. He was the youngest of nine siblings, and his life in the slums did not give him much of a head start, thus his childhood was filled with struggle to supplement the income of his family. As a child, he sometimes taught English to other children in the slum in exchange for 5 to 10 baht. Raised in a music-loving family, Bird McIntyre loved to sing and dance, and showcased his talents in school.[3] His father died when Bird was still a child.[4] [5] He began working as a bank officer.
While still working as a bank officer, he met the famous Thai TV producer Kai Varayuth, who recognised Bird's talent. Bird débuted in his first TV series with the help of Kai. His most memorable role was that of Captain Kobori in the 1990 television series Khu Kam, a tragic love story about a Japanese soldier (Bird) and a local Thai girl during World War II. He reprised this role in the 1996 film adaptation, Sunset at Chaophraya.
He reached the height of his musical career in the early nineties. Among his best-known songs are Duay Rak Lae Pook Pan, Koo Gud, Sabai Sabai and Kob Jai Jing Jing. His popular singles released recently include luk thung singles Mah Tummai (with Jintara Poonlarp), Fan Ja (with Jintara and Jarin B. (Joey Boy), Nat Myria Benedetti, and Katreeya English), Lao Su Kan Fang, and Yak Tham Kor Tob and Mai Kang Ying Pae from his album "Volume One". In the mid-nineties, he became the first Thai artist to receive an International MTV Award for his performance in Sunset at Chaophraya.
He was featured on CNN and in Variety magazine. An award-winning documentary of his life entitled Crossing Borders, directed by Phanjanit Garnploog, can be seen at St. John's University in New York. In 2010, Bird made his first international tour in Los Angeles and the 50th Anniversary of Lincoln Center in New York.
In late 2007, he released another album entitled "Simply Bird", which features songs such as Chuay Rap Tee and Mee Tae Kid Tueng.
| Year | Album Name | Special albums | Concert | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Hard-Sai Sai-Lom Song-Rao (Beach, Wind, and two of us) | - | Sudchevit Thongchai (All of Life "Thongchai") / Babb Bird Bird Show No. 1 | |
| 1987 | Sabai-Sabai (easy-easy) | – | Babb Bird Bird Show No. 2 (Another) | |
| 1987 | Rub-Kwun-Wan-Mai (Blessing for a new day) | – | – | |
| 1988 | Sor-Kor-Sor (Greeting Card) | Thongchai 2501 | Soup with no Bean sprouts concert / Bird-perd-sa-card | |
| 1989 | - | – | Babb Bird Bird Show No. 3 (Fly to herizon) | |
| 1990 | Boomerang | – | Concert Boomerang man / Babb Bird Bird Show No. 4 (It's in the Boomerang man hand) | |
| 1991 | Prik-Kee-Noo (Bird Chilli) | – | Babb Bird Bird Show No. 5 (Happies and our memories never end) | |
| 1992 | – | – | – | |
| 1993 | – | – | – | |
| 1994 | Tor-Thong (The Flag) | Wan-Nee Tee Ror-Koy (TV drama Soundtrack) | TorThong and Torther (that you)/Babb Bird Bird Show No. 6 (Dream & Reality) | |
| 1995 | Dream | Kon-nok-kab-Dok-Mai (Feather & Flowers) | Dream concert | |
| 1996 | – | – | Feather & Flowers concert | |
| 1997 | – | Niramit (TV drama soundtrack) | Green concert no.3 Singing Bird | |
| 1998 | Thongchai Service | Thongchai Special Service | Concert Thongchai service / Concert Thongchai special service | |
| 1999 | Tu-Pleng Saman Prajam Barn (The Everyhouse Jukebox) | – | Babb Bird Bird Show No. 7 (Aroka) | |
| 2000 | – | 100 Pleng Rak Mai Roo Job (100 everlasting love songs) | – | |
| 2001 | Thongchai Smile club | Bird Love Beat 1 & 2 | Smile club concert | |
| 2002 | Chud Rab Kaek (Welcome, Guests!) | – | Concert For Fans by Thongchai McIntyre | |
| 2003 | – | – | Babb Bird Bird Show No. 8 (TOGETHER) | |
| 2004 | – | Bird-Sek with Sek Loso | Bird-Sek concert | |
| 2005 | Bird Volume 1 | – | Volume 1 concert Oh la nor My Love | |
| 2006 | Thongchai Village | Bird Perd Floor | Concert Bird Perd Floor | |
| 2007 | - | – | ||
| 2008 | - | - | Babb Bird Bird Show No. 9 MAGIC MEMORIES | |
| 2009 | – | – | Fancy fans zone concert | |
| 2010 | Bird Asa sanook | – | – | |
| 2011 | - | – | Bird Asa sanook concert | |
| 2012 | – | Secret garden | Babb Bird Bird Show No. 10 (Our day is still) | |
| 2013 | – | – | Feather & Flowers Secret garden | |
| 2014 | – | Kolkimono (TV drama soundtrack) | - | |
| 2015 | – | Feather & Flowers The Original Returns | ||
| 2016 | – | – | Romwong THONGCHAI concert | |
| 2017 | - | – | – | |
| 2018 | Bird mini marathon | – | Babb Bird Bird Show No. 11 "DREAM JOURNEY" | |
| 2019 | – | – | SINGING BIRD CONCERT BY REQUEST | |
| 2022 | 22 (Twenty Two) | – | SINGING BIRD #2/2022 LIFETIME SOUNDTRACK CONCERT |
| Year | Title | Native title | Role | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Namtan Mai | น้ำตาลไหม้ | Ae | |
| 1984 | Muer Ruk Rao | เมื่อรักร้าว | ||
| Baan Soi Dao | บ้านสอยดาว | Pawuti | ||
| ขมิ้นกับปูน | Tanpan | |||
| 1985 | Ruk Nai Sai Mok | รักในสายหมอก | ||
| Pleng Haeng Cheewit | เพลงแห่งชีวิต | Nat | ||
| Benjarong 5 See | เบญจรงค์ห้าสี | Chanayu | ||
| Plub Plerng See Chompoo | พลับพลึงสีชมพู | Witsarut Marupong | ||
| วงเวียนหัวใจ | Tos Kanaphan | |||
| 1986 | Majurat See Nam Pueng | มัจจุราชสีน้ำผึ้ง | Prawut Thraipolrachata | |
| Nuer Nang | เนื้อนาง | |||
| 1987 | Duang Fai Yai Mai Song Chun | ดวงไฟใยไม่ส่องฉัน | ||
| 1989 | Takai Dao | ตะกายดาว | Guest Role (Ep.2) | |
| 1990 | Khu Kam | คู่กรรม | Kobori | |
| 1993 | Wan Nee Tee Ror Khoi | วันนี้ที่รอคอย | Chao San | |
| 1997 | นิรมิต | Jao Phuwong / Pangkee / Taiwan | ||
| 1998 | Kwam Song Jum Mai Huajai Derm | ความทรงจำใหม่หัวใจเดิม | Dieow | |
| 2015 | กลกิโมโน | M.R. Hochinoji / Hoshi | ||
| 2016 | We Were Born in the 9th Reign | เราเกิดในรัชกาลที่ ๙ เดอะซีรีส์ | Mor Don |
| The best of Thongchai | |
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The Favorite Artist Thailand (2004) |
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| Joox Icon Award from JOOX Thailand Music Awards 2018 | |
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In 2012, the popular Japanese girl group Berryz Kobo released a song titled "Cha Cha Sing" as a single. The title track is a cover of the song "Row Mah Sing" by Bird Thongchai. The first coupling track "Loving You Too Much" is also a cover of a Bird Thongchai's song, "Too Much So Much Very Much". Both were translated into Japanese.[8] The single debuted at number 6 on the Japanese Oricon weekly singles chart. In 2013, Japanese girl group Berryz Kobo released a single titled "Asian Celebration". The coupling track of the Limited Edition B and Limited Edition D, "I like a Picnic" is a cover of a Bird Thongchai's song, "กอดกัน(Gaud-gun)".
Thongchai has received the following royal decorations in the Honours System of Thailand: