| Vonthongchai Intarawat | |
| Birth Name: | วันธงชัย อินทรวัตร |
| Birth Date: | 23 December 1987 |
| Birth Place: | Chiang Mai, Thailand |
| Genre: | Pop, R&B, Rock |
| Occupation: | Singer-songwriter |
| Years Active: | 2007–present |
| Label: | True Fantasia |
| Website: | www.tolaf.com www.nat-tol.com |
Vonthongchai Intarawat (Thai: วันธงชัย อินทรวัตร) (born December 23, 1987) is a Thai singer-songwriter and the runner-up of the 4th season of reality talent show True Visions's Academy Fantasia.
Vonthongchai Intarawat or Tol was born in Chiang Mai, Thailand. He studied at Anubaan Chiang Mai School, Yupparaj Wittayalai School, and then the Faculty of Law in Payap University in Chiang Mai. He is a junior-year student but dropping it for the reality show Academy Fantasia competition to pursue his dream of becoming a singer.
Intarawat has been involved with music since he was a child. As Intarawat's father had been a musician and songwriter, Intarawat was highly encouraged to learn playing many musical instruments. At the age of seven, he was first introduced to play electone. Later on, with Intarawat's good sense of music and personal talent, he can altogether play piano, guitar, bass guitar, violin, drum and flute. By this reason, he is now well known for the ability to identify the frequency of specific musical tone or absolute pitch.
During Intarawat's childhood, he actively participated in a lot of musical activities including attending different singing contests such as Panasonic Star Challenge, Nescafé Music Challenge, and won Lactasoy singing competition for the first prize. He also became a part of the youth choir in primary school, and playing flute in school's orchestra during his secondary years.
In 2005, Intarawat joined and teamed up with a group of young artists from Northern Thailand called Go-getter as a part of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board of Thailand's special campaign to fight against narcotics and allurements. He and the team finally released a full-length album consisting of 10 songs, one of which Intarawat sang is entitled poo ying dee dee (Thai: ผู้หญิงดีดี).
In 2007, Intarawat auditioned for the fourth season of True Academy Fantasia in Chiangmai and Bangkok, singing Emotion Town's (Thai: เหตุเกิดจากความเหงา), Crescendo's Aroma, Calories Blah Blah's (Thai: คนที่ไม่เข้าตา), Big Ass’s (Thai: เล่นของสูง), and Ice's (Thai: คนมันรัก). He made it through final audition round to complete in the show and continued two audition weeks to be one of 12 finalists in the house, then the runner-up of the season. In the final week, he chose to sing Clash’s (Thai: เธอจะอยู่กับฉันตลอดไป) and Instinct's (Thai: โปรดส่งใครมารักฉันที).
When Academy Fantasia 4 ended, Intarawat and his fellow AF4 contestants released a group album entitled X-treme Army to launch their music careers under True Fantasia together. Intarawat sang a solo song, khon tee yoo trong na (Thai: คนที่อยู่ตรงหน้า), and a trio song, Time Machine as Rock Army and a group song, Army Energy. To promote this album, all 12 AF4 singers began a nation-wide concert tour, X-treme Army in Concert, which was held in Bangkok, Surat Thani, Chiang Mai, and Udon Thani.
In December 2007, Intarawat and his AF4 friends joined THAI Exclusive Trip with AF4 ‘X-Treme Army in Beijing’ launched by True Fantasia, Thai Airways International and Bank of Ayudhya, as the fourth campaign of Thai Airways International with AF. After that, Intarawat and other AF4 members continued to further promote the album by performing many concerts including Pepsi Everybody Move Concert, and Big C Big Love Concerts in Bangkok. During the time, Intarawat also became a presenter for Pepsi, along with the other male singers from AF4.
In March 2008, Intarawat and Nat Sakdatorn, the winner of Academy Fantasia season 4, joined Sudsapda's 26th Anniversary Project called kon lor khor dham dee (Thai: คนหล่อขอทำดี) and had a mini charity concert to raise money in helping impoverished people.[1] After the project ended, Intarawat and Nat Sakdatorn had donated all revenue with total amount of 283,750 baht to the Cardiac Children Foundation of Thailand.
In May 2008, Intarawat released his debut pop rock album as a solo artist titled The Destination, which consists of 5 songs including rao yung ruk kun...mai chai rur (Thai: เรายังรักกัน...ไม่ใช่เหรอ), nang fah ta chun diew (Thai: นางฟ้าตาชั้นเดียว), kor tode (Thai: ขอโทษ), kae yark hai roo (Thai: แค่อยากให้รู้), and luek luem Luek jum (Thai: เลือกลืม เลือกจำ). Then, Intarawat and other AF members joined THAI Exclusive Trip with AF in Japan. After previous success and high demand, True Fantasia and Thai Airways International launched another special trip only for Intarawat's and Nat Sakdatorn's fanclub, THAI Exclusive Trip with Nat-Tol Live in Sydney in June 2008, including providing their first album-opening mini concert outside Thailand.[2]
In July 2008, Bank of Ayudhya chose Intarawat and Sakdatorn as brand ambassadors for Krungsri Yellow Points campaign, presenting a new generation of people with unique lifestyles. Such campaign aims to increase transactions and provide services through Krungsri ATMs and Krungsri Online service.[3]
In August 2008, Intarawat performed in AF the Musical Play called Jo-Jo San, Thai adaptation of Madame Butterfly as Prince Yamadori. Such play was performed in 2 cast sets, in which another cast member who plays the same role as Intarawat is Sakdatorn. To promote the play, Intarawat and Sakdatorn covered Sukiyaki (Japanese: 上を向いて歩こう), and also released music video in July 2008.
By continuing Krungsri Yellow Points campaign under a concept of Innovation Makes Life Easy, Intarawat and Sakdatorn launched their first full live concert entitled NAT-TOL the TWO MEN Show on October 30 – November 1, 2008. The concert was originally performed in a form of reality concert as a combination between live concert and reality show.[4]
The Master is the alternative 1 month long reality show to find out the best of AF stars from 5 seasons. The show consists of the winner and 1st runner up for all AF seasons (AF1 – AF5), including the 5 AF stars voted from AF fans.
There are 15 AF stars joined this reality show:
These 15 people are divided into 3 groups call M1, M2, and M3:
Each week (started from 2nd week), 1 team will be walked out from the game if it gets the lowest votes.
Tol's song for each week:
After four weeks, Tol won the 1st prize of The Master.
2008
(Thai adaptation of Madame Butterfly) (August 9–31, 2008, 19 rounds and August 5–6, 2008, 2 exclusive rounds for charity)
2009
(October 2–24, 2009, 21 rounds including 4 sponsored rounds and re-stage on January 15–17, 2010, 3 rounds)
2010