The goal of this paper is to survey the history and forms
of written notation as it has been tised by musicians in the Thai
classical tradition,.With an emphasis upon the functions and
implications of notation. While the topic is of significance in its
own right, it also touches upon broader issues such as acculturation,
the social organization of performing artists, and the
interface between oral and written tradition. Most significantly,
we must ask to what extent the use of notation signifies changing
values and represents altered contexts of music-learning in
Thailand. Data are drawn from my research in Bangkok in 1985-
86.1