The instrumentation includes the standard classical instruments (ranat, so and khim) plus the khen, the quintessential Lao folk instrument. This song is about the cycle of life: farming, harvesting, courtship, marriage, childbirth and so on. It is a well known fun song, with much happy rapport
Khab Thum is considered quite typical of Luang Prabang and unique in that it uses a classical orchestra rather than folk instruments as accompaniment to improvised sung verses