What happens when Donald Trump, a Bangkok moto-taxi driver, and a Squid Games contestant take the stage in a Bangkok bar late on a Saturday night? It can only mean one thing: an air guitar battle for peace.
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The cosplaying individuals were gathered at the second annual Thai air guitar championship for the chance to represent Thailand in the beloved World Championships in Finland later this year.
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The hallowed international event, founded in Finland in 1996 to promote world peace - "hold air guitars, not guns" is the tongue-in-cheek motto - has given rise to good-natured and over-the-top competitions around the world.
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"This is going to be the greatest thing you have never seen," roared co-host and organiser Jacob "Airlectic Eel" Conga, bouncing across Brownstone venue's stage following his exuberant performance to warm up the crowd.
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For the first round, each of the nine contestants gave a 60-second performance marked by three judges with the top five progressing to the second and final round. Contestants were marked on technical ability, stage presence and "airness" - "the 'je ne sais quoi' of air guitar, when it transcends a performance and becomes a true piece of art," said Conga.
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"Pboy Devi" performing during the 2022 Thailand Air Guitar Championships in Bangkok.
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"Motair Cyy" performing during the 2022 Thailand Air Guitar Championships in Bangkok.
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Pule "Hail Pulecifair" Mapacpac performing during the 2022 Thailand Air Guitar Championships.
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The eccentric and electric sets, performed to a medley of genres and tastes from Rihanna to self-composed Thai rock-pop, eventually saw the strutting and pouting "Trump" win the night, despite fierce competition. "He made Thailand great again, for sure," judge and comedian Charles the French said.
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Rob "Donald Trump" Palmer, who when not performing air guitar solos has lived and worked in Thailand for the past eight years, said the evening was "fantastic". "It's a great idea, completely stupid but also totally awesome," said the 61-year-old following his Trump-imbued performance of Green Day's "American Idiot"
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Explaining his costume, most of which was chaotically thrown to the crowd during the final round, he said: "if you have to do this, you got to do something crazy, so let's do the craziest man on the planet, to do Trump." Having won the 5,000 baht ($141) prize, and a trip to Finland to represent Thailand, Palmer grinned and said: "For most of us, it's probably the only chance you have of becoming a national champion or even a world champion - so you got to do it."
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"Gang Gang" performing during the 2022 Thailand Air Guitar Championships.
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"Mother May I" performing during the 2022 Thailand Air Guitar Championships in Bangkok.
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