Phuket’s young rockers hit the Asian stage and head for AGT
Five-year-old Kirin ‘Khun Khao’ Engchuan won the Tokyo Asian final on Aug. 8, while 12-year-old Natthaboon ‘Boon’ Boonrungroj earned a spot in Taiwan’s December competition.
For Phuket, this is more than a cute kids’ story. It is a clear example of how local music training, small stages close to home and steady practice can turn into real international results.
What happened
Kirin, a student at Kajonkiet Kindergarten and Yamaha Music School Phuket, took first place in the 3–5 rock category at the Asian championship of the International Music Talent Competition 2026 in Tokyo. He sang Dream On, after winning the same age group at the Bangkok national round in May.
Boon, who performs with OZONE Band and studies at Yamaha Music School Phuket, won the Children Division at Drums Off Thailand 2026. Competing in the 8–12 age group, he collected three trophies from the three categories he entered. His next stop is the Asian competition in Taiwan in December.
What connects the three names
Both stories sit inside one Phuket music ecosystem: lessons, rehearsals, school routines and live performance. Kirin’s interest in rock started when he was two, after watching Nene Royal and OZONE Band perform on the street. He later began stepping onto the stage himself.
Nene Royal is now on a different rung of the ladder. The 16-year-old guitarist and singer Rattikan Amlai was scheduled to appear in the Live Show round of America’s Got Talent Season 21 in the US on Aug. 25. She left Phuket on Aug. 19 with her parents and manager to prepare for the show.
Why it matters locally
These results show that Phuket’s children’s music scene is no longer just a hobby scene. It has teachers, stages and a path that can carry young performers beyond the island.
For families, that is the practical takeaway: if a child is serious about music, Phuket already has places where talent can be tested, trained and seen without leaving the province.
