Thai prime minister sings for Chinese premier during Beijing visit

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul sang for Chinese Premier Li Qiang during a formal lunch in Beijing on Monday, in another example of his use of music during diplomatic meetings. Footage released by Anutin's office showed him seated beside Li at a long table, holding a microphone and singing a well-known song by Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng. Li and other guests, seated in front of Thai and Chinese flags, clapped while a piano was heard in the background.

The Beijing performance followed other musical appearances by Anutin. Earlier this month, he played saxophone while Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sang a version of "My Way", the song popularised by Frank Sinatra. During a visit to Hanoi last month, Anutin played a Vietnamese instrument with local musicians in front of Prime Minister Le Minh Hung.

Anutin took office in September before winning February elections. He comes from a construction dynasty but presents himself as a man of the people. He is a hobbyist jet pilot and also plays the piano and the Thai flute. He is also seen as loyal to Thailand's traditional social order, a position that resonates with many people in a still largely conservative society. In recent weeks, he has also performed with a Thai teenager who became widely known after a rock performance on the television show America's Got Talent.