Thongchai goes home with Hall of Fame prize

Forget the Year of the Rat, here in Thailand, it's the Year of Bodyslam. As predicted, the band swept up all the prizes in the rock category at this week's Seed Awards, after pulling off a similar coup at the Season Awards in March.

"Without you, we couldn't have made it," said an emotional Athiwara "Toon" Khongmalai, the band's lead singer.

Disco funk band Groove Riders went home with Album of the Year for "The Lift" and Producer of the Year for Nathapol Srichomkhwan.

The prestigious Hall of Fame prize was presented to Thai superstar Thongchai "Bird" McIntyre, who has recorded 32 albums so far, sold two million copies of "Boomerang" and five million copies (in all formats) of "Rub Khaek". Little wonder that his fellow artists insisted on giving him a standing ovation.

"Thanks to Seed 97.5 FM for this great award. But I also expect other prizes," joked Thongchai.

Popsters ETC picked up Song of the Year, Tui AF3 won New Artist, Saksit Vejsupaporn was Male Artist, Da Endorphine was named Female Artist and "Kan Lae Kan", the soundtrack of "Rak Haeng Siam", won the award for Popular Song of the Year.

The ceremony came to an end at 11.30pm with a show by South Korean boy band FT Island.