The kaaehwaa is the Thai name for the Asian koel, a cuckoo found across South and Southeast Asia and often heard in gardens, parks and rural areas during the warmer months. Its loud, repetitive call is one of the most recognisable bird sounds in Thailand, where it is associated with early mornings and the start of the hot season. Online, short recordings of the call are shared as nature sounds, used as ringtones and dropped into videos to set a distinctly Thai or tropical location without any narration.