Carabao first came into the national spotlight with their third album, Waniphok (วณิพก - "The Wandering Minstrel"), the title song of which told the story of a blind street musician and became a major hit. The song featured the distinctive "Samcha" rhythm, a kind of mix of Northeastern Thai folk rhythms like Mo Lam and Luk Thung with Latin beats. Future Carabao albums would feature many songs done in this style. Aed has noted with pride that before Waniphok was released, discos in Thailand played only Western songs, but the catchy indigenous rhythms of the song managed to break down those barriers. While no other songs on the album featured songs done in this style, it featured a strong influence of traditional Thai melodies. Like the second album, Wanipok featured Aed, Khiao and Lek backed by members of the President Band, including Ot on bass.