Introduction to Thai Literature
Thai literature is a well-kept secret, one worth uncovering.
When we think about Thailand, often we think about its tourism culture. Its art and literary scene are just as vibrant as the culture.
Growing up in a Western country, the United States, with a lack of influence towards southeast Asian culture, I didn’t really know anything about Thailand and its culture. I knew the basics, like that it had great beaches, and that Thai restaurants were popular here, and that a lot of white YouTubers hailed Thailand as a must-visit destination spot for vacationing.
I used to know essentially nothing about Thailand, and that was something I really wanted to change. As I delved deeper into Thai culture and its history, I became more and more fascinated with this country and its people. But, as a writer and a book person, I found myself hyper focusing on the literature of the region and allowing myself to be consumed with that.
Let’s unpack the history of Thai literature, starting from the very beginning.
A Brief History of Thailand
The first sign of life on the land now dubbed Thailand was 20,000 years ago. In the Southeast Asia region, there were various nomadic tribes roaming about, as seen by archeological evidence in caves and fossils of humans. It wasn’t until the ninth century BCE that we began to see people settling down into kingdoms, specifically among the Mon and Khmer people. These are the groups that inhabited Thailand originally, and would combine the heritage of these tribes along with other Southeast and South Asian cultures to create the blend of culture that is now unique to Thailand today.
Not much is actually known about early Thailand, because there aren’t a lot of records or evidence dug about about its history. However, it is known that the kingdoms in the area had a lot of contact with the empires and kingdoms that were present in India, drawing a lot of influence from Hinduism and Indian politics, art, society, and religion.
Our first big eras in Thai history are the emergence of the Dvaravati, which drew upon Indian art on their own artifacts, and practiced a religion similar to a style of Buddhism prominent in Sri Lanka. The Dvaravati split into two states, Lavo and Suvarnabhumi. These original states in Thailand would be threatened by the Tai people, who originated from the Guangdong province in Southern China. They took over the South Asian inspired states in the era of 700 AD - 1100 AD, and were the prominent figures in the region.
The Sukhothai Kingdom was next to appear, and they reigned from 1238-1438 AD. It was this era that the modern Thai alphabet began to emerge in society, but the kingdom would be conquered by Burmese invaders. The next set of rulers, the Ayutthaya Kingdom, would set an unmarked precent: they established Buddhism as the national religion and established a code of law called Dharmasastra. It was during this era constant war and strife with the neighboring Burmese kingdom was seen, and the kingdom eventually fell in 1767 to the Burmese.
The country began to fall apart, until it was unified under the current dynasty, the Chakri Dynasty. The new empire was highly centralized, and claimed Cambodia as their territory. Fearful of their neighbors, they began to modernize in the 1800s and entered strategic alliances with the great Western powers of the time. It was until 1868 did we see major reform, beginning Western style education and government, but due to Western colonialism, the kingdom lost its territories in Laos, Cambodia, although the kingdom protected its independence.
In 1932, there was a major coup by nationalists and Western--minded individuals, ones who sought a more constitutional regime. We see the rise of a constitutional monarchy during this time, and they sided with the Japanese during WWII. Flip-flopping between constitutional and military rule after that, it wasn’t until recently that Thailand became more politically stable.
A History of Thai Literature
Thai literature officially begins with the Tai people who came into the region from southern China, and, as many believe, was originally written in Chinese. The first great work to appear was Thao Hung or Cheuang, which was a detailed account of the Tai kingdom, and marks a departure from the tradition of following the styles of South Asia. It was the first truly South Asian masterpiece to appear in the world, and was a unique style of its own.
After the appearance of this epic poem, Thai literature was dominated by poetry as a medium of literary expression. Originally, Sanskrit-inspired meter would be utilized by poets, and then they turned them into a hybrid of poetic style. In 1238, the Thai alphabet became a real concept, and the first work composed with it was Ram Khamhaeng stele. Buddhism was featured as a prominent characteristic and context for many works composed at the beginning of this era.
Lilit poetry began to become the rage, as well as nirat. Lilit is a long form of poetry, one that utilizes different meters in different stanzas to speed or soften the story as it goes along. Nirat was another form of epic poetry, one in which it was a farewell and longing towards someone who is no longer there.
It was during the Rattanakosin era that Thai literature entered its golden age. The Burmese invaders often killed the poets of Siamese tradition, and during the time in which the kingdom was trying to recover its literary treasures, its people wanted poetry once again. Older works were improved upon, and a eye shifted towards prose-writing, a newer form at the time in the Thai region. With these new innovations, the people managed to sharpen their literary blades and forge a new tradition for themselves, creating a prolific era of new literature.
Thai literature today is more focused on fiction and short stories. While it is not renowned for its poetry as it once has, it still produced a literary legacy, one that still influences neighboring countries to this day.
Notable Thai Prose Writers
Narong Wongsawan was a journalist and writer best known for his commentary on social class.
Ajin Panjapan was best known for his short story collections.
Phya Anuman Rajadhon was known for his ethnographic, anthropology, and essays.
Chote Praepan was a fiction writer.
Khamsing Srinawk was known for his satirical short stories.
Notable Thai Poets
Si Prat is a legendary poet whose existence is rumored to be fabricated.
Sunthorn Phu is one of the best known historical poets.
Angkarn Kalayanapong was a poet and artist.
Duanwad Pimwana is a poet, novelist, and journalist.
Tang Chang was an artist and poet.
Paramanuchitchinorot was a prince, poet, and Buddhist writer.
Traditional Modes of Literature
A deep poetic tradition; lilit and niat poetry.
Folklore and drama.
Additional Resources
The Ramakien is one of the biggest epics and stories in Thai history.
This page on Wikipedia does an excellent job of breaking down structure, meter, and language in Thai poetry and its various forms.
