People & Culture - Thailand's Islands and Beaches - page 789

Arts
Much of Thailand's creative energy has traditionally gone into the production of religious
and ceremonial art. Painting, sculpture, music and theatre still play a huge role in the cere-
monial life of Thais, and religious art is very much a living art form.
Literature
The most pervasive and influential work of classical Thai literature is the Ramakian, based
on the Hindu holy book, the Ramayana, which was brought to Southeast Asia by Indian
traders and introduced to Thailand by the Khmer about 900 years ago. Although the main
theme remains the same, the Thais embroidered the Ramayana by providing much more
biographical detail on arch-villain Ravana (Thotsakan in the Ramakian ) and his wife
Montho. The monkey-god, Hanuman, is also transformed into something of a playboy.
The epic poem Phra Aphaimani was composed by poet Sunthorn Phu (1786-1855) and
is set on the island of Ko Samet. Phra Aphaimani is Thailand's most famous classical lit-
erary work, and tells a typically epic story of an exiled prince.
The leading postmodern writer is Prabda Yoon, whose short-story collection Probability
won the 2002 SEA Write award. Although his works have yet to be translated, he wrote
the screenplay for Last Life in the Universe and other Pen-ek Ratanaruang-directed films,
and in 2004 was commissioned by Thailand's Ministry of Culture to write a piece on the
2004 tsunami. The result, Where We Feel: A Tsunami Memoir by an Outsider, was distrib-
uted free along the Andaman coast.
Thai literature is usually written in Thai, however some modern works you may find
translated include:
» Pisat, Evil Spirits by Seni Saowaphong deals with conflicts between the old and new generations.
» Lai Chiwit (Many Lives) by Kukrit Pramoj is a collection of short stories.
» Monsoon Country by Pira Sudham brilliantly captures the northeast's struggles against nature.
» The Judgement by Chart Korbjitti is a drama about a young village man wrongly accused of a crime.
» Jasmine Nights by SP Somtow is an upbeat coming-of-age novel that fuses traditional ideas with modern Thai pop
culture.
» Married to the Demon King by Sri Doruang adapts the Ramayana into modern Bangkok.