Guest wowpow Posted July 4, 2007 Posted July 4, 2007 From Pattaya Daily News - Dr. Noel Rowe Pira Sudham (born 1942, Thai พีระ สุธรรม) is a writer from the Isan region of Thailand. He was born to a family of poor farmers in Na Pho, Buriram Province. At the age of fourteen he was sent to Bangkok to study, where he lived as a dek wat (a boy who lives in a temple and assists monks). He later went on to study at Chulalongkorn University, Auckland University and then Victoria University of Wellington. His works include: ***Siamese Drama or Tales of Thailand (1983) ***People of Esarn (1987) *** Monsoon Country (1988) *** The Force of Karma (2002) As well as drawing on his own life, these works deal with the characters and circumstances of his fellow villagers. Pira Sudham has written three books: Siamese Drama, People of Esarn, and Monsoon Country, and was nominated for the 1990 Nobel prize for literature. While this nomination may not have established him as a 'great writer', it did highlight his importance as a writer who believes literature can enhance understanding between different cultures and effect social change. He speaks on behalf of the people of Esarn, one of Thailand's most economically and politically disadvantaged regions. Recent editions of his three works carry an introduction in which the author argues the link between his writing and his people: Our lives are subject to the mercy of nature: floods, drought, disease, and scarcity. With endurance, we accept our fate as something we cannot go against. I know the good- heartedness, the hospitality and illiteracy of our people as well as the selfishness and corruption. I know the arrogance of shopkeepers, the middlemen, and the ignorance of the peas- ants. What I saw and learned in childhood touched me deeply. Sudham also declares that he wants 'to find a place in literature for the poor of Thailand so that they will not live unnoticed and die in vain'..... Full article http://www.pattayadailynews.com/showfeatur...reID=0000000430 Also see http://www.pirasudham.com/background.shtml I heartily recommend these books to all. He is a fine writer and shows you the heart of Isaan plus the wealthy families of Thailand and the UK. Gay content high but not intrusive. Quote
