Thai literature

Thai literature is the stories and writings of the Thai people, mostly written in the Thai language. Before the 1800s, most imaginative works in Thai were written as poetry, while prose was used mainly for historical records and legal documents. Because of this, Thai poetry has many different forms and styles.

Even though many works were lost when the city of Ayutthaya was damaged in 1767, Thailand still has many long poetic tales. Some of these tales are original, and others come from stories outside Thailand. This makes Thai literature different from that of nearby countries like China and Japan, where long poetic tales are not common.

Thai classical literature had a big influence on the writing of nearby countries, especially Cambodia and Burma. It helped shape the stories and traditions of these places.

The development of Thai classical literature

Thai literature began with poetry, as prose was mostly used for recording history and laws. Early Thai poetry used forms like rai, khlong, kap, and klon. The khlong style dates back to ancient times shared among Tai language speakers. One early example is the epic poem Thao Hung Thao Cheuang, which tells the story of a Khmer noble warrior.

Indian culture greatly influenced Thai literature through Buddhism and Hinduism. Thai poets adopted new poetic meters from India, which required many words borrowed from Sanskrit and Pali. This change happened faster during the reign of King Boromma-trailokkanat (1448–1488), who turned Siam into an empire. This new style of writing helped create a unique Thai literary identity. Thai poets wrote in many styles, from playful verses to elegant poems. They also created new forms by mixing different styles, like Lilit and Kap hor Klong. Learning these classical styles needed study of Pali and Sanskrit, so serious poetry was mostly for nobles. However, common people were also encouraged to learn some of these words for better careers.

Thailand’s national epic is the Ramakien, a version of the Ramayana received from the Lavo Kingdom. The story of Ramakien became important for Thai culture, with Ayutthaya named after Rama’s holy city of Ayodhya. Thai kings are still called “Rama.” The epic inspired classical Thai drama and dance forms like khon and lakhon. After Ayutthaya was destroyed in 1767, only three versions of Ramakien survived. One version was prepared by King Rama I, with his son Rama II adding changes for drama, including a happy ending and a bigger role for the monkey god Hanuman.

Literature of the Sukhothai period

The Thai alphabet began as its own writing system around 1283. One of the first works written in it was the inscription of King Ram Khamhaeng, made in 1292. This inscription tells the story of the king and records important events in the kingdom.

Many early Thai books were influenced by Theravada Buddhism. One important early book is called Trai Phum Phra Ruang, written around the middle of the 14th century. This book describes how the universe is made up of three different "worlds" or levels, along with mythical beings who live there. It is thought to have been written by King LiThai of Sukhothai, who consulted many Buddhist books to create it.

Literature of the Ayutthaya period

One of the important works from the early Ayutthaya period is Lilit Ongkan Chaeng Nam, an incantation in verse spoken before important gatherings. It was used in ceremonies to show loyalty and build strong relationships between leaders.

Lilit poetry

A lilit is a special kind of poetry that mixes different poetic styles to create a beautiful rhythm. One of the oldest lilit poems is Lilit Yuan Phai, also called "the defeat of the Yuan." This epic war poem tells the story of battles between King Borommatrailokkanat and King Tilokaraj of Lan Na. Another famous lilit is Lilit Phra Lo, a tragic love story that combines many poetic forms.

Maha-chat Kham Luang: the "Great Birth" sermon

Mahachat Kham Luang is a Thai version of the story of Vessantara Bodhisatta, one of the last lives before he became the Buddha. This story was written by order of King Borommatrailokkanat and is told in a mix of Pali verses and Thai poetry.

Royal panegyrics

Royal panegyrics are poems that praise kings. One early example is the Eulogy of King Prasat Thong, and another is the Eulogy of King Narai, which describes the Lopburi palace and an elephant hunt.

Nirat: The Siamese tradition of parting and longing poetry

Nirat poetry expresses feelings of missing someone far away. These poems often describe journeys and the poet’s thoughts of a loved one. One famous example is Nirat Hariphunchai, a journey from Chiang Mai to Wat Phra That Hariphunchai in Lamphun.

The Siamese epic Khun Chang Khun Phaen

Khun Chang Khun Phaen is a famous Thai folktale combining romance and adventure. It tells the story of Khun Phaen, a magical general, and his complicated love life. This epic grew over time through storytelling and was later written down as a long poem.

The folk legend of Sri Thanonchai

Sri Thanonchai is a clever trickster character in Thai stories. He is known for his wit and for getting into and out of tricky situations.

The Legend of Phra Malai (1737)

The story of Phra Malai is a religious adventure written by Prince Thammathibet in 1737. It follows a Buddhist monk who travels to the afterlife to teach Buddha’s lessons.

Other notable works from the Ayutthaya period

Some other important works include Sue-ko Kham Chan by Phra Maha Raja-Kru, a story about friendship between a calf and a tiger cub, and Jindamanee, the first Thai grammar book. There are also many dramatic works called lakhon, including famous plays like Sāng-thong and Inao.

Early Rattanakosin period

With the start of the Rattanakosin era, Thai literature saw a new burst of creativity and became very rich. This period focused on bringing back and fixing important literary works that were lost during wars between Ayutthaya and the Konbuang Empire. Many poetic works were recreated by poets and singers who remembered them from memory. However, some works were lost forever because court singers and poets were taken or killed by the invading Burmese army.

The royal poets of this time not only restored old works but also made them better. The Ramakien epic, for example, was rewritten and chosen from different versions, making it more carefully worded than the old version. These poets followed strict rules in their writing, which made the poetry more refined but harder for ordinary people to understand.

During this time, Sunthorn Phu emerged as a new kind of poet. He moved away from the complex language used by aristocrats and wrote in a more popular style called klon suphap. His work in this style is still considered some of the best in the Thai language. This period also saw the improvement of prose, with new translations of foreign works being made for Thai people to learn from.

King Phra Phutthaloetla Naphalai, also known as King Rama II, was a talented poet and a big supporter of artists. His time as king is called the "golden age of Rattanakosin literature." Under his support, many important works were revived and improved. King Rama II himself was a poet and wrote many plays based on old stories and folktales, such as Inao, Krai Thong, Kawee, Sang Thong, Sang Sín Chai, and Chaiya Chet.

Sunthorn Phu, known as "the bard of Rattanakosin," is most famous for his epic poem Phra Aphai Mani. He began writing it in 1822 while in jail and finished it in 1844. This long poem tells the story of Prince Aphai Mani, who learns to play music so well that his flute can control people, animals, and gods. The story includes adventures, love, and battles, and it ends with Phra Aphai choosing to live in peace in the forest.

Phra Aphai Mani is a huge work of poetry, with over 600,000 words and spanning many books. Sunthorn Phu originally planned a shorter version but expanded it for many years at the request of his patron. The story includes elements from Western myths and real places, showing Sunthorn Phu's knowledge of the world through interactions with foreign travelers.

Sunthorn Phu is also known for his nirat poems, which express feelings of longing and separation. His style was more fun and catchy than that of earlier noble poets, making him popular among ordinary people. He was one of the first Thai writers to make a living from his writing, selling copies of his stories.

Modern Thai literature

Kings Rama V and Rama VI were also writers, mainly creating non-fiction works to mix Western knowledge with Thai traditions. The story Lilit Phra Lo was chosen as the best lilit work in 1916 by King Rama VI's literary club. It is based on an old tale from Thai folklore about King Phra Lo and his love for two sisters, Phra Phuean and Phra Phaeng.

During the 1900s, Thai writers often wrote light stories, but some created more serious works. Famous writers include Kukrit Pramoj, Kulap Saipradit (known as Siburapha), Supa Sirisingh (called Botan), and others. Some of their books have been translated into English. The Isan area of Thailand also had writers who talked about society, like Khamsing Srinawk and Pira Sudham, who writes in English. Thailand also had writers from other countries, such as those in the Bangkok Writers Group.

Thai literary influence on neighbouring countries

Thai literature, especially its poetry, has greatly influenced nearby countries like Burma and Cambodia. In Burma, two important periods of their literature grew because of Thai influence. The first was from 1564 to 1583 when Thai culture mixed with Burmese after Thailand became a part of Burma's rule. Many Thai styles of poetry, like emotional verses called yadu, were adopted. Later, after Thailand's Ayutthaya Kingdom fell in 1767, more Thai artists and poets moved to Burma. They brought the Thai version of the story Ramayana, called Ramakien, which became popular in Burma as Yama Zatdaw. Many songs and poems were taken directly from Thai.

In Cambodia, Thai culture became very strong during the Thonburi Kingdom. Cambodian artists learned from Thai teachers, and some Cambodian royalty even lived in Thailand. This led to many Thai stories and styles being used in Cambodian literature. The Cambodian version of Ramayana, called Reamker, was translated directly from Thai. Thai dramas were also performed in Cambodia during this time.