Thai Traditional Literature

Thai Traditional Literature is essentially religious.

Most of the literature in the old days consisted of
works on Buddhism and Hinduism directly or
indirectly. Whatever culture the Thai people brought
with them from their homeland in Southern China
where they had been in contact with Chinese culture
for centuries was adapted to its later conception of
Buddhism, their adopted religion. Traces of their
original culture may be found here and there in a
disguised and weak form embedded in their literature.
Most of the works of emotive literature were written
in veers in various patterns. Five prominent examples
of such works may be cited briefly.
1. The Romance of Khun Chang
Khun Phaen, an indigenous story of
love and pathos, at time humorous, of
a triangular love plot of one heroine
with two lovers. The story, apart from
its beautiful expressions, contains a mine of
information on old beliefs and social customs of the
Thai before the impact of Western culture. The story
as is known has been translated into English and
French.
2. Ramakian (or Ramakirti in transliteration) is
the story based on the famous Indian epic, Ramayana.
It is unique, containing many episodes and details
which are not to be found in the original epic, but
showing traces of contact with certain versions of the
Ramayana in India, Malaysia, Java and Cambodia.
There is an English translation.
3. The Romance of Inao. This is a
translation from the well-known storty of
adventures of the national Javanese hero
prince. It is written in a refined and
perfect style of the Thai Language and
meant for dramatic performance.
4. Sam Kok. This is a translation from San Kuo Chi,
a Chinese historical romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Unlike the three preceeding ones, it is written in
prose with perfect expressions of style of the
language.
5. Phra Aphaimani This is a romantic tale written in
verse by one of the most famous and popular poets of
Thailand. It is an imaginary tale of love, intrigue and
adventure, and reflects some ideas of the people
towards the Europeans of the last century. There is an
English translation in concise form by one Prem
Chaya.
"Phra Aphai Mani"

Phra Aphai Mani and his

brother, Sisuwan were
princes who were sent to
study by their father as he
hoped they could use the
knowledge gained to rule the
country, but Phra Aphai
came back with the
knowledge of playing the
pipe and his brother at
sword-fighting. Their father
was angry and drove them
away. But the pipe Aphai had learned was a magic
one. Its sound could put people to sleep and take the
soul out of the body causing death. One day while the
others were lulled to sleep by the sound of the pipe, a
giant came and took Aphai away to her cave where
she transformed herself into a beautiful girl. He lived
with her until she born a son, Sinsamut. When Aphai
found out that his wife was really the giant, Nang
Phisua Samut, he fled with his son. He was assisted
by a family of mermaids, father, mother and a
daughter. The father and mother were caught and
eaten by the giant. The daughter took Aphai and
Sinsamut to Kokaew Phitsadan (Wonder Island)
where a hermit saved them from the giant. The young
mermaid later born a son with Aphai, called

Sutsakhon. One day a ship went by the island. In

the ship were King Silarat of

Phleuk with his daughter, Princess Suwannamali.

She was engaged to marry Prince Usaren of Lanka.
Aphai and Sinsamut asked to go with them on the
ship, but on the way the giant attacked them and
killed King Silarat. Aphai escaped to the shore and
had to blow the pipe which killed the giant. Sinsamut
swam with the princess to an island. They continued
their journey and met Sisuwan and his daughter, Arun
Rasami. They went on in search of Phra Aphai. Phra
Aphai met Usaren who came out looking for his
fiancee, Suwannamali. They went together until they
met Sinsamut and Suwannamali. She refused to go to
Usaren. There was a fight, Usaren fled back to Lanka.
Phra Aphai came to Phleuk where the queen asked
him to rule the country. Suwannamali was still angry
at Phra Aphai for daring to give her up to Usaren, so
she fled to become a nun. With the trick of a maid,
Nang Wali, Suwannamali left the nunhood to marry
Phra Aphai. She bore him twin daughters
named Soisuwan and Chantasuda. Usaren
and his father came back to attack Phleuk.
The father was killed and Usaren died
heart-broken. The throne of Lanka fell to his
sister, nang Laweng. A very beautiful
Laweng decided to take revenge and she
declared to all the princes in countries
around that whoever could kill King Aphai
would have her and her Kingdom. Nine
armies moved to surround Phleuk. Aphai
followed Laweng and won her love but the
war continued until a hermit came and
helped to stop the war between them.