Author Pira Sudham....

[Thai Chi]

Just to clarify a couple of posts in a "Thailand News Clippings" thread the other day. Well known Thai writer Pira Sudham, author of TALES OF THAILAND, MONSOON COUNTRY, THE FORCE OF KARMA etc etc is definately alive and well. I received the following email from him today.

Dear David: Thank you for your email message. I am

still alive and well (thank heavens for this) though

some people might have wished me dead.I was pleased

to learn that you considered my book, Tales of

Thailand, a great book. Have you read my other books,

Monsoon Country, The Force of Karma, People of Esarn?

Cheerio for now, mate.

Pira Sudham

(Email edited by call_me_daddy)

[bannork]

His books about Issan are a wonderful read for anyone who has an interest in that area, don't miss them.

[donna]

I, for one, didn't hear the rumour that he had passed on. I LOVE Pira Sudhams books. He is a lovely writer and his stories are some of the best written about Thailand. Sure beats the BG stories any day.

[OldAsiaHand]

Your should read more widely, donna. There is a much bigger choice of Asian-connected fiction available here than just local bar girl rubbish and Sudam's politically correct, but desperately mediocre and tedious prose. If you're in Bangkok, go down to Kinokuniya in the Emporium and look through their Asian sections. I'm sure you'll find something interesting and far more worth your time.

[donna]

Thanks OldHandAsia.

I have read lots of other books about Thailand. I know it's not all BG's and broken hearts.

Thanks for the advice, though. Will go check it out.

[boris]

Your should read more widely, donna. There is a much bigger choice of Asian-connected fiction available here than just local bar girl rubbish and Sudam's politically correct, but desperately mediocre and tedious prose. If you're in Bangkok, go down to Kinokuniya in the Emporium and look through their Asian sections. I'm sure you'll find something interesting and far more worth your time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree.Pira Sudham is desparately overrated, not least by himself.His books ludicrously state that he has been nominated for a Nobel Prize, when no such status exists.The Nobel Prize committee has made this very clear.Avoid this sentimental and sloppily written tripe and. as Old Asia Hand points out. there are plenty of worthwhile alternatives.

[Thai Chi]

Hmmm, we seem to be getting off the OP's (mine) topic here. In regards to Pira Sudham, all I wanted to do was let evreyone know he is still alive. There was a little bit of confusion in earlier threads. I did not start this topic to encourage a debate about how good or how bad a writer Pira Sudham is. I live in Esarn and I am very intrested in the history of where I live. The only available books written, in english, about Esarn are written by Pira Sudham. Some people love to read hes books, some do not. I do. End of story.

Boris......So is Tom Clancy

Old asia hand....I am sure that Donna and Bannork can make up ther own minds. Reading books is all about..............reading books!!!!!!

[Johpa]

I agree.Pira Sudham is desparately overrated, not least by himself.His books ludicrously state that he has been nominated for a Nobel Prize, when no such status exists.The Nobel Prize committee has made this very clear.Avoid this sentimental and sloppily written tripe and. as Old Asia Hand points out. there are plenty of worthwhile alternatives.

Pira may not be Nobel Prize material, but I would not be surprised that some Thai, in a position to do so, had nominated him for a Nobel prize just as they have nominated other Thais for such a distinction in other fields. The nomination of "Favorite sons" is not limited to the Thais and thus being nominated for a Nobel prize has never meant anything. Its not different than here in the US where Bear Bryant was nominated to be president every four years.

Pira's books might be a bit overly sentimental for many tastes, including my own, but they are not "sloppily written tripe." I think that Monsoon Country makes for a good candidate for a 10th grade course in the US focuing on voices from other cultures after having read some other books in my son's literature class of that nature. And it is a far better recommendation for those thinking of moving to the land of smlies than are the numerous bar girl books and mai pen rai books which are indeed poorly written tripe.

As for other books of fictions depicting Isaan life written in or translated into English, I would be interested to know some alternatives.

[boris]

Hmmm, we seem to be getting off the OP's (mine) topic here. In regards to Pira Sudham, all I wanted to do was let evreyone know he is still alive. There was a little bit of confusion in earlier threads. I did not start this topic to encourage a debate about how good or how bad a writer Pira Sudham is. I live in Esarn and I am very intrested in the history of where I live. The only available books written, in english, about Esarn are written by Pira Sudham.  Some people love to read hes books, some do not. I do. End of story.

Boris......So is Tom Clancy

Old asia hand....I am sure that Donna and Bannork can make up ther own minds. Reading books is all about..............reading books!!!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Doesn't really matter what you intended;neither you nor I can control a reasonable debate.Point being made by myself and others is that Pira is a second rate hack, often admired by gullible farangs who are in the first phase of infatuation with the North East, or -let us be frank- some girl from those parts.If you have a serious interest, read Chris Baker and Pasuk Phongpaichit's new history of Thailand, not sentimental down home corn.

[meom]

...

As for other books of fictions depicting Isaan life written in or translated into English, I would be interested to know some alternatives.

Try Kumut Chandruang. "My boyhood in Siam" is nicely written with several stories about different aspects of life in LOS.

[Johpa]

Doesn't really matter what you intended;neither you nor I can control a reasonable debate.Point being made by myself and others is that Pira is a second rate hack, often admired by gullible farangs who are in the first phase of infatuation with the North East, or -let us be frank- some girl from those parts.If you have a serious interest, read Chris Baker and Pasuk Phongpaichit's new history of Thailand, not sentimental down home corn.

Reading anything authored by Pasuk Phongpaichit is always a well rewarded effort. But it is hard to compare serious first rate non-fiction with far more subjective fictional writing. Better to compare Pasuk's writings to the low brow Mai Pen Rai series, also purported to be non-fiction.

[OldAsiaHand]

Old asia hand....I am sure that Donna and Bannork can make up ther own minds.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh dear, another one of those posters we love so much........

Jopha apparently thinks we should just shut up and let him pontificate rather than express different or even, God forbid, ouright contrary views. Actually, that's fine with me. I hereby leave this thread to him.

[Thai Chi]

Doesn't really matter what you intended;neither you nor I can control a reasonable debate.Point being made by myself and others is that Pira is a second rate hack, often admired by gullible farangs who are in the first phase of infatuation with the North East, or -let us be frank- some girl from those parts.If you have a serious interest, read Chris Baker and Pasuk Phongpaichit's new history of Thailand, not sentimental down home corn.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So Boris, if I enjoy reading Pira Sudhams books I run the risk of being or becoming....a gullible farang who is in the first phase of infatuation with the North East, or -let us be frank- some girl from those parts.

[bannork]

Hmmm, we seem to be getting off the OP's (mine) topic here. In regards to Pira Sudham, all I wanted to do was let evreyone know he is still alive. There was a little bit of confusion in earlier threads. I did not start this topic to encourage a debate about how good or how bad a writer Pira Sudham is. I live in Esarn and I am very intrested in the history of where I live. The only available books written, in english, about Esarn are written by Pira Sudham.  Some people love to read hes books, some do not. I do. End of story.

Boris......So is Tom Clancy

Old asia hand....I am sure that Donna and Bannork can make up ther own minds. Reading books is all about..............reading books!!!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Doesn't really matter what you intended;neither you nor I can control a reasonable debate.Point being made by myself and others is that Pira is a second rate hack, often admired by gullible farangs who are in the first phase of infatuation with the North East, or -let us be frank- some girl from those parts.If you have a serious interest, read Chris Baker and Pasuk Phongpaichit's new history of Thailand, not sentimental down home corn.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A hack is a second rate journalist, ie a tabloid writer creating stories about celebrities or sensational issues; Pira Sudham's early novels are about his childhood in the lower North-East, how many years ago was his first novel, the early 70s or before?

He was one of the first, if not the first, Issan native to write in English, he was attempting to portray the way of life from his perspective, namely a child of Issan growing up there. If you live in Issan you will know the people are still close to nature; catching frogs, catfish, eels etc is still the experience of any Issan child or adult in the villages. Sadly Bangkokians have lost all that, all they know is the price of crisps in 7-11.

The sociological, historical and analytical approach of Chris Baker and his partner, Pasuk Phongpaichit cannot be compared for they are trying to deliver an overview on economic and social trends present and future in Thailand. It's a different form of writing, micro compared to macro, both have their value.

[Johpa]

Old asia hand....I am sure that Donna and Bannork can make up ther own minds.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh dear, another one of those posters we love so much........

Jopha apparently thinks we should just shut up and let him pontificate rather than express different or even, God forbid, ouright contrary views. Actually, that's fine with me. I hereby leave this thread to him.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Pray tell where I have asked anyone to shut up? Or do you always default to baseless personal attacks on those who hold differing opinions? If so, how sad.

[boris]

Hmmm, we seem to be getting off the OP's (mine) topic here. In regards to Pira Sudham, all I wanted to do was let evreyone know he is still alive. There was a little bit of confusion in earlier threads. I did not start this topic to encourage a debate about how good or how bad a writer Pira Sudham is. I live in Esarn and I am very intrested in the history of where I live. The only available books written, in english, about Esarn are written by Pira Sudham.  Some people love to read hes books, some do not. I do. End of story.

Boris......So is Tom Clancy

Old asia hand....I am sure that Donna and Bannork can make up ther own minds. Reading books is all about..............reading books!!!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Doesn't really matter what you intended;neither you nor I can control a reasonable debate.Point being made by myself and others is that Pira is a second rate hack, often admired by gullible farangs who are in the first phase of infatuation with the North East, or -let us be frank- some girl from those parts.If you have a serious interest, read Chris Baker and Pasuk Phongpaichit's new history of Thailand, not sentimental down home corn.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A hack is a second rate journalist, ie a tabloid writer creating stories about celebrities or sensational issues; Pira Sudham's early novels are about his childhood in the lower North-East, how many years ago was his first novel, the early 70s or before?

He was one of the first, if not the first, Issan native to write in English, he was attempting to portray the way of life from his perspective, namely a child of Issan growing up there. If you live in Issan you will know the people are still close to nature; catching frogs, catfish, eels etc is still the experience of any Issan child or adult in the villages. Sadly Bangkokians have lost all that, all they know is the price of crisps in 7-11.

The sociological, historical and analytical approach of Chris Baker and his partner, Pasuk Phongpaichit cannot be compared for they are trying to deliver an overview on economic and social trends present and future in Thailand. It's a different form of writing, micro compared to macro, both have their value.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh come off it.Of course Chris Baker and Ajarn Pasuk are covering different fields, but the crucial point is that they produce work (on the whole) of very high calibre.Pira Sudham is a hack writer -define the term as you think fit mostly admired by gullible farangs.

[bannork]

Hmmm, we seem to be getting off the OP's (mine) topic here. In regards to Pira Sudham, all I wanted to do was let evreyone know he is still alive. There was a little bit of confusion in earlier threads. I did not start this topic to encourage a debate about how good or how bad a writer Pira Sudham is. I live in Esarn and I am very intrested in the history of where I live. The only available books written, in english, about Esarn are written by Pira Sudham.  Some people love to read hes books, some do not. I do. End of story.

Boris......So is Tom Clancy

Old asia hand....I am sure that Donna and Bannork can make up ther own minds. Reading books is all about..............reading books!!!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Doesn't really matter what you intended;neither you nor I can control a reasonable debate.Point being made by myself and others is that Pira is a second rate hack, often admired by gullible farangs who are in the first phase of infatuation with the North East, or -let us be frank- some girl from those parts.If you have a serious interest, read Chris Baker and Pasuk Phongpaichit's new history of Thailand, not sentimental down home corn.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A hack is a second rate journalist, ie a tabloid writer creating stories about celebrities or sensational issues; Pira Sudham's early novels are about his childhood in the lower North-East, how many years ago was his first novel, the early 70s or before?

He was one of the first, if not the first, Issan native to write in English, he was attempting to portray the way of life from his perspective, namely a child of Issan growing up there. If you live in Issan you will know the people are still close to nature; catching frogs, catfish, eels etc is still the experience of any Issan child or adult in the villages. Sadly Bangkokians have lost all that, all they know is the price of crisps in 7-11.

The sociological, historical and analytical approach of Chris Baker and his partner, Pasuk Phongpaichit cannot be compared for they are trying to deliver an overview on economic and social trends present and future in Thailand. It's a different form of writing, micro compared to macro, both have their value.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh come off it.Of course Chris Baker and Ajarn Pasuk are covering different fields, but the crucial point is that they produce work (on the whole) of very high calibre.Pira Sudham is a hack writer -define the term as you think fit mostly admired by gullible farangs.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A hack writer writes with a definite audience in mind, when Pira Sudham wrote his early books there were few farang tourists in Issan; perhaps he envisaged a mass audience of 'gullible' farangs, but I doubt it, he merely described his childhood from a country boy's point of view. By calling farangs gullible you're implying he romanticises his life, but there's hardship as well as joy in his novels and any farang living upcountry in Issan knows it's not a synthetic life like those living in urban centres watching UBC at night.

[HarryHacker]

A hack writer would be someone like Andrew Drummond, how could anyone compare Pira with that gutter journalist?