The Suan Dusit poll on the most popular novel writers offers few surprises. But that serves as a good reflection of Thailand's literary reality: Who can break the virtual decades-old monopoly of Thommayantee and her classic "Khoo Kam"?
The fact that Thommayantee is the most favourite writer and Sophak Suwan came in the second shows that the choices of readers have hardly changed.
According to the poll's history, the two writers - whose works have won the hearts of readers since the 1960s - have been voted among the top five authors in Thailand for many years.
Why is that? Okay, we all agree that the two authors deserve the votes but the stagnant development of readers' tastes is very suspicious. How many works by Thommayantee do we remember? What about Sophak Suwan: do we Thai readers recall most of the writer's works?
Thommayantee seems to be the name on most people's lips - especially those who are non-readers. This is because a number of her works have been repeatedly made into TV series and movies, including "Khoo Kam" and "Tawipop".
Despite the poll, we can't be positive that people actually read the books by the authors or happen to appreciate the works only after seeing Thongchai "Bird" McIntyre in the role of the Japanese soldier Kobori in "Khoo Kam".
How about Sophak Suwan? Although the name is very familiar, most people don't recall the writer's works at all. That is pretty strange and sad for all Thai writers and our literary community in general.
No, we're not going to try to pick on the poll or its 1,000 sample interviews. We know the scientific study is right but somehow the respondents' choices make us aware that we are in danger of slower-than-expected development in literature.
Our understanding of literature is also doubtful. And that's why National Artist Naowarat Pongpaiboon, who is known as a great poet, appears as a favourite writer. There are two cases: either the respondents mix up the poems with books or they pick the name of Naowarat without really appreciating his work.
The only excitement this year is the new entry Prabda Yoon who is ranked third, thanks largely to the respondents' praise of his unique writing style. The result is rather positive that there is a new development of choice and taste although we can't be sure that the respondents really admire his writing or simply come up with his name because they have heard about him via various media. Whatever the reason, we accept that there is no doubt that Prabda has revived the literature community this year but his phenomenon is exceptional. It doesn't guarantee that Thai people read more and are geared toward more quality writing.
It is intriguing that many new-generation writers did not make it to the top 10. Take two- time Seawrite Award winner Win Leowarin, for example. His award-winning work "Pracha Tippatai Bon Sen Kanan" (Democracy on a Parallel Path) has been a best-seller for the past few years. But the voters did not pick him as a favourite.
Most of the writers in the top 10 share one thing in common: they write books that are made into TV soap operas or movies. For example, Kingchat, Wor Winichaikul, and Prapatsorn Saevikul all have had their books made into TV series.
But when we think interesting, quality books can be made into TV series and movies, another question arises: why are there fewer and fewer choices that we can pick for TV or film productions?
Supon Wichienchai, a producer with Channel 3, once voiced his concern that there are few works that can be adapted into TV series, so few that producers struggle to write their own stories and cultivate a new crop of TV series writers. Supon doesn't mention it but audiences can notice that we have been watching a great many copy-cat versions of Thommayantee's "Khoo Kam" and Wor Na Pramualmak's "Baan Sai Thong".
Does TV have something to do with the slow evolution of Thailand's literature? A lot of producers nowadays don't really believe that complicated plots will attract a mass audience, and are not economically viable as well. The latest sign is when RS Promotion recently announced its ambitious plan to launch 30 tele-movies to be released on VCD and DVD this year. The company's policy is to produce simple plots that are easy to understand for most Thai audiences.
Their belief, as suggested by ratings of TV soap operas, is that complicated plots and sophisticated production values don't always win over Thai audiences.
Classic works don't die, and the enduring popularity of "Khoo Kam" is solid proof of its magical appeal. Our problem is how to create alternatives for readers, or - maybe this is the heart of the matter - how to make readers want to read them.
Published on May 10, 2003
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