We list down 8 of the greatest poets from Thailand
Poetry is one of Thai arts that has not attained the Westernised form. So here 10 of the greatest poets from Thailand:
Phra Sunthonwohan
Known as SunthornPhu (and nicknamed The Drunk Poet), he was a royal poet who wrote during the reign of King Rama II and the Rattanakosin era. However, post the death of the king, he became a monk. He has the credit of Thailand’s most well-known poems: PhraAphai Mani, which is a tale of mythical creatures in a fantasy land.
ChirananPitpreecha
Born in 1955 in Trang Province, ChirananPitpreecha was once a member of the Communist Party of Thailand and hence, most of her poems contain strong social messages. Her strong feminist stance was the reason why she is always included on lists of influential Thai women. Her famous work includes Cracked Pebble, First Rain, and Missing Leaf.
King Rama II
Also known as King Loetlanaphalai and PhraPhutthaloetlaNaphalai, King Rama II was “The Poet King'' because he brought up the cultural renaissance in Thailand. He wrote a version of the Ramayana / Ramakien, and re-wrote his earlier works as well to make them more in keeping with the times.
Tang Chang
Tang Chang, born in Thonburi in the 1930s, was popular among alternative groups of society as his work was more personal and reflective a1700s and he was the son of King Borommakot, one of the rulers of the Ayutthaya. Although he committed terrible deeds, he is regarded for being one of Thailand’s best poets and he wrote about nature, traditions, and women. He also mastered nirat, a type of poetry that details a lover’s longing.
AngkarnKalayanapong
AngkarnKalayanapong began writing poetry from an early age and hence, he was considered a trailblazer in contemporary poetry. His works include Nirat Nakhon Si Thammarat, PanithanKawee, and LamnamPhuKradueng.
King Rama VI
King Rama VI ruled from 1910 until 1925 and he created more than 2,000 written works of various types. He was famous for covering social issues, morality, culture, patriotism, and he was highly influenced by Hindu texts, particularly the Ramayana.
AngkarnChanthathip
He is considered to be a modern-day Thai poet. He also won the South East Asian Writers’ Prize in 2013 for his poem - The Heart’s Fifth Chamber.
Prince Vasukri
Known as Paramanuchitchinorot, he was a son of King Rama I. His poetry covered spiritual themes and LiletTalengPhai, one of his well-known epic poems, told a story of how King Naresuan defeated Burmese invaders close to Suphanburi.
