Isan Writers, Thai Literature: Writing and Regionalism in Modern Thailand

Chapter 2: Early Isan Writers

36 Early Isan Writers Modern Isan literature, i.e., writing in Thai by Isan writers, arose in the late 1950s. Writers from Isan who might have been active prior to that time would have been indistinguishable from central Thai writers. Fiction production in the first half of the 20th century was exclusively an urban activity, with urban subject matter aimed at urban readers. Furthermore, up until the late 1950s, writing was strongly restricted by government policy, and expressions of regionalist sentiment would have been suppressed. In late 1957, however, Plaek was forced out of government by Sarit’s military takeover, and at the end of the year Sarit sought medical attention overseas. As a result, government controls on publication were allowed to relax.1 It was at this time that Isan writing began to emerge. While Isan writers would not begin to identify themselves as such until a decade or so later, their work at this time began increasingly to take Isan as subject matter or backdrop. Rom Ratiwan was the earliest of these writers, followed closely by Lao Khamhawm and then Kanchana Nakkhanan.2 All writers in this period were simply Thai writers; the practice of classifying authors by region (common in the 1990s) had not yet arisen; writers’ origins were not yet given particular attention by editors, readers, or other writers. What is significant, however, is that this early generation of Isan writers was the first to write about Isan specifically from their own experience as Isan people. CHAPTER 2 1 Charles Keyes, Isan: Regionalism in Northeastern Thailand (Ithaca, NY: Southeast Asia Program Data Paper #65, Cornell University, 1967). 2 I do not include Pleuang Wannasri (born Surin 1922, died Kunming 1996) here because he was primarily a political activist and essayist (and sometime poet) rather than a fiction writer. Rom Ratiwan Rom Ratiwan รมย์ รติวัน was born Thawi Ketawandi ทวี เกตะวันดี in Loei Province in 1932. His family came from a long line of rice farmers and carried on the tradition. His father, however, received some education and worked for the provincial treasury. Rom often accompanied him on his official duties, passing through forests and foothills while visiting villages on the way to Udorn.3 Rom attended elementary school at a temple near his home and then secondary school in Loei town, except for a year spent with his older sister in Chiang Rai. After completing M. 5 (the fifth year of secondary school) in Loei, he moved to Bangkok in 1948 and became a temple boy while preparing to enter a program in railroad engineering. It was around this time that he began writing fiction, and he published his first story, Lo’n Mi Kha Phiang Mai Hai Jup Pak หล่อนมีค่าเพียงไม่ให้จูบปาก (Her Only Value is in Not Allowing a Kiss), in the newspaper, Nakorn Luang (date unknown).4 Rom subsequently followed the pattern, common to most fiction writers of the time, of making his living as a journalist. Thus, after completing his engineering program, he studied journalism in evening school at Chulalongkorn University. Starting out in lowly newspaper jobs, he worked his way up through proofreader, jail reporter, and so on, taking one position after another at many different newspapers, until he was writing a regular column for the Daily News. Eventually he became president of the Journalists’ Association of Thailand, serving three successive terms from 1963 through 1965. He also wrote a number of screenplays for films directed by Khunawut and others.5 In 1974, aged only 42, Rom died of an illness at Chulalongkorn hospital, leaving behind his wife and two young children. His funeral was attended by people from several spheres: writers, journalists, filmmakers and stars, and politicians. An editor of Thai Rath newspaper dubbed him “Fighter without a Medal” นักรบผัูขาดเหรียญ. According to Somrom, “The thing we must remember above all about him is that he was a journalist who held fast to ideals and helped to build a clear code of ethics for emerging journalists.”6 While “Rom Ratiwan” was Thawi’s most commonly used pen name, he also went by Roy Rithiron รอย ฤธิรณ, Butsaba Roengchai บุษบา เริงชัย, Khrieo Early Isan Writers 37 3 สมรม สทิงพระ, เส้นทางนักเขียน. นนทบุรี: Writer, 1994, p. 97. 4 Anon., “รมย์ รติวัน,” in รมย์ รดิวัน, เสียงแคนและเปียนโน. กรุงเทพฯ: ประพันธ์สาส์น, 1987, pp. 6–7. 5 Anon., “รมย์ รติิวัน นักรบผัูขาดเหรียญ,” โลกหนังสือ 1, 8 (2521): 115–8. 6 สมรม, เส้นทาง, 1994, p. 99. 38 Isan Writers, Thai Literature Khonklangkheun เครืยว คนกลางคืน, and Khaen แคน, the last most clearly identifying his connection to Isan. His books include the following: 1) Kaptan Khrio กัปตันเครียว (Captain Khrio), 1959, novel; 2) Nai Phan Tai...