The Five Oldest Thai Poems: Love, Loss and Landscape
Sharing knowledge of literature is one way to increase understanding and build friendship across the boundaries of language and nation. The oldest surviving works of Thai literature are five long poems, all dating from around 1500 CE. They include a war poem, a romantic tragedy, and three poems of love, loss, and landscape. They have been hidden in old Thai language. All are now available in English translation for the first time. At this event, the translators will talk about the mysteries in these works, read excerpts, and show how they provide insights into the past found in no other sources. They will also launch the translation of Nirat Hariphunchai and Ocean Lament, just published by Silkworm Books.
*Snacks and refreshments will be available at the event.
About the speaker
Chris Baker was recently conferred an honorary doctorate by Chulalongkorn Faculty of Arts for contributions to Thai history. Pasuk Phongpaichit is Emeritus Professor of Political Economy at Chulalongkorn University and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Thailand. Together they have written widely on Thailand’s history, political economy and literature. In 2017 they were jointly awarded the Fukuoka Grand Prize.
When
Where
Admission
Free of charge
For more information, please contact
Register at: https://forms.gle/GyWXupXHfakz2jTv5