[Tlc] brief description of Thai language and literature conference

[justinm at ucr.edu]

Dear All,

I recently gave a talk at the Thai Language and Literature
conference at the Imperial Queen's Park Hotel in Bangkok. The
conference was sponsored by Chulalongkorn University's
Department of Thai. It was a rare opportunity to listen to the
latest research in Thai literature and linguistics. I give a
brief overview of some of the highlights of the conference
below. Since this is a listserv, I reserve my criticims and
critical reflections of the papers at the conference for now
and for more appropriate and formal forums.

There were many important papers and I cannot do justice to
them here. I merely mention a few of the ground-breaking
papers -- such as: 

1) "Self – Awareness of Luang Phrabang Laoness in Thailand: A
Case Study of Myth and Ritual" by Buarin Wungkeeree which
seemlessly incorporated anthropological research in Dansai
(Loei Province) and historical (mis)understandings of Lanxang; 

2) "The Poems and Paintings of the Royal Chronicle (Klongparb
Phraraj Pongsawdan): The Arts under the Absolute Monarchy" by
Bayan Imsamran and "Vajiravudh and the Words: Alphabetisation,
Book Production and the Ethos of Modernisation in Thailand
1910-25" by Jana Igunma explored the rise of self-reflection
on "literature" and "art" as modern scholarly disciplines in
the 1920s and 30s in Bangkok; 

3) "Trends and Movements in Modern Thai Literature" by the
well-known Trisilpa Boonkhachorn was part of a series of
overarching recapitulations and re-explorations of the study
of Thai "Buddhist" and "secular" literature. These included:
"Dynamism of Phra Malai Chanting: A Comparative Study of
Performance at Kanchanaburi and Chonburi" by Poramin Jaruworn
(which showed how Phra Malai can be chanted in 22 different
styles for different ritual purposes and as an expression of
local identity, especially among women), "From Vessantara
Jataka to Mahajati Khamluang, A Translation?" by Prapod
Assavavirulhakarn (which showed how a close philological
analysis of translation actually points to processes of Thai
"trans-creation"), "What is ‘Traibhumi’?" by Peter Skilling
(provided a history of Traiphum versions in Thailand and
corrected some long held assumptions about the relationships
between  the Sukhothai and early Bangkok versions, as well as
discussing the little known Southern Thai Traiphum(s)),
"Women’s Wisdom and the Unmasking of the Antagonist Imposter
in Chak Chak Wong Wong Tales" by Cholada Ruengruglikit (a
masterful example of how stereotypes are desconstructed and
reconstructed; also in the question and answer exchange with
David Smyth, Aj. Chonlada gave a general and extremely useful
overview of the printing and distribution history of Chak Chak
Wong Wong tales), and "Inao as a Hero: The Similarities to the
Heroes of Panji Cycle and the Dominances as the Thai Hero" by
Thaneerat Jatuthasri (which explained in great detail how
narratives are adapted and transformed in Thai drama).

4) Regional literature was explored in several papers,
especially Ahom, Malay, Tai Yuan, Shan, and Lao literature.
Highlights included in depth papers by Wimonmas Paruchakul
"Local Identities in Southern Thai Fiction," Persistence and
Dynamism of Lao Folktale and Storytelling" by Dr. Wajuppa
Tossa. Oliver Raendchen also screened his own film on ritual
and chanting among the Ai-Lao-Shan-Tai of Southern China. The
doyen of Northern Thai literature, Prakong Nimmanahaeminda,
was the Keynote Speaker of this section with a paper "Cultural
Relation Among Tai Peoples: An Analysis from Tai Folklore and
Literature."

5) The nature of "Buddhist" literature was and ethics was
questioned in novel and prvocative ways in "Otherworldly
Buddhist ‘Teaching’ in the Worldly Texts of Chao Phraya Phra
Khlang (Hon)" by Suchitra Chongstitvatana (who, along with Aj.
Chonlada, was the organizer of the whole conference and gave
the final salutations to the participants), "Self-Sacrifice of
Kings in Simhasana Dvatrimsika and Thai Buddhist Narratives"
by Arthid Sheravanichkul, "The Buddhist Wrathful Ascetic:
Conversion and Violence in the Matanga Jataka" Justin Meiland,
and "The Fulfilment of the Perfection of the Bodhisattva as an
Observer" Pisit Kobbun (all three of these demonstrated the
exciting new work being done in Pali literature in Thailand
and how that literature is transformed and re-imagined in Thai
vernacular oral and written forms). Even though it wasn't in
the category of "Buddhist" literature, one of the most
well-developed literary analyses was "Losing and Realising
Oneself in the Cityspace Individualism and Difference in 29th
February and Heavenly Orphans" by Suradech Chotiudompant. He
demonstrated how modern sexuality, especially homosexuality,
and social ethics is tested in modern Thai novels.

6) Keynote speeches by Yoneo Ishii and David Smyth, as well as
field analyses by Michael Nelson, and Niti, of course, will
surely be the topic of conversation for years. 

7) There were several papers that I couldn't attend because of
conflicts with my own panel. However, they were well-received
and are good examples, many reported, of the future of Thai
literary studies. These include: "Humor in Anti-Taksin Chinese
Opera: A Folkloristic and Linguistic Analysis" by Dr.
Natthaporn Panpothong and Dr. Siriporn Phakdeephasook;
"Malaysian Learners of Thai as a Foreign Language" by Vanjuree
Sriadulphan, "Modernist Thai Short Stories, 1964-1973: The
Relationship with Art" by Irrawadee Tailanga, "The Global
Interface of Thai Identity: Rattawut Lapcharoensap’s
Sightseeing and Prabda Yoon’s coauthored screenplay Last Life
in the Universe" by Teri Shaffer Yamada and "Past Thai Studies
and Study of Thai Past" by M.R. Rujaya Abhakorn. Aj. Rujaya,
of course, is by the best-known scholar of Northern Thai
history and Buddhist manuscripts of the past 40 years.

8) Finally, one of the central concerns of the conference was
the advanced study of Thai linguistics using emerging
technologies and corpus linguistics. 

Hopefully, many of these papers will be published soon. I have
a copy of the abstracts and of a new bibliography or Thai
literature distributed at the conference. I also have copies
of many of the papers which were distributed. For information
on these distributed documents please do not hesitate to
contact me. I will do my best to provide you with a copy or
the contact information of the speaker so that you can request
a copy yourself depending on copyright and privacy concerns.
If anyone would like a copy of the full list of talks and
speakers, please e-mail me. 

Thank you for your time.

Best,
justin
P.S. if you would like to be removed from this list, please do
not hesitate to contact me.

______________
Dr. Justin McDaniel
Dept. of Religious Studies
2617 Humanities Building
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
951-827-4530
justinm at ucr.edu