สำนักงานราชบัณทิตยสภา

The Journal of the Royal Institute of Thailand Volume IV - 2012 127  figures, literary works by eminent authors, as well as works in other fields of knowledge have been translated into several languages. Nowadays, one can read quotations from the Bible or the works of Shakespeare in almost any language. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a geo-political and economic organization comprising ten countries located in Southeast Asia was formed on 8 August 1967. Its founding members were Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Later the membership was extended to include Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam. ASEAN aims at accelerating economic growth, social progress, and cultural development among its members, protecting regional peace and stability, and providing opportunities for member countries to discuss differences peacefully. From the early 1980’s to the early 1990’s there had been efforts to compile the diversity of literary works in regional languages of Southeast Asia into an anthology. Sponsored by the ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information (COCI), this project selected masterworks of literature from every regional language of Southeast Asia and translated them into English as a means to promote better understanding and exchange of appreciation on each individual country’s culture and way of life. This is a good example of how linguistic and cultural diversity of Southeast Asia has been recognized as an integral part of ASEAN common interests. Compiling the works and translating them into English has built and enhanced understanding among ASEAN members of their common cultural heritages. It can also lead to further cooperation in preserving and developing linguistic and cultural diversity in Southeast Asia. It was also concluded that it would be more appropriate if the selected works for translation be translated into the national or the of fi cial indigenous language of each nation, especially in the case of ASEAN countries which rely on more than one language for their communication. This could help enhance wider appreciation of their local literature and also would bene fi t the study of the national literature in each particular member country. As a result of this project several volumes of the bilingual Anthology of ASEAN Literatures were issued. It was decided at the Preliminary Meetings in Singapore during 14-16 June 1982 that the selection of literary works to be included in the Malithat Promathatavedi