Page 113 - The lraternational Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand.indd

The International Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand
Volume XV-2023

So often the battles of the “free folk” were symbolized by the “red flag” and so
often the Imperialism concretely with “America”. In a blank verse, a poet demanded
from the prime minister that he should come to the coffeeshop and take a look:

“Whether he ever knows, what people demand. They have nothing, they

desire everyday needs, they are starving. When the ruler does not react,
when the society does not assist them, then they are forced to be Communists.
There is no way out. “

(My translation, July 2015)

During this time, the young writers wrote mainly in poetry and short stories,
whereas established writers chose novel form as a means to express their literary themes
for the time between 1973 and 1976. One of these renowed poets of women literature,

Jiranan Pitpreecha, was honoured with her book of poem ใบัไม้ที่่�ห่ายไป (The lost Leave,
1989) a SEA-WRITE prize.

One of the important contributions to the prosperity of the littérature engagée
in Thailand 1973-1976 was the revival of the aesthetic theory on “Literature for life”,
but also the book on The Ideology of Mao Tse Tung, published in 1974 at Thammasart

University. After this publication there came more various books and essays on Marx-
ism which were a “Tabu” before. Especially essays of “Indrayut” and Chit Bhumisak
were highly esteemed. At many Universities the students organized “Poetry Reading

for the Sake of Freedom”, and many new magazines and newspapers with new column
and book reviews for engaged literature. Young students who fought in the 14 October
student revolution began to write.

In September 1974, a symposium on “The Thai Society in the Eye of Chit
Bhumisak” was organized by the Society for Social Science of Thailand. Through this

seminar, the work and ideas of Chit Bhumisak are widely and officially recognized
among Thai intellectuals for the first time.

Chit Bhumisak’s theoretical writings about art in 1955 continued to be a
theoretical fund for the littérature engagée. He took his concept for these writings from
Tolstoy’s “What is Art? An Essay on Art,” as well as from Marxist literary critics.

In four essays in 1955, Chit attempted to provide a closer definition of “literature for
life” that emulated Buddhist teachings. Chit’s maxims for the criteria for “art for life”
are:

Pornsan Watanangura 105