Kulap Saipradit
Encyclopedia
Kulap SaipraditKulap Saipradit ' onMouseout='HidePop("81752")' href="/topics/Pen_name">pen name
Siburapha (ศรีบูรพา, also romanized Sriburapha or Sri Burapha, 31 March 1905 – 16 June 1974) was a newspaper editor and one of the foremost Thai
novelists of his time. He was a vocal activist for human rights and because of this, he ran afoul of the authorities and was jailed for more than four years. He spent the last 16 years of his life in exile in China
.
, Kulap studied at Thepsirin, a school for students from wealthier families. Kulap himself did not come from a wealthy family. His father died when he was very young, and his mother, a dressmaker, and sister, a classical dancer, worked hard to fund his education.
In 1928, he wrote three novels. Two of them, A Real Man (Luk Phu Chai) and The War of Life (Songkram Chiwit), stood out. By 1929, Kulap had gathered his friends into a publishing group known as Suphapburut ("The Gentlemen"). Under Kulap's leadership, the group went into journalism.
In 1934, Kulap spent three months in retreat as a Buddhist monk. He wrote a religious novel, Facing Sin (Phajon Barb). The following year, he married Chanid Priyacharnkun. She later became the translator of three of Jane Austen
's novels under the pen name "Juliet", and helped him to translate Pool by Somerset Maugham as well as Anton Chekhov
's In Exile and Maxim Gorky
's Mother.
In early 1936, Kulap was forced to resign from his work as a journalist. Late that year, he went to study in Japan
, and upon his return, he wrote The Jungle of Life (Pa Nai Chiwit), and his romantic masterpiece Behind the Painting (Khang Lang Phap). Both stories were serialised in 1937. Behind the Painting was adapted as a film twice, in 1985 by director Piak Poster and in 2001 by director Cherd Songsri
.
In 1939, Kulap began writing journalistic articles again. He and his group re-started Suphapburut, which had been closed earlier. In 1944 and 1945, Kulap was elected president of the Thai Newspaper Association. In late 1947, he and his wife Chanid left Thailand for two years, and travelled to Australia
where he studied political science
. On his return, he started a publishing
house to publish his own works and those of his friends' in cheap editions. He also wrote several books, including Till We Meet Again (Chon Kwa Rao Cha Phop Kan Ik).
, Kulap set up the Peace Foundation of Thailand. The following year, he protested against the Korean War
. He also demanded the lifting of press censorship
. When he went to distribute food and blankets to the needy in Northeast Thailand, he was among more than one hundred "agitators" arrested on 10 November 1952. Accused of treason and sentenced to about 14 years in jail, he was freed in February 1957 to celebrate the advent of the 25th Buddhist century. During his years in jail, Kulap wrote the first two volumes of an unfinished trilogy Looking Ahead (Lae Pai Khang Na).
In 1958, Kulap headed a delegation of writers to China
. While he was attending an Afro-Asian Writers' Conference in Tashkent
, there was a coup in Thailand and all members of Kulap's delegation were arrested and jailed on their return. Faced with the same fate, Kulap chose to remain in China where he led the life of a "democratic personality" in exile. He lectured on Thai literature
at Peking University
. He also contributed to the Afro-Asian Solidarity Front's cultural activities and to the Thai service of China's broadcasting radio. He died in China of complications resulting from pleurisy
on 16 June 1974.
Kulap is survived by his son, Surapan. Surapan Saipradit is married to Wanee, the daughter of Pridi Phanomyong
and Poonsuk Phanomyong
. Kulap's 100th Centenary Celebration, organised by the Thai Writers' Association and the Thai National Commission for UNESCO
, was held in Bangkok from 14 to 15 December 2005. Kulap's wife, Chanid, died on 15 June 2010.
, an annual award given for excellence in writing, journalism, and the arts, is named in his honor.
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
Siburapha (ศรีบูรพา, also romanized Sriburapha or Sri Burapha, 31 March 1905 – 16 June 1974) was a newspaper editor and one of the foremost Thai
Thai people
The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Kradai family of...
novelists of his time. He was a vocal activist for human rights and because of this, he ran afoul of the authorities and was jailed for more than four years. He spent the last 16 years of his life in exile in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
Education and early career
Born in BangkokBangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Kulap studied at Thepsirin, a school for students from wealthier families. Kulap himself did not come from a wealthy family. His father died when he was very young, and his mother, a dressmaker, and sister, a classical dancer, worked hard to fund his education.
In 1928, he wrote three novels. Two of them, A Real Man (Luk Phu Chai) and The War of Life (Songkram Chiwit), stood out. By 1929, Kulap had gathered his friends into a publishing group known as Suphapburut ("The Gentlemen"). Under Kulap's leadership, the group went into journalism.
In 1934, Kulap spent three months in retreat as a Buddhist monk. He wrote a religious novel, Facing Sin (Phajon Barb). The following year, he married Chanid Priyacharnkun. She later became the translator of three of Jane Austen
Jane Austen
Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.Austen lived...
's novels under the pen name "Juliet", and helped him to translate Pool by Somerset Maugham as well as Anton Chekhov
Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
's In Exile and Maxim Gorky
Maxim Gorky
Alexei Maximovich Peshkov , primarily known as Maxim Gorky , was a Russian and Soviet author, a founder of the Socialist Realism literary method and a political activist.-Early years:...
's Mother.
In early 1936, Kulap was forced to resign from his work as a journalist. Late that year, he went to study in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and upon his return, he wrote The Jungle of Life (Pa Nai Chiwit), and his romantic masterpiece Behind the Painting (Khang Lang Phap). Both stories were serialised in 1937. Behind the Painting was adapted as a film twice, in 1985 by director Piak Poster and in 2001 by director Cherd Songsri
Cherd Songsri
Cherd Songsri was a Thai film director, screenwriter and film producer. A maker of period films that sought to introduce international audiences to his vision of Thai culture, his best-known work is the 1977 romance film Plae Kao , which earned more box-office receipts than any Thai film before it...
.
In 1939, Kulap began writing journalistic articles again. He and his group re-started Suphapburut, which had been closed earlier. In 1944 and 1945, Kulap was elected president of the Thai Newspaper Association. In late 1947, he and his wife Chanid left Thailand for two years, and travelled to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
where he studied political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. On his return, he started a publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
house to publish his own works and those of his friends' in cheap editions. He also wrote several books, including Till We Meet Again (Chon Kwa Rao Cha Phop Kan Ik).
Jailed, exile
In 1951, during the second premiership of dictatorial Field Marshal Plaek PibulsonggramPlaek Pibulsonggram
Field Marshal Plaek Pibunsongkhram , often known as Phibun Songkhram or simply Phibun in English, was Prime Minister and virtual military dictator of Thailand from 1938 to 1944 and 1948 to 1957.- Early years :...
, Kulap set up the Peace Foundation of Thailand. The following year, he protested against the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. He also demanded the lifting of press censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
. When he went to distribute food and blankets to the needy in Northeast Thailand, he was among more than one hundred "agitators" arrested on 10 November 1952. Accused of treason and sentenced to about 14 years in jail, he was freed in February 1957 to celebrate the advent of the 25th Buddhist century. During his years in jail, Kulap wrote the first two volumes of an unfinished trilogy Looking Ahead (Lae Pai Khang Na).
In 1958, Kulap headed a delegation of writers to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. While he was attending an Afro-Asian Writers' Conference in Tashkent
Tashkent
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.-Early Islamic History:...
, there was a coup in Thailand and all members of Kulap's delegation were arrested and jailed on their return. Faced with the same fate, Kulap chose to remain in China where he led the life of a "democratic personality" in exile. He lectured on Thai literature
Literature in Thailand
Thai literature was traditionally heavily influenced by Indian culture. Thailand's national epic is a version of the Ramayana called the Ramakien. A number of versions of the epic were lost in the destruction of Ayutthaya in 1767. Three versions currently exist: one of these was prepared under...
at Peking University
Peking University
Peking University , colloquially known in Chinese as Beida , is a major research university located in Beijing, China, and a member of the C9 League. It is the first established modern national university of China. It was founded as Imperial University of Peking in 1898 as a replacement of the...
. He also contributed to the Afro-Asian Solidarity Front's cultural activities and to the Thai service of China's broadcasting radio. He died in China of complications resulting from pleurisy
Pleurisy
Pleurisy is an inflammation of the pleura, the lining of the pleural cavity surrounding the lungs. Among other things, infections are the most common cause of pleurisy....
on 16 June 1974.
Kulap is survived by his son, Surapan. Surapan Saipradit is married to Wanee, the daughter of Pridi Phanomyong
Pridi Phanomyong
Pridi Banomyong was a highly revered Thai politician. He was a former Prime Minister and Senior Statesman of Thailand, and was named one of the world's great personalities of the 20th century by UNESCO in 2000.-Family background:...
and Poonsuk Phanomyong
Poonsuk Phanomyong
Thanpuying Poonsuk Banomyong is the wife of former Thai Prime Minister Pridi Banomyong. In November 1952 Poonsuk was arrested on charges of subversion under the government of Plaek Pibulsonggram and was held in custody until February, 1953, and subsequently joined her husband in exile in China...
. Kulap's 100th Centenary Celebration, organised by the Thai Writers' Association and the Thai National Commission for UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
, was held in Bangkok from 14 to 15 December 2005. Kulap's wife, Chanid, died on 15 June 2010.
Legacy
The Sriburapha AwardSriburapha Award
The Sriburapha Award is a Thai award, established in 1988 in honor of Kulap Saipradit, whose pen name was Sriburapha . The award recognizes excellence in journalism, writing, and/or the arts...
, an annual award given for excellence in writing, journalism, and the arts, is named in his honor.
Novels
- Chao Hua Chai (จ้าวหัวใจ; 1924)
- Khom Sawat Bat Chit (คมสวาทบาดจิต; 1924)
- Luk Phu Chai (ลูกผู้ชาย; 1928)
- Prap Phayot (ปราบพยศ; 1928)
- Man Manut (มารมนุษย์; 1928)
- Lok Sanniwat (โลกสันนิวาส; 1928)
- Hua Chai Pratthana (หัวใจปรารถนา; 1928)
- Amnat Chai (อำนาจใจ; 1930)
- Saen Rak Saen Khaen (แสนรักแสนแค้น; 1930)
- Songkhram Chiwit (สงครามชีวิต; 1932; based on Dostoyevsky's Бедные люди [Poor Folk])
- Phachon Bap (ผจญบาป; 1934)
- Sing Thi Chiwit Tongkan (สิ่งที่ชีวิตต้องการ; serialized 1935, compiled 1939)
- Khang Lang Phap (ข้างหลังภาพ; 1937)
- Translated as Behind the Painting by David Smyth in 1990. Review by Tony Waters at Ethnograpy.com
- Pa Nai Chiwit' (ป่าในชีวิต; serialized 1937-1938, compiled 1988)
- Chon Kwa Rao Cha Phop Kan Ik (จนกว่าเราจะพบกันอีก; 1950)
- Lae Pai Khang Na (แลไปข้างหน้า; two volumes, 1955 and 1957, first published together in 1975)
Collected short stories
- Kham Khan Rap (คำขานรับ)
- Kho Raeng Noi Thoe (ขอแรงหน่อยเถอะ)
Poetry
- Atchayakon Phu Ploi Nok Phirap (อาชญากรผู้ปล่อยนกพิราบ)
- Phalang Prachachon (พลังประชาชน)
Non-fiction
- Khaphachao Dai Hen Ma (ข้าพเจ้าได้เห็นมา; 1931)
- Kan Mueang Khong Prachachon (การเมืองของประชาชน; 1957, under the pen name Itsarachon [อิสสรชน])
- Pai Sahaphap Sowiat (ไปสหภาพโซเวียต; 1958)
- Manutsayaphap (มนุษยภาพ)
- Bueang Lang Kan Patiwat 2475 (เบื้องหลังการปฏิวัติ ๒๔๗๕)
- Du Nak Sueksa Mo Tho Ko Duay Waen Khao (ดูนักศึกษา ม.ธ.ก. ด้วยแว่นขาว)
Translations
- Pool by Somerset Maugham, translated as Sa Sawat (สระสวาท)
- In Exile by Anton ChekhovAnton ChekhovAnton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
, translated as Khao Thuk Bangkhap Hai Pen Khun Chon (เขาถูกบังคับให้เป็นขุนโจร) - Mother by Maxim GorkyMaxim GorkyAlexei Maximovich Peshkov , primarily known as Maxim Gorky , was a Russian and Soviet author, a founder of the Socialist Realism literary method and a political activist.-Early years:...
, translated as Mae (แม่)