WRITERS from Thailand

Top 3

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Thai Writers of all time. This list of famous Thai Writers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. Emmanuelle Arsan (1932 - 2005)

With an HPI of 60.47, Emmanuelle Arsan is the most famous Thai Writer.  Her biography has been translated into 23 different languages on wikipedia.

Marayat Rollet-Andriane, formerly Marayat Krasaesin (Thai: มารยาท กระแสสินธุ์) or her birthname Marayat Bibidh (Thai: มารยาท พิพิธวิรัชชการ; RTGS: Marayat Phiphitwiratchakan; born 19 January 1932 – 12 June 2005), known by the pen name Emmanuelle Arsan, was a Thai-French novelist, best known for the novel featuring the fictional character Emmanuelle, a woman who sets out on a voyage of sexual self-discovery under varying circumstances. It was later claimed that the real author of the book was her husband, Louis-Jacques Rollet-Andriane.

2. Buddhadasa (1906 - 1993)

With an HPI of 52.54, Buddhadasa is the 2nd most famous Thai Writer.  His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.

Buddhadasa (27 May 1906 – 25 May 1993) was a Thai Buddhist monk. Known as an innovative reinterpreter of Buddhist doctrine and Thai folk beliefs, he fostered a reformation in conventional religious perceptions in his home country, Thailand, as well as abroad. He developed a personal view that those who have penetrated the essential nature of religions consider "all religions to be inwardly the same", while those who have the highest understanding of dhamma feel "there is no religion".

3. Sunthorn Phu (1786 - 1855)

With an HPI of 51.00, Sunthorn Phu is the 3rd most famous Thai Writer.  His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Phra Sunthorn Vohara (Phu) (Thai: พระสุนทรโวหาร (ภู่), RTGS: Phra Sunthonwohan (Phu), pronounced [pʰá.sǔn.tʰɔ̄ːn.woː.hǎːn.pʰûː]; 26 June 1786 – 1855), known as Sunthorn Phu (Thai: สุนทรภู่, RTGS: Sunthonphu, pronounced [sǔn.tʰɔ̄ːn.pʰûː]), is Thailand's best-known royal poet. He wrote during the Rattanakosin period. Phu's career as a royal poet began in the reign of King Rama II, and when the king died, he resigned from the role and became a monk. Twenty years later, in the reign of King Rama III, he returned to court as a royal scribe, where he remained for the rest of his life. Phu was renowned for composing verse, and his epic poetry is popular in Thailand to the present day. His works include Nirat Phukhao Thong, a collection of poems recounting his journey to the Golden Mountain; Nirat Suphan, his journey to Suphan Buri province; and the Phra Aphai Mani saga.