TANAD THAMKAEW

Tanad Thamkaew, known by his pen name Pu Kradat, has been writing short stories for various publications in Thailand since 2000. Mostly he published short stories, and in 2006 he won the Supa Tewakul Award from Confiscate: A Shorter Telling Of A Long Story.

His SEA Write shortlist, Exile, tells the story of a man from the Northeast against the backdrop of various significant political events, from the 1932 Revolution to the military coup of 2006. The story aims to shine a light on the complications suffered by the people of the mostly impoverished Isan region, complications that stem from the perpetual corruption and exploitation by the upper class. Is the SEA Write Award still as significant as it once was? It’s an indicator that Thailand still has an abundance of quality writers every year.

Why should people read your book? I think my book will really appeal to people who like my method of presenting a narrative. This is referring to my use of both Lao and Thai, as well as the perspectives presented in the book. How did you feel the moment you finished writing the first sentence of this book? Did you know you had a book in you? The first sentence of any of my books, be they long or short, always feel like the opening moments of lovemaking to me. What did you read while you were writing this book? All The Names by Jose Saramago, as well as various other articles written by the likes of Nattapol Jai Jing, Tongchai Winichakul and others. Any Thai or international writers you’d recommend? Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Mookhorm Wongthes. — Kanin Srimaneekulroj