Khamsing Srinawk (, , ) is a writer from the Isan region of Thailand. He writes under the pen name Lao Khamhom (, ). He was named a National Artist in Literature in 1992 and is best known for his satirical short stories published in his 1958 collection Fa Bo Kan (, ) ['The Sky is No Barrier']. Benedict Anderson argues that Khamsing is the best known short story writer in Thailand.<!-- is the previous iteration of reference 2 above -->
Early life
Born 25 December 1930 in Bua Yai District of Thailand's northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima Province,<!-- Reference above was originally: -->
He was the sixth of seven children by his parents Suay and Kham Srinawk. After completing schooling in the local Bua Yai government school, he traveled to Bangkok and simultaneously enrolled in the faculty of journalism at Chulalongkorn University and the faculty of economics at Thammasat University. As a journalist, he served as a political reporter and feature writer. He saw journalism as a way to improve society. Newspapers were Khamsing's entry to the literary world of Bangkok and he would use these connections to begin publishing his work. His personal farm in Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima, became a refuge in times of crisis or government suppression of intellectuals, especially in the late-1950s and on his return from exile in the early-1980s. The farm produced corn, cotton, and milk using "modern" methods. It also may have added a mystique to Khamsing's persona as one who could shift between rural and urban contexts seamlessly. More importantly, his farm in later years became a place for young writers to come to learn the craft. From Bangkok, Khamsing took a job with the state forestry service, working in the far north as a forest ranger for three years (1953–1956). Herbert Phillips, who knew Khamsing, said that it was a time when the author "thrived – psychologically, physically, and as a reader and writer."
Publication of Fa Bo Kan
A year after his stint in the forestry service, Khamsing began publishing short stories in the newspaper Piyamit () ['Dear Friend']. Other publications where his work appeared include: Chiwit, Sangkhommasat Parithat, Khwan Chai and Chatturat. This corresponded with the relatively free press Thailand enjoyed during the years 1955–1958. Due to the political power-struggle between CIA-backed Phao Sriyanond and Pentagon-supported Sarit Thanarat, Thai writers and intellectuals were free to express their ideas. This atmosphere of free press quickly evaporated after the 16 September 1957 coup that drove Phao and Plaek Pibulsonggram into exile. Anderson argues that Khamsing's Fa Bo Kan, a collection of many of his stories originally published in Piyamit, best symbolizes this period of intellectual freedom. Shortly after the publication of Fa Bo Kan, Sarit seized power and established an absolute regime. Sarit's regime reinstated strict censorship, ending the period of free thought through imprisonment, exile, and execution of Thai intellectuals, writers, and progressives. He was able to lecture at several universities on his work and contemporary Thai literature.
In 1970 Khamsing was married to Prawee. They would subsequently have three daughters together.
After the Thammasat University massacre of 6 October 1976, Khamsing fled with many others to the jungle, eventually making his way to Laos. His work was banned by the incoming government. In Sweden he was made a member of the Swedish Association of Writers and was able to promote his work in Europe. While in exile, he went on a lecture tour in the US. He also began again working on his first novel Maeo (, ) ['Cat'], which is a metaphor for Thailand itself. Khamsing first began working on Maeo after the events of 14 October 1973, but he manuscript was lost in the turmoil of 1976. Eventually, the novel was published in 1983 after Khamsing returned to Bangkok in 1981.
Influence on Thai literature
Even though he is not a prolific author, Khamsing is credited with starting a shift in Thai literary style and focus. While the majority of Thai literature before the 20th century was dominated by royal and elite authors writing for the kingdom's gentry, Khamsing's divergence from typical Thai literary subject matter created the concept of the Thai peasant as hero. By giving voice to the common peasant, often in the vernacular in the village setting, Khamsing's writings, most notably Fa Bo Kan, worked to democratize Thai literature. In his works, Khamsing has depicted the plight of the Thai peasant, and in so doing, seek social justice and the betterment of Thai society in general. His writing is seen as a preeminent example of the "life as art" movement advocated by Jit Phumisak. His work has been listed as among the best in a century of the Thai short story.