Rong Wongsawan

Narong Wongsawan
ณรงค์ วงษ์สวรรค์
Born(1932-05-20)20 May 1932
Chai Nat province, Siam[1]
Died15 March 2009(2009-03-15) (aged 76)
Chiang Mai province, Thailand[2]
Pen nameRong Wongsawan
'รงค์ วงษ์สวรรค์
Occupation
  • Writer
  • journalist
Notable awardsNational Artist (1995)
SpouseSumalee Wongsavun[3]
สุมาลี วงษ์สวรรค์
Children2[1]

Narong Wongsawan (Thai: ณรงค์ วงษ์สวรรค์; 20 May 1932 – 15 March 2009) was a Thai writer and journalist. He wrote under the name Rong Wongsawan (Thai: 'รงค์ วงษ์สวรรค์). Much of his writing was semi-autobiographical reflecting his experiences and reporting from different places in Thailand, and in California, where he lived in the 1960s. In both places he was a critic of the hypocrisies of the powerful, while having sympathy for the disadvantaged.[1][4][5]

Wongsawan wrote in his native Thai language, although he spoke and read English fluently. He was also an occasional actor and personality on Thai television and film until his death in 2009. He is known for his innovations in the Thai language, and as with many Thai writers, used dialog to drive the story.[6]

  1. ^ a b c Leyland, Peter (29 May 2009). "Obituary: Rong Wongsawan". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 April 2022.
  2. ^ "สิ้นลมแล้ว "รงค์ วงษ์สวรรค์" ปิดฉากตำนาน "พญาอินทรีแห่งสวนอักษร"". Manager Online (in Thai). 15 March 2009. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012.
  3. ^ "National treasure Rong Wongsawan's classic book now in English". Citylife Chiang Mai. 14 September 2022. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022.
  4. ^ Waters, Tony (2019). "Rong Wongsawan's Gonzo Journey through California in 1976: A Thai Writer Looks at the Americans". Journal of the Siam Society. 107 (2): 117–133.
  5. ^ https://mysakonnakhon.com/thai-journalist-day-remembering-rong-wongsawan/
  6. ^ Anderson, Benedict; Mendiones, Ruchira (1985). In the Mirror: Literature and Politics in Siam in the American Era. Bangkok: Duang Kamol. ISBN 978-974-210-380-4.