Seksan Prasertkul (, born 1949) is a Thai author who was awarded the title National Artist of Thailand in 2009. Seksan became a student leader at

Thammasat University Thammasat University (TU; ; , ) is a public university, public research university in Thailand with campuses in the Tha Phra Chan area of Bangkok, Rangsit, Pattaya and Lampang Province. , Thammasat University has over 39,000 students enrolled in ...

and was active in the October 1973 protests against the military government of

Thanom Kittikachorn Thanom Kittikachorn (, , ; 11 August 1911 – 16 June 2004) was Prime Minister of Thailand from 1963 to 1973, military officer, who supported and initiated military coups and became Thailand's defence minister. He rose to power when he staged a ...

. Seksan is the author of poetry, stories, and his autobiography, was made into a 2001 movie '' The Moonhunter.''

Early life

Seksan is the son of a fishing-boat builder and a market vendor. He graduated from high school at Chonkanyanakul School in Chonburi province, and received an AFS scholarship. He was an exchange student at a high school in the United States in 1967 and 1968. On his return to Thailand, he gained admission to Thammasat University by virtue of his high scores on the nationwide university entrance exam.

Leading up to 14 October 1973

Sulak Sivaraksa Sulak Sivaraksa (, ; ; born 27 March 1933) is a Thai social activist, professor, writer and the founder and director of the Thai NGO " Sathirakoses-Nagapradeepa Foundation", named after two authorities on Thai culture, Sathirakoses (Phya Anuma ...

"initiated forums for students to discuss current social issues. Among those attending was Seksan", according to ''Historical Dictionary of Thailand''.

After the Thammasat University Massacre

After the 6 October 1976

Thammasat University Massacre The 6 October 1976 massacre, also known as the 6 October event ( ) in Thailand, was a violent crackdown by Thai police and lynching by right-wing paramilitaries and bystanders against leftist protesters who had occupied Bangkok's Thammasat Un ...

, he took refuge with the communist insurgents in northeastern Thailand. In 1980, the Thai government offered amnesty to those who defected from insurgent movements. Prasertkul would surrender and return home six months after the amnesty began. Upon leaving the insurgency, he referred to himself as "a historical ruin." He went to the United States for graduate studies and received a doctorate from

Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...

in 1989. He has since taught political science at Thammasat University, where he is a well known and respected figure.

Works

*''Ruedukan '' ("seasons"—short stories) *"bamboo flowers" *"coming from the mangrove forest" *''Manutsayatham Kap Kan Tosu Thang Chon Chan'' *"Song of the Water, Dance of the Clouds" *Life University *Hiking in the Wood in Search of Real Life *Wandering in Search of Fish *"Life and Writing Books" *"Stream and Crosswalk" *"Song of the Universe" *"Waves of Liberty" *"Song of the Universe" *"Stream and Crosswalk" *"Moment of Defeat" *"Man and Tiger" (short stories) *"Bubbles of Time" (short stories) *''Khon la chan: 14 Tula songkhram prachachon'' ("14 October, the people’s war") *''Bangyang thi haipai: Ruam botkhwam kieokap satpa læ thammachat'' *''Khlun seriphap: Riang khwam 7 huakho'' *''Phleng ekkaphop: Banthuk khon doenthang'' *''Phleng nam rabam mek'' *''Rudukan: Ruang san læ botkawi (Chut "ruang san Thai")''

Works translated to English

*"A bamboo bridge over rapids" (translated by Marcel Barang)A bamboo bridge over rapids
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Private

He married Chiranan Pitpreecha. She won a SEA Write Award in 1989. The couple has since separated.

References

External links

The chronicle of Seksan PrasertkulSeksan: Thai society is on the verge of a volcanoReaders as dopes
Seksan Prasertkul 1949 births Living people Seksan Prasertkul Seksan Prasertkul Seksan Prasertkul Seksan Prasertkul Seksan Prasertkul Cornell University alumni Seksan Prasertkul Seksan Prasertkul Seksan Prasertkul 21st-century male writers Seksan Prasertkul Seksan Prasertkul {{Thailand-writer-stub