Thai Comics

thumbnail, Banluesarn booth at a book fair.
Thai comics () are comics created and produced by Thai cartoonists (). Thai comics have a long history that dates back to the early 20th century. The industry saw significant growth during the 1980s and 1990s with the emergence of several successful comic series. Today, in addition to traditional printed comics, web comics have also gained popularity in Thailand.

History

Early days

The first recognized cartoon in Thailand was made during the reign of King Rama V, which appeared in the magazine Samran Wittaya (, ) in January 1907. The cartoon depicted a Chinese pork seller, a dog, a chair, and a pork leg, and included a riddle in the form of a poem.

Cartooning in Thailand gained momentum during the reign of King Rama VI, who was not only interested in drawing but also exposed to British political cartoons during his education at Oxford University. In 1917, he coined the Thai word "Paap Lor" () as a term for "cartoon", which helped to establish the medium in Thailand.In 1920, the King held an amateur drawing competition among state officials, which included three categories: "Paap Lor", creative drawings, and realistic drawings. These categories indicated that cartoons had been distinguished from other styles of art.

In 1923, Pleng Tri-Pin () won a royally-endorsed competition and became Thailand's first political cartoonist after being hired by Krungthep Daily Mail. Pleng, who had earlier traveled to Europe on a commercial vessel to study art, returned to Thailand with knowledge of using metal blocks for the press, which was a new technology in Thailand at the time. This enabled him to speed up the process of publishing cartoons in the newspapers and encouraged other cartoonists to produce more works. Pleng's contributions to Thai cartooning earned him the title "Khun Patipak Pimlikit" (, ) from the King.

The artistic roots of Thai comics can be found in paintings of local ghosts based on stories of Thai folklore, appearing during the reign of King Nangklao in the early 19th century.

Emerging era

After the Siamese Revolution of 1932, several newspapers and magazines in Thailand started featuring cartoons and comic strips. Popular cartoonists of the time included Sawas Jutharop (), Fuen Rod-Ari (), Jamnong Rod-Ari (), Witt Sutthasatien (), and Chant Suwannaboon (). Sawas Jutharop, one of the popular cartoonists in the early period of Thai cartooning, is known for his notable works such as "Sang Thong" (Thai: สังข์ทอง), a fable about a boy who lives in a conch, which was published in Siam Ratsadon from 1932 to 1933. He later created more series based on Thai fables, and developed a main character named "Khun Muen" (Thai: ขุนหมื่น), who was Popeye.

However, the newspaper industry and comic strips were temporarily frozen during World War II. After the war, Thai cartooning resumed and the period from 1953 to 1962 was called "the golden age of Thai cartoons". Among the famous and influential cartoonists of this era were Adirek Ariyamontri (), Mongkol Wongudom (), Weerakul Thongnoi (, pen name: Por. Bangplee ), Pimon Kalasee (), and Sa-Ngob Jampat (). Prayoon Chanyawongs (, pen name: Suklek and Chan) was perhaps the most celebrated cartoonist of this early period and became known as the "King of Thai Cartoon." He was the first Asian to win the International Cartoon for Peace Competition in New York in 1960 for his cartoon "The Last Nuclear Test" (). In 1971, he became the only cartoonist to win Asia's prestigious Magsaysay Award for his use of pictorial satire and humor in defense of the public interest for over three decades.

Many other notable works from this era include Thunder Knight () by Por. Bangplee, Black Lion () by Niwat Taraphan (), Chaochaiphomthong () by Julasakk Amornvej (), and many more. In the same decade, a publishing company named Plaeunchit () began to publish novels or pulp fiction in the market, featuring legendary artists such as Heam Vejjakorn (), Witt Sutthasatien, and Sanea Klaykleaun () who began their careers.

Early 2000s–present

Between the 1970s and 1980s, the comics market in Thailand was flooded with many unlicensed comics from foreign countries (most of them Japanese) for many years, until only two genres of Thai comics survived on the market: one-baht comics (), which were small books of comics with cheap paper that sold for only 1 baht and contained horror or ghost stories, and humor comics like Kai Hua Roh () from Bunluesarn. While some creators or publishers tried to produce quality comics or magazines, they were not very successful.

During the 1990s, after fixed copyright laws were used in Thailand, every publisher in the country began to license manga from Japan legitimately, and several new comics were created and inspired by Japanese manga. A notable example is Thai Comics Magazine () from Vibulkij Publishing, which had an anthology format that showcased the work of young and upcoming talented artists from various publishing companies that supported the work of Thai cartoonists. Famous comic series like PangPond (), Knife 13th (), JOE the SEA-CRET Agent, and Hesheit () shared the market with manga.

In the early 2000s, many famous comics by Thai creators resurfaced, Among these famous Thai comics was Apaimanee Saga, created by Supot Anawatkochakron (, pen name: SUPOT.A), which was the first Thai comic to be translated into French. PangPond, a popular comedy comic, was turned into an animation. Additionally, 13 Quiz Show, a short story in the comics series My Mania (), was adapted into the famous feature film 13 Beloved. Chaiyan Suyawech (), also known by the pen name Tapone (), is a renowned cartoonist who helped elevate the Thai comic industry. He contributed to the industry with works such as The Crocodile Crisis (), Khaki (), Takraw (), The Cabalist (), Hot Beach: Duck & Swan (), Orin and Jinna (), Petch Phra Uma (), Luk Mai (), and many others.

Various publishing companies like Bunlausarn, Vibulkij, Siam Inter Comics, Nation Edutainment, Bongkoch, EQ+, or Punica supported Thai artists consistently, and with a lot of movement from alternative and indie Thai comic creators like Eakasit Thairaat (), Wisut Ponnimit (), Ongart Chaichancheap (), Songsin Thewsomboon (), and Veerachai Duangpla (). Magazines like ''Thai Comics'' and ''Let's Comics'' helped shape the industry for the next decade.

Thailand's comic industry has seen remarkable growth in recent years, with the emergence of talented artists and the advent of digital platforms making it easier for readers to access their works. One such artist is Jakraphan Huaypetch (), also known as Ton, whose works include the football-themed comic series "The Killer Pass" () and the basketball-themed comic series "Super Dunker" () have won him numerous accolades, including the Gold Award at the 3rd International Manga Awards in 2009. Another notable Thai comic series is EXEcutional (), a long-running series written and illustrated by Panuwat Wattananukul (). The series began publication in 2006 and ran until 2022, with 50 volumes, 1 special volume (equivalent to 15.5 volumes), 3 novels, and 8 volumes of Executional Remaster being released. The series has gained a dedicated following and limited editions of the books are highly sought after. In addition to EXEcutional, another standout Thai comic series is Garin's Uncanny File (), published by Punica Comic Publishing. The success of this Thai horror-fantasy themed series led to the creation of their own universe of content, including fantasy and mystery comics, as seen in the anthology series Blacx Magazine.

Other notable Thai cartoonists include Sinad Jaruatjanapat (), known for his skilled illustrations in the Thai comic series "Pinto Love in a Lunchbox" (). His fine-lined artwork beautifully depicts Thai traditional food. The series has also been adapted into an animation, currently in the works. There is also Skan Srisuwan (), a veteran CG artist who collaborated with Stan Lee on a graphic novel adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet titled "Romeo & Juliet: The War", a sci-fi adaptation of the classic novel that is planned to be adapted into a movie. Other talented Thai cartoonists include Art Gino, Pitsinee Tangkittinun, and Chalisa Limpipolphaiboon (pen name: Amulin). These are just a few examples of the many talented Thai cartoonists who continue to contribute to the country's rich comic culture.

With the rise of digital platforms such as Comico, Line Webtoon, Meb:E-Book, NEKOPOST, Ookbee comic, WeComics TH, Vibulkij, Facebook pages, and more, Thai comic creators have more avenues than ever to reach a wider audience. Many of these platforms offer both free and paid content, making it easier for readers to access their favorite comics from the comfort of their mobile devices.

List of Thai comics h/h1>

Weekly comic books

* Kai Hua Roh ( ขายหัวเราะ)
* MahaSanook ( มหาสนุก)
* Noo Hin Inter ( หนูหิ่น อินเตอร์)
* Neoz Magazine (นิตยสาร นีออซ)2000 บ้านการ์ตูนไทย
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See also

* Thai animation
* Manga

References

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Further reading

*Kurathong, Nirawan ''A Brief History of Thai Comics and Graphic Novels'' (2010). LET'S Comic Publishing. .
*Verstappen, Nicolas ''THE ART OF THAI COMICS: A CENTURY OF STRIPS AND STRIPES'' . River Books (2021) .

External links

* Time Line In Thai Language 1917 - 2019 (เพจบ้านการ์ตูนไทยหอสมุดวังท่าพระ พ.ศ.2460-256

{{Comics

Thai comics,
Entertainment in Thailand