The Tale of Khun Chang Khun Phaen Abridged Version

by Chris Baker (translator), Pasuk Phongpaichit (Translator)

This outstanding classic of the Thai language is an entertaining folk epic set in the social panorama of traditional Siam. The tale is a spectacular love story rich in romance, adventure, violence, farce, and magic, and ending in the tragic and enigmatic death of its heroine.

Written in lively prose, this new, abridged edition retains every scene, incident, and significant dialogue from the full prize-winning English translation, except for one short section.

The great Thai linguist William Gedney believed that “if all other information on traditional Thai culture were to be lost, the whole complex could be reconstructed from this marvelous text.”

The translators

Chris Baker formerly taught Asian history at Cambridge University and has lived in Thailand for over thirty years. Pasuk Phongpaichit is professor of economics at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok. Together they have written A History of Thailand, Economy and Politics, Thaksin, and published several translations.

The translators are winners of the A. L. Becker Southeast Asian Literature in Translation Prize (2010).

What others are saying

“An excellent English translation of a Thai classic, which in its depth, quality, and readability might very well count as a landmark in Thai studies.”—Peter Skilling, co-editor of How Theravada is Theravada?

“Spellbinding”—Jeff Kingston, professor of Asian Studies, Temple University, Japan

Highlights

• Abridged edition of the full translation published in 2010
• Retains all the scenes and dialogues from the full edition, except for one section
• Includes over 30 distinctive drawings from the full translation

429 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 22, 2015

About the author

Chris Baker is an independent scholar and long-term resident of Thailand.

Reviews

[Shelby Nivi · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a trip. An alarming number of people got speared in the anus.

[John Collings · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a translation of a longer folk tale from Thailand that has been passed down through oral tradition. Much like Homer and the epic of Beowulf, the original holds its story together through a rhythmic style that is repetitive in nature, so it is easier to remember and recite. Because of this, it loses some of its impact when it is rewritten in prose. It becomes very repetitive and there were many times while reading this book that I found myself nodding off. Like all other hero epics, it is very episodic where there are time where the transgressions done to each other are forgotten in favor of story, but then again this whole story would not be told in one sitting, and only bits and pieces would be told at a time. For the most part, it is a fun story of love and war which highlights many of the values still represented in Thai culture today. The characters are all unique but sometimes come across as cartoonish. The one I struggled with the most was Khun Chang, the rich buffoon, who happens to be a rich buffoon all because he was born with having to live his life bald. I know that it is a cultural thing, but from the perspective of a bald man, this should not be an indication if someone will be a buffoon or not. Otherwise, it was a good story, and one that should be read for anyone who is interested in understanding the cultures of that part of the world.

[Edwin Pietersma · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a novel that is regarded a classic in Thailand, among the likes of Tale of Genji in Japan or Odysseus from ancient Greek literature. It is an interesting novel, and this is the abridged version of it. For people not really familiar with traditional Thai literature and history/scenery, this novel can be a bit hard to digest or random at times. The full-version, which I have not read, would have more explanation, which this novel does not really offer. It is interesting, but the plot itself is quite a common one (of two people in love with the same person) and the hardships they face. It was nice, but I have read better works on this topic. Sometimes it has quirky comments that are quite funny.

[Museveni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never would have imagined Thai epic poetry to be so thrilling. Its an interesting entry point into Thai history and culture.

[Darren Hawkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Interesting for historical and cultural insight, but also ridiculous. Full of unlikable people ruled by passions and lots of sexual assault.

[Zemaemidjehuty · Rating 4 out of 5]

An arduous read but a rewarding one. This story presents a snapshot of life in a distant part of Thailand's past. While reading, it is important to remember this has been re-formatted from a song.