Introduction to Supernatural Beings in Thai Culture, Part I :...

This book is the first part of the trilogy of the supernatural beings in Thai culture which comprised of the stories of monsters. Anecdotes were compiled from commonly-known local tales. In this introductory book, the origin, characteristics and behaviors of the monsters will be explained. Some visualized images are also provided to facilitate readers from other cultural backgrounds. Most stories may have been reproduced in Thai pop culture. However, the narration of this book is conveyed by the documentary style with the emphasis on the reasoning of the monsters’ actions. The most difficult part in writing book is the anonymity of the stories’ authors. Likewise, it is very difficult to locate the period when the first story-telling emerged.The most interesting point of the Monster in Thai culture is that they are surreal and exotic especially for the readers who do not share the same cultural background. It can be said that the ways the stories describe its appearances, actions and the ways to prevent oneself from the monster is almost unthinkable. The author has collected the stories of the well-known monsters from every region in Thailand. Some character was known for a long time since 12th century which still remains in the Thai beliefs. The author hopes that readers will know the meaning of the monsters after reading this book, and acquire better understanding of the beliefs on monsters in Thai cultural contexts.

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