Articles

For Freedom of Expression

Having experienced several struggles for democracy in which thousands of people died, Pira Canning Sudham intended to record the May 1992 massacre of pro-democracy protesters in the streets of Bangkok as a historical episode in Shadowed Country. This record should stand up against an attempt to rewrite or whitewash the "Days of Horror" in the history of Thailand.

The author believes that the greater danger to individual freedom comes from despotic regimes that regard any dissenting view as a threat to be destroyed, no matter if the threat comes from a single writer protesting against suppression, graft and the abuse of power or from thousands of protesters. To Pira Canning Sudham, a very important component of democracy is the sanctity of human rights including the freedom of an individual and the freedom of the mass media. However, overthrowing a despotic regime does not ensure democracy. When a despot is toppled another despot in a certain shade or form may follow after a short period of democracy.

While writing under despotic regimes and in sporadic periods of democracy, Pira Canning Sudham wished to suggest in his literary works what the authorities should do for the country’s poor. His writing defies time for it reflects the unsolved problem of poverty, injustice and corruption, and goes beyond time through the universality of love, hate, generosity, selfishness and hypocrisy. Through the years, he has highly earned the respect of his readers throughout the world. This well-earned respect rises from his determination not to stray from the truth and from his intellectual honesty.