In high school, Artyasit Srisuwan saw his friends bring erotic books to class. Teachers confiscated the material and scolded them, but Artyasit did not take the genre seriously until over a decade ago when he got to know Luang Vilaspariwat, known as Kru Liam, a pioneer of erotic literature in the early 20th century, and wanted to write a thesis about it. Due to the lack of primary sources, his adviser convinced him to change the topic.
But it was already engraved in his mind. In 2013, Artyasit proposed it again for his master’s degree and his adviser gave him the green light.
“That was the beginning of an exciting journey. Historical studies require primary sources. It is a huge challenge. I had to search for old pornographic books. It was believed that libraries don’t keep them. Five years later, I discovered that they are hidden,” he said.
Artyasit, an expert in modern Thai literature, shared his research in a seminar, titled “Siamese Pornography: Breaking The Taboo Of Sex In Thai Society, 1910s-1960s”, at Pridi Banomyong International College, Thammasat University, on Oct 10. He is a historian, columnist and winner of Fan Pan Tae, a televised competition for the most diehard fan of a certain subject, on the topic of Thailand’s SEA Write books.
Artyasit initially contacted Suchart Sawadsri, but the veteran editor did not know much about the topic. One day, a newspaper reported that Thongchai Likhitpornsawan discovered Kru Liam’s erotic novel Klom Khan. He contacted the old book collector and had the opportunity to see it for the first time. A personal connection led him to interview a number of experts in the book industry, however, they requested anonymity due to the topic.
“I know that pornographic books are private and treasured possession. It can be uncomfortable for owners [to share],” he said.
Artyasit started to buy erotica himself. He found it at a second-hand bookstore in Yaowarat’s Tamarind Alley. However, they were hidden and expensive. A single palm-sized book cost around 800-1,200 baht. Due to a limited budget, he could buy only a small number. In 2015, he received a grant from the Thailand Research Fund which allowed him to buy more for his research.
Artyasit disagrees with most scholars who contend that Phra Tamrap Yoni, literally translated as vagina manual, was the first erotica in Siam. In his view, Kru Liam, a teacher who received a royal scholarship for further study in England in the 1890s, penned four novels — Klom Khan, Phananchom, Phromajari and Daruni Prawat — that constitute the first pornography in Siam.
At 14, Artyasit got to read Kru Liam’s earliest work Khwam Mai Phayabat (No Vendetta), the first known novel by a Siamese author. It is a parody of Khwam Phayabat, a translation of Marie Corelli’s Vendetta by Mae Wan, a pseudonym of Phraya Surinracha. Since then, it opened the door to more of Kru Liam’s works.
Klom Khan is the tale of an innocent woman in Victorian England who has an extramarital affair and seeks an abortion from a fake doctor. However, he makes an appointment with her in the barn, duping her into believing that sexual intercourse is the procedure. On the third night, the woman falls from a broken bed and loses her baby, but she thanks the doctor because she believes he helped her.
“Unlike many scholars, I think Kru Liam did not translate but wrote Klom Khan,” he said.
According to his research, Kru Liam thought Khwam Mai Phayabat was a commercial failure because local characters and settings did not appeal to readers. In his second novel Nang Neramit (The Divine Nymphs), he recounts an adventurous, suspenseful tale in Egypt, in the style of H. Rider Haggard’s King Solomon’s Mines and She. The use of exotic scenes paved the way for other racy novels, including Klom Khan.
Artyasit said Klom Khan inspired the production of erotica in the 1920s. At the time, sex was not a taboo subject until the government sought control of obscenity. During World War II, shortage of paper and an economic downturn forced publishers to adapt. Erotica was printed on mulberry paper and circulated underground, which gave rise to Wannakam Pim Deed, or type-written literature. After World War II, it was replaced with Wannakam Choh Chae, or erotic literature that makes readers get wet.
“It is known as Nangsue Pok Khao, literally translated as the white-covered book. It contained racy words and explicit material, for example Sao Hong Kong Jai Ded, with reference to politicians,” he said.
Artyasit explained that erotica surprisingly provided a platform for post-war lower-class women, especially those migrating to the city, to express their voice. For example, masters often complained that water was not running in their houses because too many people were flocking to the city, while servants talked back and asked if they are better at sex than ladies. Women slept with masters in exchange for better living conditions.
A new genre also emerged in the mid-century. Arthit Jiamrattanyoo, a history lecturer at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Arts, conducted research on life and society magazines. They covered society at large, high society and social gatherings, featuring photos of women in casual attire, evening dresses, swimsuits or in the nude. Most images, however, came from porn magazines and did not relate to the stories. Household names included Chat Thai Athit, Puangpayom and Thai Pim Piset.
These magazines presented various types of writing. Interviews allowed women to express their views and impart or challenge values. Society columns followed development, enabling readers and writers to expand their reference group and create parasocial interaction with women. Above all, behind-society literature was an exposé of corrupt practice, including underage sex, debauchery and seduction, of which socialite women were victims and perpetrators.
“It might be seen as an adaptation of erotic literature. Going overground, writers toned down raunchiness but could present more engaging ideas,” said Artyasit.
Still, it is difficult to ascertain the identity of erotic writers. Rumpa, a pseudonym in Nangsue Pok Khao, is a case in point. Although it was revealed that Rumpa was female, readers remained doubtful about the author’s identity.
Some writers were male, but adopted female voice in the belief that they would sell more copies, for example, Mae Wan. Some famous authors also wrote erotica under pseudonyms to make more money.