MORE THAN WORDS

       The formal setting of the Royal Ballroom of the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok was played up to its fullest as Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and Princess Srirasm presided at the 2009 SEA Write Awards Presentation and Gala Dinner.and past laureates, many of whom are regulars at the annual event. The cocktail reception prior to the award presentation was a chance for all of them to catch up and share the past year's news updates.
       Before long, they were invited to move to the ballroom to await the arrival of the royal guests of honour.
       In the receiving line to greet Their Royal Highnesses were sponsors led by SEA Write Award Organising Committee Chairman and Bangkok Governor, MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra (also representing the Chumbhot-Pantip Foundation); Flying Officer Norahuch Ployyai, acting president of THAI Airways International; Dr Tarisa Watanagase,governor of the Bank of Thailand; Dr Amorn Chandarasomboon, Bangkok Bank's executive director, Dr Tanasak Wahawisan, director and executive director of ExportImport Bank; Thanit Thamasukati, CEO, Tosapak Co Ltd (Thai Beverage PLC); Rex Morgan of the Rex Morgan Foundation; and Kusa Panyarachun, World Travel Service.
       This year, the event was also supported by Toshiba Thailand Co Ltd and King Power Complex.
       Prior to entering the Royal Ballroom for dinner and festivities, Their Royal Highnesses were presented with books by awardees from the eight participating Asean countries, namely Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam who were joined by the presidents of Pen Club Thailand and the Writers Association of Thailand, Asst Prof Dr Dhanate Vespada and Chamaiporn Saengkrachang respectively.Keynote speaker Paul Theroux's gift to the Royal guests was a copy of his bestseller The Great Railway Bazaar .Following the formality of group photo sessions with the awardees and sponsors, Their Royal Highnesses proceeded to the Royal Ballroom but not before shaking hands with the Asean Ambassadors lined up in the foyer.
       After dinner, which was accompanied by music from the Krungthep Light Orchestra, the formalities began. In His Royal Address, the Crown Prince stated:"Nowadays,mass media of various kinds have progressed rapidly in character, but literary works still maintain a very important place among them." He also added:"This is because literary works always manage to use language and the art of descriptive writing to communicate stories which arouse vivid knowledge, feelings and imagination closely linked to people's lives."
       In his keynote speech Mr Theroux disclosed that what impressed him regarding the SEA Write Award since his debut in 1985, is "the tremendous breadth of the writing represented; the skill and imagination of the writers, and the fact that these writers came from all over Southeast Asia". He continued by saying that the awardees "deserve to be rewarded here, because there are very fewmaterial rewards for most writers" as it's generally true that "there's no money in writing". Theroux concluded with:"If your writing is truthful and heartfelt and fearless it transcends nationality. Writing is a way of speaking to friends, to strangers, to your leaders - and people all over the world."
       HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and HRH Princess Srirasm, with, foreground from left, Khamseng Synonthong (Laos);Uthis Haemamool (Thailand); Asst Prof Dr Dhanate Vespada, president of Pen Club; Chamaiporn Saengkrachang, president of the Writers' Association; Hajah Norsiah binti Haji Abdul Gapar (Brunei); and Azmah Nordin (Malaysia). Back row, from left:Cao Duy Son (Vietnam); Abdon Jr Balde (Philippines); MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra; keynote speaker Paul Theroux; Chia Hwee Pheng (Singapore) and Floribertus Rahardi (Indonesia).
       Uthis Haemamool, Thai SEA Write awardee receives the plaque from HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.
       Thai SEA Write laureate Chiranan Pitpreecha (1989), Prof Dr Yongyuth Yuthavong with his family Namon and Ajarn Onchuma, Somtow Sucharitkul, Oraya Sutabutr and Trisdee na Patalung.
       SEA Write Sponsors, from left: Col Rex Morgan, the Rex Morgan Foundation; Jan D Goessing, general manager of the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok; MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra; Dr Tarisa Watanagase,governor of the Bank of Thailand; Thanit Thamsukati, Thai Beverages PLC; Dr Amorn Chandarasomboon, Bangkok Bank; Flying Officer Norahuch Ployyai, THAI Airways International PCL;and Dr Tanasak Wahawisan, Exim Bank.
       Thai SEA Write laureate Watchara Sujjasarasin (2008) with the 2009 winner Uthis Haemamool.
       Thai SEA Write laureates Chockchai Bundit (2001) and Krisana Asokesin (1985).
       Asean Ambassadors line up to welcome Their Royal Highnesses in front of the Royal Ballroom, from left: Dato Paduka Haji Kamis bin Haji Tamin (Brunei), Dato' Husni Zai Bin Yaacob (Malaysia), Peter Chan Jer Hing (Singapore) and Antonio Venus Rodriguez (Philippines).