Saneh Sangsuk's novel 'The Understory' explores Thai forest ethics through storytelling

Saneh Sangsuk's latest novel 'The Understory' blends parable with homage to Thailand's natural world through the narrative of Luang Paw Tien, a ninety-three-year-old Buddhist abbot and storyteller. Set in the village of Praeknamdang during a period of modernization, the book examines tensions between tradition and change. Translator Mui Poopoksakul notes Sangsuk's evolution from a literary renegade with his 1994 debut 'White Shadow' to a writer deeply connected to oral storytelling traditions from his rural origins. The story follows Luang Paw Tien, his wife, and his father Old Man Junpa as they attempt to establish a new settlement in the jungle, facing threats from a tiger with emerald eyes. Drawing on supernatural folk legends, medicinal herb manuscripts called samut khoi, and elements of Greek tragedy, the novel presents environmental themes through vivid prose. Poopoksakul's translation preserves Sangsuk's atmospheric style, capturing the sensual menace of the jungle setting. Published by Peirene Press in softcover for £12.99, the book represents Sangsuk's continued exploration of Thailand's cultural heritage through fiction.