Abstract:
This study aimed at examining the adaptive use of the folktales of Sri Thanonchai in Thai contemporary printed media, specifically in eight picture books and comic strips. In addition, this study also investigated the dynamics and roles of the folktales of Sri Thanonchai in Thai contemporary printed media. The analysis reveals that the folktales of Sri Thanonchai in Thai contemporary printed media can be classified into three groups: 1) the folktales of Sri Thanonchai that retain the original storyline; 2) the folktales of Sri Thanonchai that exhibit partial modification and creation; and 3) the folktales of Sri Thanonchai that display new creation. Moreover, it is found that there are three methods of incorporating elements of the folktales of Sri Thanonchai in Thai contemporary printed media, which consist of: 1) preservation of the original elements, such as motifs of major events, motifs of main characters, and the nature of trickster tale; 2) modification of elements, such as motifs of major events, motifs of characters, and themes; and 3) addition of elements, such as motifs of main characters, some key concepts, and some humorous elements. The dynamics in the folktales of Sri Thanonchai that retain the original storyline comprise two features: 1) modification from oral narrative to a picture book and a comic strip and 2) modification of the contents to correspond to new forms of media. Regarding the folktales of Sri Thanonchai that exhibit partial modification and creation and the folktales of Sri Thanonchai that display new creation, three features of dynamics are found: 1) modification from oral narrative to a picture book and a comic strip; 2) modification of the objectives to serve as a medium for disseminating academic knowledge and moral teachings; and 3) modification of the contents to correspond to new forms of media and contemporary contexts, which includes addition of new events to provide academic and moral knowledge, addition of supporting characters with unique and interesting attributes, modification of main characters attributes to be in accordance with the new objectives and storyline, modification of events to present the story in a new perspective, and incorporation of characters and events from other literatures. Such modifications correlate with the preservation and promotion of Thai folktales, as well as the development of unique selling points of the printed media to captivate the attention of consumers in the society. As a consequence of these modifications, it can be observed that the folktales of Sri Thanonchai in Thai contemporary printed media played a role in providing entertainment, reinforcing social rules, and serving as a modern form of educational media.