Abstract:
This research aimed to study how King Rama II's Sang Thong, a piece of Thai literature, has been adapted to contemporary media and its composition. The study of three types of contemporary media, picture books, animated cartoons, and television series, is qualitative research using the conceptual framework of literary adaptation. According to the results, all three forms of contemporary media have managed to preserve crucial components from their original script while modifying them to fit the distinctive features of each medium. When Thai literature is adapted into contemporary media, the producers tend to keep the main storyline intact. However, picture books may remove some details of events, unimportant settings, and characters, and use more illustrations to suit the target audience. This is done to keep the story concise, as there are limitations to the format of the book. Animated cartoons are often modified to include modern vocabulary and events, adding comedy and making them accessible to a younger audience. When creating TV series, creators modify content by adding new characters, scenes, events, and concepts, and using editing techniques to increase realism. This is done to serve the purpose of production and to extend the broadcast time. The process of adapting media varies based on audience and production costs. This study analyzes Sangthong's cultural dynamics in modern Thai society and explores how literature shapes societal values. The study contributes to our understanding of the complex relationship between literature and society in contemporary Thailand.