In November 2023, I was invited as a panelist, then moderator, to two wonderful panels discussing translation and Southeast Asian literature at the Georgetown Lit fest 2023: Terra Incognita. Please find the links to the recording of the two panels below:
Translation Across Borders
Speakers: Sawad Hussain, Chris Andrews, Duong Manh Hung
Moderator: Kong Rithdee
Translators are often referred to as the most intimate readers of any text. In this panel of translators working between English and Arabic, Spanish and Vietnamese, we will hear about the subtleties of translation in different cultural (and textual) contexts. What does translation feel like in different languages? And does the intimacy of translation pose challenges of its own for translators to do what they do?
The Labyrinth of Memory: Veeraporn Nitiprapha and Kong Rithdee
Speakers: Veeraporn Nitiprapha, Kong Rithdee
Moderator: Duong Manh Hung
Veeraporn Nitiprapha’s bestselling novels weave local history and family saga into a heady, distinctly Thai, contemporary folklore. In this special conversation, the two-time SEA Write Award winner is joined by Kong Rithdee, the accomplished translator of both her novels. We speak to the acclaimed author-translator pair about the interplay of history and personal memory, and explore the influence of politics and Thai soap operas on Veeraporn’s literary imagination.