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Payut Ngaokrachang. Profile image from อนุรักษ์ภาพยนตร์เก่า
Payut Ngaokrachang. Profile image from อนุรักษ์ภาพยนตร์เก่า
Payut Ngaokrachang, still from ‘The Adventure of Sudsakron’, 1979, animation. Image from M+ Cinema
Payut Ngaokrachang, still from ‘The Adventure of Sudsakron’, 1979, animation. Image from M+ Cinema
Payut Ngaokrachang, still from ‘The Adventure of Hanuman’, 1957, animation. Image from M+ Cinema
Payut Ngaokrachang, still from ‘The Adventure of Hanuman’, 1957, animation. Image from M+ Cinema
Payut Ngaokrachang, ‘The New Adventures of Hanuman’ storyboard image alongside the final animation, 1957, animation. Image from The Unwritten Record
Payut Ngaokrachang, ‘The New Adventures of Hanuman’ storyboard image alongside the final animation, 1957, animation. Image from The Unwritten Record

Payut Ngaokrachang

b. 1929, Province of Prachuab Kirikhan, Thailand
d. 2010, Bangkok, Thailand

Payut Ngaokrachang is known as a pioneer of Thai animation. He loved Thai-style characters, though his exposure to early American cartoons also shaped his aesthetic sensibility.

Taking an interest in nang drama (shadow puppet plays) and ‘Felix the Cat’ at a young age, he started conceptualising his first animation while recovering from illness. As a result, ‘Haed Mahasajan (The Miracle Incident)’ was born in 1955. The work caught the attention of the US Embassy, which later hired him to create anti-communism animation such as ‘Hanuman Pachoenpai Krangmai (The New Adventures of Hanuman)’ (1958) and ‘Dek Kab Mee (A Child and a Bear)’ (1959). He remained with the USIS for “32 years and 10 months and 18 days,” painting and drawing, Payut said. After releasing ‘The Adventure of Sudsakorn’ (1979), Payut dedicated his life to education and passing down valuable knowledge to future generations.

Biography information from M+ Cinema and Google Arts & Culture, August 2023

Country: Thailand