Mr. Sombat Plynoi (Sor Plynoi) has been named Amata’s writer for 2008. At a press conference at the Amata Foundation office in Bangkok Mr. Sombat Plynoi whose efforts span more than six decades was announced as a great reader and writer of Thai lifestyle who also has become a great researcher and has created many different types of work including history, archaeology, literature and biographies of famous people. Sombat Plynoi has created an encyclopedia of Thai culture and history which can now be used by other researchers as reference material. Until now Khun Sombat has written more than 100 books including Thai and International cartoon stories that bring knowledge about Thai culture to all age groups.
Khun Sombat almost missed out on his calling. He was first a clerk and then a teacher. While working as a teacher it was suggested to Khun Sombat that he consider to write a journal for the Ministry of Education. In 1979 Khun Sombat agreed to take charge as the leader of audio visual and printing for the Committee of Thai Culture and became the editor of the Thai Cultural Magazine. In 1985 just two years short of attaining the age of retirement Khun Sombat decided to leave his job and write full time doing books. The list of accomplishments is a long one. In his more than half dozen biographies of famous people his subjects have included Her Majesty the Queen and HM King Taksin the Great and King Pinklao of Siam. He also penned a book about Foreigners in Thailand’s History. He has also written two Encyclopedias on Thai History and Thai Culture along with books with diverse topics like humorous Thai tales and Born On A Boat and a book about stamps.
This was a very good year for Khun Sombat. In addition to receiving Amata’s Writer Award he was also honored with a certificate in 2008 by the Office of the National Culture commission as the best Thai Language User.
In 1992 he was awarded a prize by the National Book Fair for his book Jewel Story and a year later in 1993 was honored again for Animal Story by the Bangkok Bank Foundation. Born in a boat won the prize in 1995 from the National Book Fair. In 1996 Khun Sombat was named as the writer who created the best cultural contributions by the Office of National Culture Commission.

2008 is the 4th year for the Amata Writer Award which was set up to praise talented Thai writers and to assist them to create good works for Thai society by Mr. Vikrom Kromadit, a chairman of the Amata Foundation and Chief Executive Officer of the Amata Corporation PLC who is also an accomplished author of several books including “Be A Better Man”.
Khun Sombat Plynoi by being selected as Amata Writer 2008 will receive one million Thai Baht and a golden medal from the Kromadit family.
Each year that the award has been presented the Amata Foundation has conducted the screening of entries by a committee chaired by Professor Khunying Manmas Chavalit.

Both the medal and the cash award will be presented at an award ceremony January 22, 2009 and be presided over by His Excellency Anand Panyarachun the former Prime Minister of Thailand.

For more information about the Amata Writer Award please contact the foundation via the internet at www.amatafoundation.org or telephone 02-792-0001