Interesting Facts about Juntree Siriboonrod, the “Father of Thai Science Fiction”

Google Doodle was released on March 31, 2023, to commemorate the 106th birthday of Juntree Siriboonrod (จันตรี ศิริบุญรอด), a Thai novelist who is referred to as the “father of Thai science fiction.” Here are some interesting and fun facts about Juntree Siriboonrod.

Here is a look at Juntree Siriboonrod’s life and work.

10 Interesting Facts about Juntree Siriboonrod

1. Juntree Siriboonrod (จันตรี ศิริบุญรอด) was born on March 31, 1917. His childhood is unknown to a large extent.
2. Superfans might think he traveled from an alternate universe or saved the baby from aliens, but in true science-fiction fashion, no one knows for sure where he came from!
3. Juntree Siriboonrod started his career in the Thai government as a civil servant in the Mineral Fuels Division, which is now the Department of Mineral Fuels of the Ministry of Energy.
4. As a senior high school science teacher at the Kenneth Mackensie School in Lampang Province, he began writing novels and limited-edition science-related articles and stories.
5. Together with Dr. Preecha Amatyakul, who was at the time the Assistant Secretariat of the Science Society of Thailand, Juntree Siriboonrod wrote Witthayasat Mahatsachan, a Thai science magazine, in 1945.
6. He published science fiction, articles about science, and biographies of scientists under this name until his resignation in 1959.
7. He published Phu Dap Duang Athit, or “The Man Who Put Out the Sun,” a collection of fantastical, science-fiction short stories that is still highly regarded throughout Thailand today.
8. Juntree Siriboonrod (จันตรี ศิริบุญรอด) is a Thai author who has been praised as the “father of Thai science fiction.” Among his many works are Lok Thalom, Phu Dap Duang Athit, Phu Phop Phaendin, Manut Khu, and Phu Sang Anakhot, all of which were included on the list of “88 Good Thai Science Books.”
9. The Juntree Siriboonrod Award was established in 2005 by Nanmee Books Co. Ltd., the Science Writers & Publisher Forum (SciPub), the Science Society of Thailand Under the Patronage of His Majesty the King, the Junior Science Talent Project (JSTP), and the Thailand National Science and Technology Development Agency for his achievements in the field of Thai science fiction. It serves as a reminder of Siriboonrod’s literary impact in the field of Thai science fiction.
10. To commemorate Juntree Siriboonrod’s 106th birthday, Google featured a Google Doodle on its homepage on March 31, 2023.