Teacher spends life preserving ancient Thai script

Amid the rising risk of the cultural identity of the Thai ethnic people falling into oblivion, many artisans are trying hard to revive the traditional values of their ethnic group.

Teacher Ha Nam Ninh in the mountainous district of Ba Thuoc in Thanh Hoa province is an example. He has spent his life studying, preserving and passing down ancient Thai scripts to younger generations. 

Everyday, this teacher diligently collects materials on ancient scripts in the Thai language. On his bookcase, there are many valuable historical documents written in Thai dating back more than 500 years.

Despite his old age, Ninh still teaches the Thai language to cadres and soldiers of the armed forces working in border districts and communes. Students who participate in his class are able to communicate, write and read in the Thai language after a couple of weeks.

In his spare time, Ninh usually teaches Thai scripts to his granddaughter. Dao Mai Anh has been inspired with a love for ancient Thai scripts thanks to her grandpa’s stories.

In 2015, Ninh was conferred the title Excellent Artist by the State President for his outstanding contributions to preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of the nation./.

VNA