S.E.A. Write Award
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The S.E.A. Write Award, or Southeast Asian Writers Award, is an award that has been presented annually since 1979 to poets and writers in Southeast Asia.
The awards are given to a writer from each the countries that comprise the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, though not all countries in ASEAN have been represented every year. The award is sometimes given for a specific work by an author, or it could be awarded for lifetime achievement. The types of works that are honored vary, and have included poetry, short stories, novels, plays, folklore and scholarly and religious works.
The ceremonies are held in Bangkok, with a member of the Thai royal family presiding. The award was conceived by the management of the Oriental Bangkok hotel, which then sought further backing from Thai Airways International and other companies. The ceremonies have featured some notable guest speakers, including Iris Murdoch, Peter Ustinov, Jeffrey Archer, James A. Michener, Gore Vidal, William Golding, Rita Dove and Paul Theroux.
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