Creator
Thon Thavry
Cambodian author and publisher whose memoir A Proper Woman examines social expectations placed on Cambodian women.
Thon Thavry is a Cambodian author, inspirational speaker and publisher whose memoir A Proper Woman tells of her challenge to the social rules placed on Cambodian women.[1][2] She co-founded the publishing house Seavphovjevith, which publishes literature in Khmer.[1]
Early life and education
Thavry grew up on an island in the Bassac River south of Phnom Penh, with few modern conveniences, and was taught to see education as a way to an independent future beyond village life.[2][3] She has said she wanted to become an author from the age of nine.[4] At 11 she learned and recited verses of the Chbab Srey, the traditional code of conduct for Cambodian women, at school. She has said she began to question some of its teachings after she left home.[5]
She finished high school in 2007 and studied at a university in Phnom Penh until 2009.[1] She then went to the Czech Republic on a scholarship and earned a bachelor's degree in information technology at the University of Hradec Králové.[6][7]
Writing
Her own site dates her first children's book to 2009. VOD English and Lepetitjournal give 2010, the year she won a Room to Read children's book writing contest.[1][8][9] Room to Read published two of her children's books, and in 2013 a Taiwanese company published an inspirational book of hers.[6]
A Proper Woman grew from a four-page story about the social pressure on Khmer women that she wrote at an organization's request in spring 2015. After women responded to the online story, she expanded it into a book for adults.[9][8] She interviewed women from three generations for it and spent five days in her home village.[4][9] She paid for printing from her savings, and the book was printed on January 15, 2016.[9] Asia News Network dates the English edition to 2017, and her site gives 2018.[6][2] She later translated it into Khmer as Neary Pro Pey. A Czech translation was published and distributed in the Czech Republic from October 2019, and a French translation was planned for 2023.[6][1]
Her other books include the two-part Life's Captain series, released in 2018 and October 2019, about a girl from the countryside whose dreams carry her past hardship.[6] She co-wrote Domneur (Journey), Defeated but Never Surrendered and Nissay (Temperament).[6] The New Day Still Exists was set for release in December 2022.[6] Her site lists There Is Always a New Day as her latest book. It follows Sela and Kanhna, who come from different social classes and struggle to build the lives they want.[10]
Thavry says her books are about motivation and following dreams, and that people should not give up easily when they meet obstacles.[6] As an independent writer, she markets her own work and pays for its publication. She has said this keeps her free of censorship before publication.[4]
Publishing and speaking
VOD English counts Thavry as an active member of Cambodia's young literary scene.[8] After difficulties with publishing firms and bookshops, she learned to publish books herself and joined other writers to found Seavphovjivet Publishing, which supports Cambodian authors.[7] The house brought the novelist Mao Samnang back to writing novels after a break of nearly ten years.[7] In 2022 she was a production manager at the Seavphov Jivet (Book of Life) publishing house.[6] She has said that some booksellers copy books and sell the copies themselves, which keeps writers from earning from their work.[8]
She speaks internationally, and she tours Cambodia talking with young people about education and taking charge of their own futures.[1][7] She also promotes Vitamin Air, a travel company offering educational trips in Cambodia.[1] In 2025 her blog named her a promoter for Toursanak Adventure.[11]
Works
- A Proper Woman (Book)
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Thavry official site, About
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Thavry official site, A Proper Woman
- ↑ Lepetitjournal Cambodge, Livre témoignage : une Cambodgienne modèle (June 12, 2023)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 VOA Khmer, Young Khmer Writers Show Creativity, Battle Challenges of Language (December 23, 2016)
- ↑ South China Morning Post, The Cambodian women who reject tradition to forge their own paths (November 6, 2018)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 Asia News Network, Cambodian Author Thon Thavry: Never give up on your dreams or life goals (November 28, 2022)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Social Innovation Asia, EP 11: Thavry Thon, Seavphovjivet Publishing (June 21, 2020)
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 VOD English, Seeking Inspiration, a Local Literary Scene Emerges
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Lepetitjournal Cambodge, Portrait : Thon Thavry (February 13, 2022)
- ↑ Thavry official site, Home
- ↑ Women Run the World, blog (September 2, 2025)