West Maui Book Series announces ‘Pineapple Leaf Blade’ novel release and GMMTV series

Pineapple Leaf Blade, a new novel by Thai author Jidanun Lueangpiansamut, will be published in Thailand in March 2027, followed by an English-language edition later in spring 2027. Developed under the West Maui Book Series, the fiction novel draws inspiration from the real-life labor experience of Thai agricultural workers on pineapple fields in Hawaiʻi.

Leading Thai entertainment studio GMMTV has picked up the novel for a television adaptation directed by Anucha Boonyawatana. The series stars Thai actors Tay Tawan and New Thitipoom (TayNew), bringing this story to viewers across Thailand and worldwide.

The novel’s historical backdrop stems from the experiences of Thai agricultural workers recruited to Hawaiʻi by labor contractor Global Horizons. Reports led to federal legal proceedings, including a 2011 EEOC lawsuit documenting mistreatment, culminating in a 2015 federal judgment holding Global Horizons liable for discriminatory treatment.

Through their fictional journey, Piya and Anuphon, two young Thai men with starkly different backgrounds, find themselves trapped in an oppressive system far from home. As labor realities set in, their mutual support deepens into an intimate bond, offering a story of survival, solidarity, resilience, and love amid exploitation.

Lueangpiansamut is known for her imaginative fiction and her exploration of complex social issues and LGBTQ+ relationships.

The project represents an international creative collaboration bridging Hawaiʻi and Thailand. Consultants Noah Keone Viernes and Lance D. Collins provided guidance, with the English translation by Pairat Temphairojana, featuring cover art by Kamehameha Schools Maui alumna Jill Ikehara.

• Publication: Thai-language edition, March 2027; English-language edition, spring 2027.
• Television adaptation: GMMTV, directed by Anucha Boonyawatana, starring Tay Tawan and New Thitipoom.
• A project of the West Maui Book Series.
• Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlD7Dgzo17Q