Thai puppetry - หุ่นละครเล็ก | Thailand 🇹🇭

Thai puppetry has been around for about 300 years, the earliest recorded account of it being in 1685. Shows were often performed for the monarchy and were extremely popular during King Taksin’s reign in the late 1700s.

The country lost interest in the art around World War II, but in 1995, the art form made a huge comeback with the construction of Nattayasala Hun Lakhon Lek (Joe Louis Thai Puppet Theatre), the first Thai puppetry theatre in Bangkok. Despite the resurgence, however, it is not practiced very widely.

Puppeteers usually have a dance background and begin practicing Thai puppetry at a young age. During a performance, one puppeteer oversees the head and left arm, a second controls the right arm and third control the puppet’s feet.

These puppeteers normally wear all black and oftentimes put on masks to make their presence felt less by the audience.

©️Credit: เลียบวัด ชมวัง ฝั่งพระนคร