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Wat Khanon Nang Yai Museum     
พิพิธภัณฑ์หนังใหญ่วัดขนอน  
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 Description:   Nangyai Wat Khanon National Museum is located at Wat Khanon in Soi Fah Sub-district, by Mae Klong River, 10 kilometers far from Photharam District of Ratchaburi Province. It is a Thai architectural styled building displaying an exhibition on Nang Yai (Shadow Play); its history and the process in making flat articulated figures (shadow puppets.) In the museum, there are currently 313 puppets in good condition that are mostly characters from “Ramakien”, divided into episodes; Hanuman Tawai Waen, Sahasa Kumar and Burning Lanka, the First Indrajit’s Battle. The museum was established as a Royal Develoment Project of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn who recognized the value of shadow theatre which is a prestigious theatrical performance. The elaborately carved puppets, music from Thai grand orchestra along with the performance and the dialogue of the puppeteers are what make the princess ordered the temple to help conserve this theatre. Phra Kru Sattha Sunthorn (Laung Phu Glom), the former abbot of Wat Khanon during the reign of King Rama V, was the one who established the theatre. As a monk with craftsmanship knowledge, the abbot had an idea to make the puppets which there were some at the temple, bigger. Kru Ang who was a leader of Ratchaburi’s Khon performance group along with a group of Ratchaburi’s craftmen helped create the first set of grand puppets, which was the Hanuman Tawai Waen collection. Later, they created more nine collections which became properties of the temple since then.

Therefore, the temple has established the Nangyai museum.  It is the only temple in Thailand with theatre, puppets and puppeteers under its patronage. They have been shadow plays performed at the temple until these days.

The museum open for visitors every day from 8.00 a.m. to 17.00 p.m. The temple organizes shadow play performed by students from Wat Khanon School every Saturday only one round on 10.00 – 11.00 a.m. (for group visitors who visit the museum on weekdays, please contact the temple in advance to see the play with 2,500 baht entrance fee) For more information, contact Wat Khanon’s abbot at 032-233-386, 081-753-1230 or fax 032-354-272.

 

How to Get There

If you travel by private car, take highway no. 4 (Phetkasem Road), passing Nakhon Pathom, heading to Ratchaburi. You have to take the road under the bridge to Kanchanaburi, passing Ko Nom Nong Po Ratchaburi Cooperative and you will see Bang Pae intersection. Keep left (don’t cross the bridge), then you will meet another intersection. Turn right to Potharam District and follow the highway no. 3080 route for about 5.4 kilometers. Cross the bridge over Mae Klong River, then you will see an intersection. Turn right to go on the highway no. 3089 route for about 2.5 kilometers, you will see Wat Khanon on your right.

Buses to Wat Khanon are from Potharam Tour Co., Ltd. They leave Bangkok Bus Terminal (South) every day from 6.30 a.m. to 19.30 p.m. Ticket costs 55 baht per person. For more information, contact 02-435-5036.
 
 Province   Ratchaburi  Direction:      
 District   Photharam    
 City   Soi Fa  Comments:    Official Web:    
 Genre   Museum      Related links:      
 Best exposure   AM/PM          
 Rating              
 Opening time   na          
 Entry fee   Free     GPS :   13.72637 N 99.844764 E  
                     
                     
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SUB-SITES PICTURES:    
Wat Khanon Nang Yai (All)  Puppet Museum
Puppet show  Temple
 

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