Location : Charoen Krung
Road near the Old Siam Plaza
On the auspicious occasion of the 60th anniversary of
H.M. King Bhumibol’s accession to the throne in
2006, Sala Chalermkrung Foundation, the Tourism Authority
of Thailand, and the Crown Property Bureau jointly organized
“Sala Chalermkrung Khon Project” to follow
the King’s footsteps in preserving Thai heritage
and sharing it with the rest of the world. Khon or Thai
Classical Masked Dance Drama is the acme of Thai dramatic
arts, which usually draws its stories from the Indian
epic Ramayana.
In 1932, Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre was ordered to
be constructed by King Rama VII as a memorable gift to
the Thais on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of
the founding of Bangkok. The official opening was on Sunday
2 July 1933 when the first talking movie was first shown
in Thailand.
Apart from being Southeast Asia’s first air-conditioned
cinema, Sala Chalermkrung, has been serving as a national
venue for exhibiting breathtaking performances and exhibitions
to maintain the authenticity of Thai arts and culture
for more than 70 years. And now it is proud to present
Thailand’s exquisite masked dance drama to foreign
visitors. English subtitles are available on screen
above the stage and the explanatory notes of the movements
and masks are displayed on film prior to the showtime.
