BANGKOK, 26 March 2019: The Grand Palace entrance ticket gains more value now the THB500 ticket includes a traditional “Khon Mask performance at the Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre.
Up until now, the Grand Palace ticket covered entry to two other attractions; Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) and Wat Phra Kaew Museum.
The Bureau of the Royal Household confirmed that it is also including the UNESCO-inscribed Khon Mask performance, which gives the visitor access to four cultural attractions in the price of a single ticket.
There are five daily performances of a 25-minute duration featuring the iconic masked dance drama.
Performances are scheduled Monday to Friday, at 1030, 1300, 1430, 1600 and 1730.
A shuttle bus departs from the Grand Palace’s at the Phiman Deves Gate to Sala Chalermkrung 30 minutes prior to the start of each performance.
Thailand’s Khon performance, which depicts the glory of Rama the hero and incarnation of the god Vishnu, is inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (link).
The inscription describes “a performing art that combines musical, vocal, literary, dance, ritual and handicraft elements.
“Representing high art cultivated by the Siamese/Thai courts over centuries, it is also viewed as an example of a dramatic performance that can be interpreted and enjoyed by spectators from different social backgrounds.”
Earlier, the Ministry of Culture’s Department of Cultural Promotion announced a calendar of activities in 2019 to celebrate Thailand’s Khon masked dance drama and its UNESCO recognition.
(Source: TAT)
