His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua intends to preserve the performances of the khon masked drama and would like to see the younger generation inherit this part of the national cultural heritage.
Khon is an important traditional style of dance and art dating from the Ayutthaya period. This form of dramatic art has its own unique identity incorporating different fields of the arts, literature, rituals, and crafts. It is a traditional form of entertainment that has been passed down from generation to generation.
Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother called for the revival of the khon performance, which was falling into decline. Her Majesty expressed her wishes for the preservation of this traditional performing art and instructed the creation of khon costumes and accessories in accordance with the ancient style, while developing khon performances to be more modern and suitable for the new era. This would encourage the younger generation to be aware of the value of Thai arts.
The Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Related Techniques, known in short as the SUPPORT Foundation, at the command of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, organized khon performances at the Thailand Cultural Center in Bangkok in 2009, in celebration of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great’s 80th birthday anniversary and Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother’s 75th birthday anniversary. The performances proved successful, with many requests for extending the run of the shows.
Since then, khon performances have been organized by the SUPPORT Foundation, established by Her Majesty Queen Sirikit. The foundation is now accepting applications from young performers wishing to be selected for the khon performances later this year.
With the strong intention by His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua to continue to preserve the masked drama, khon performances are poised to strive and thrive into the future.
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