The National Theatre is a performing arts venue in
Bangkok's
Phra Nakhon District. It opened in 1965, and operates as a government agency under the Office of Performing Arts of the
Fine Arts Department
The Fine Arts Department ( th, กรมศิลปากร, ) is a government department of Thailand, under the Ministry of Culture. Its mission is managing the country's cultural heritage.
History
The department was originally established ...
. Today, it is best known for traditional performances, especially of the ''
khon'' masked dance.
The theatre was built from 1960 to 1965, beginning under the supervision of
Luang Wichit Wathakan, the prolific author and playwright who contributed much to the development of
Thai nationalist Thai nationalism is a political ideology involving the application of nationalism to the political discourse of Thailand. It was first popularized by King Vajiravudh (Rama VI, reigned 1910–1925), and was subsequently adopted and adapted by variou ...
discourse during the mid-20th century. The building was designed in
applied Thai style, with a
modernist plan superimposed with a traditional-Thai-influenced gabled roof. It sits on the corner of
Rachini and Na Phra That roads, near the northern end of
Sanam Luang, on the former location of the
Ministry of Transport, and occupies grounds originally part of the
Front Palace, next to the
Bangkok National Museum and the
Bunditpatanasilpa Institute.
References
External links
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{{coord, 13, 45, 32, N, 100, 29, 32, E, type:landmark, display=title
Theatres in Bangkok
Applied Thai architecture
Sub-departmental government bodies of Thailand
Theatres completed in 1965
1965 establishments in Thailand
Phra Nakhon district
Fine Arts Department (Thailand)