The Minister of Culture checked the readiness of Wat Khanon's Nang Yai museum following the Cabinet's approval to nominate it for UNESCO intangible cultural heritage registration under the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices category in UNESCO's list of intangible heritage.
On 25 August 2026, Ms. Sabida Thaiset, Minister of Culture, along with ministry executives, visited Wat Khanon in Photharam District, Ratchaburi Province, to monitor and advance the nomination of 'Nang Yai' for registration as intangible cultural heritage of humanity under UNESCO's Register of Good Safeguarding Practices. The visit was welcomed by Phra Kru Phithak Silpakorn, abbot of Wat Khanon; Ms. Thitilak Khampha, Governor of Ratchaburi; heads of government agencies; and members of the cultural community network.
During the visit, the Minister toured Wat Khanon's Nang Yai museum, which preserves over 300 finely crafted ancient Nang Yai puppets dating back to the reign of King Rama V. She also observed demonstrations of puppet carving and a Nang Yai performance titled “The Battle of Thotsakan: The War Begins.”
Ms. Sabida stated that Nang Yai is a high classical Thai performance art dating back to the Sukhothai period and flourishing during Ayutthaya. It combines valuable arts including painting, carving craftsmanship, drama, and traditional piphat music. Currently, only three communities in Thailand continue Nang Yai performances: Wat Khanon in Ratchaburi, Wat Sawang Arom in Singburi, and Wat Ban Don in Rayong. Wat Khanon notably received an award from the Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU) as one of six outstanding communities worldwide for intangible cultural heritage conservation in 2007.
The Ministry of Culture, through the Department of Cultural Promotion, has continuously supported and collaborated with the communities. In the 2026 fiscal year, 1.5 million baht was allocated to propel the Nang Yai nomination to UNESCO through activities including wisdom transmission training, the 19th Wat Khanon Nang Yai festival, and producing the documentary series “Shadows of Faith: The Eternal Art of Nang Yai” to disseminate knowledge and showcase artisans’ devotion internationally.
For the UNESCO nomination, the Ministry proposed “The Community-based Revitalization of Nang Yai Tradition in Thailand” (CRNT) for the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices, marking Thailand’s first submission in this category. This was approved by the Cabinet on 26 March 2026 and is currently undergoing UNESCO’s evaluation process according to their criteria.
"This endeavor reflects our commitment to empowering communities as the main mechanism for preserving and passing on cultural heritage. I extend my gratitude to Wat Khanon and all involved parties, and call upon Ratchaburi Province, local MPs, community leaders, and residents to work together to establish Nang Yai as a living cultural heritage, cultivating new generations of inheritors so that this art form endures sustainably within Thai society," Ms. Sabida said.