Thailand
It is a Buddhist country in a large majority and has a long tradition puppeteer. They use puppets basically two types, NANG and HUN.
The former are shadow puppets and come in two types according to size. Both are made from buffalo or cow leather, dyed and raw, so that the shadow is very colorful and they are beautifully
embossed. The latter are known three-dimensional puppets are four types of them: Krabog, Luang, Lek and Lakhon Lek.
Nang Talung
Popular shadow puppet theatre established with documentary evidence in XVII century ( AC ) in South Thailand. The puppets, lightened and colourful, made in untaned buffalo skin, perforated
and tinted, measure less than one meter.
The characters, represented in profile, move only one arm. The comic characters can move both arms, the mouth and the legs.
The puppeteer soloist and the musicians performe most of the time the Ramayana story, and some others popular tales, raised into a platform during several days.
Nang Yai
Shadow puppet theatre established with documentary evidence in XIII century ( AC ) . The puppets, lightened and colourful, made in untaned buffalo skin, perforated and tinted, measure more
than one meter…even two meters!
The puppeteers have to be professional dancers too. They hold the puppet with two long bamboo sticks and they have to dance with them whether in front or behind the screen.
And they performe Ramayana story.
Hun Krabog
Hun Krabog or small-sized bamboo rod puppets , were firs carved by a skilled painter called Neng , in the late XIX century . Neng was a native of Nakhon Sawan province in the north of central Thailand.
Hun Krabog consist of a head and hands made of light weight wood joint by a cloth , tunic-shape.
The themes enacted are usually taken from popular folklor.
Hun Luang
The Hun Luang or large court puppets measure around one metre and they are manipulated from below.
These court puppets mostly presented scenes from Ramakien or from a few Thai epics.
Hun Luang performances no longer take place today bacause no one can manipulate them and the remaining Hun Luang once used in the courts are only for display.
Hun Lakhon Lek
The Hun Lakhon Lek were created durin the reign of King Rama VI ( 1.910 – 1.926 ) by Krae Suppawanich in Ayhuttaya province.
Krae attempted to craft a simpler version of Hun Luang by reducing the number of strings used to manipulate the puppets.
Scenes from the Ramakien are normally performed by Hun Lakhon Lek , but with comic interludes which cater specifically for the masses.
Hun Lek
During the reign of King Rama V , Krom Phra Rachawang Boworn Vichaicharn , the Viceroy of the Fifth Reign ordered the creation of Chinese puppets by Chinese artisans living in Bangkok . At a little over 37 cm , the puppets wore Chinese Opera costumes and performed scenes from Chinese literature.
The puppets’ mechanisms were modelled on those of the Hun Luang , manipulated from below.
The last performance was in 1.886 , the yearin which the Viceroy died.
