The Traditional Thai Puppet Theater (Joe Louis) Suan Lum Night Bazaar, 1875 Rama IV Rd., Lumpini, Pathumwan Bangkok 10330 Thailand

History : The theatrical puppetry was invented in 1901 by the legendary Khon dancer and puppeteer, Drae Saptawanit Performances were frequent and popular. Among Krae's troupe of puppeteers was a married couple. One afternoon in 1922, as the troupe travelled by boat to give a performance, the woman gave birth to a child. Krae name the child Sakorn, after one of the characters in the puppet play to be performed that afternoon. Sakorn grew up in the theater and became a precociously famous puppeteer. The tranquil existence of this unusual performing art was interrupted by the World War (1939-45), but its nadir was not reached until the post-war years when, first, motion pictures, then television, were introduced to Thailand. Theatrical puppetry, along with other traditional forms of staged entertainment, came to be regarded as old fashioned. Its popularity waned, and eventually the general public forgot that this art form ever existed. Sakorn was forced into early artistic retirement and oblivion though he continued to give private performances whilst transmitting all he knew about theatrical puppetry to his many children. In 1996, His Majesty the King recognised Sakorn as the custodian of this arcane and dying art form, and bestowed upon him the honorific title of National Artist. This made it possible for theatrical puppetry to be revived and, in turn, for the Traditional Thai Puppet Theater to be founded. Grand Master Puppeteer Sakorn Yangkhieosod passed away in 2007. He was known to his friends by the nickname, 'Joe Louis'.