THAI ART

Traditional Thai art was heavily influenced by Buddhist and Hindu traditions brought
from India and neighboring countries by various empires and ethnic groups.
The history of the area that comprises the modern nation of Thailand is a history of
different empires and different ethnic kingdoms, flourishing in different areas and at different
times. These included the following kingdoms and empire:

Srivijaya Kingdom (3rd - 13th Century) - South Thailand

Dvaravati Kingdom of Mon people (6th 11th Century) - Central Thailand
Haripunchai Kingdom (750 - 1292) - Northern Thailand
Khmer Cambodian Empire (9th 13th Century) over most of Thailand
Tai Kingdoms
o Lanna Kingdom (1296 - 1899)
o Sukhothai Kingdom (1238 - 1438)
o Ayutthaya Kingdom (1350 - 1767)
o Taksin Kingdom (1768 - 1782)
o Chakri Kingdom (1782 - Present)
Each of these kingdoms had its own artistic traditions, strongly influenced by Buddhist

and Hindu traditions brought from India and neighboring countries. By the mid- 13th Century, a
unique Thai style, which flourishd in northern Thailand during Sukhothai (1238 - 1438) and
Ayutthaya (1350 - 1767) periods, had developed.
Buddism was the primary theme of traditional Thai sculpture and painting, and the royal
courts provided support for the arts, erecting temples and other religious shrines as acts of meri
or to commemrate imporortant event such as an enthronement or avictory in battle.
In ancient Thailand, as in most parts of Southeast Asia, there was little distinction
between artisan ("chang feemeu"), and artist ("silapin"); artists typically followed the styles
and aesthetic conventions of their era and works of art were produced as acts of religious merit,
not for individual recognition. Until the early modern period, Thai craftsmen were considered
"true artists," possessing superior intellect and wisdom, and a thorough understanding of culture.
The creative powers of individual artists were embodied in stylized objects created for use in
Thai society and religious practice. During the nineteenth century, Western influence introduced

the concept of the artist as an individual, and of producing works solely for visual enjoyment or
as an expression of personal or political values.

PREHISTORIC THAI ART

Evidence of bronze and iron tools from 2500 to 1500 years old has been found at sites in
Lamphun and Chiang Mai Provinces. The Hoabinhian hunters and gathers inhabited the Chao
Phraya Valley and left pieces of pottery with a wide range of decorative designs.
Later Neolithic settlements associated with rice cultivation are concentrated in two parts
of Central Thailand. Caves and scarps along the Thai-Burmese border, in the Petchabuan Range
of Central Thailand, and overlooking the Mekong River in Nakorn Sawan Province, contain
galleries of rock paintings.
Artifacts found at the Ban Chiang archaeological site in northeastern Thailand,
discovered in 1966 and dating from about 2100 B.C.E. to 200 C.E., include attractive red painted
pottery with unique designs applied to the surface, crucibles and bronze fragments, and bronze
objects such as bracelets, rings, anklets, wires and rods, spearheads, axes and adzes, hooks,
blades, and little bells.
PAINTING
Traditional Thai paintings primarily consist of book illustrations and painted
ornamentation of buildings such as palaces and temples. The most frequent narrative subjects for
paintings were the Ramakian (the Thai version of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana); the Jataka
stories; episodes from the life of the Buddha; the Buddhist heavens and hells; and scenes of daily
life. The manuscripts and scriptures of Theravada Buddhists were in Pali, an Indian language
which could only be understood by the educated elite. Murals were intended to educate monks
and the general public about the events of Buddhas life, history, moral lessons, and the Buddhist
cosmology. Murals found throughout Thailand depict the idyllic Himaphan Forest, the mythical
region of the Universe associated with the Himalayas, populated with celestial beings and
stylized imaginary creatures, some part human and part animal or bird.

SRIVIJAYA ART
The term "Srivijaya art" can be used to refer to all art and architecture in South Thailand
during the period from the seventh - thirteenth centuries. The Srivijaya Kingdom was ruled by
the Sailendra dynasty of Central Java, which also ruled the Indonesian Archipelago, the Malay
Peninsula and Southern Thailand to the Isthmus of Kra. Sculpture and architectural relics from
this period confirm that Mahayana Buddhism was predominant, and reflect various infusions of
style from India (Amaravati, Pala and Gupta), Champa (Vietnam) and central Java. From the
eleventh century, influences of Khmer art were also evident.

DVARAVATI ART
Dvaravati art refers to the art style that dominated in Thailand during seventh
eleventh centuries, before the arrival of the Khmers and later the Tai. Dvaravati also refers to the
Mon communities that ruled what is now Thailand.
Dvaravati itself was heavily influenced by Indian culture, and played an important role in
introducing Buddhism and particularly Buddhist art to the region.
During the tenth century, the Theravada Buddhism and Hindu cultures merged, and
Hindu elements were introduced into Thai iconography. Popular figures include the four-armed
figure of Vishnu; the garuda (half man, half bird); the eight-armed Shiva; elephant-headed
Ganesh; the naga, which appears as a snake, dragon or cobra; and the ghost-banishing giant Yak.

SUKHOTHAI PERIOD (1238 1438)

By the thirteenth century, Hinduism was declining and Buddhism dominated much of
Thailand. Buddha images of the Sukhothai (dawn of happiness) period (1238 - 1438, northern
Thailand) are elegant, with sinuous bodies and slender, oval faces. Sculpture was inspired by
Theravada Buddhism which created a new style in which spiritual serenity is merged with human

form. Intended to reflect the compassionate and superhuman nature of the Buddha, the images
did not strictly follow the human form but followed interpretations of metaphors from religious
verse and Pali language scriptures.

AYUTTHAYA PERIOD (1350 1767)

The surviving art from the Ayutthaya period (1350 1767) was primarily executed in
stone, characterized by juxtaposed rows of Buddha figures. In the middle period, Sukhothai
influence dominated, with large bronze or brick and stucco Buddha images, as well as
decorations of gold leaf in free-form designs on a lacquer background. The late period was more
elaborate, with Buddha images in royal attire, set on decorative bases. A variety of objects were
created in bronze, woodcarving, stucco and sandstone.

BANGKOK (RATTANAKOSIN) PERIOD

Thai Rattanakosin art (or Bangkok style) refers to the style of art of the time of the
Chakri Dynasty, founded in Bangkok after the collapse of Ayutthaya in 1767. This period is
characterized by the further development of the Ayutthaya style, rather than by innovation.
The Krom Chang Sip Mu (Organization of the Ten Crafts), a government department
originally founded in Ayutthaya, which was responsible for improving the skills of the country's
craftsmen, give an overview of the craftsmen's arts existing in Thailand during the reign of the
Great King Rama V (1853-1910).

Drawing
Encurving
Sculpting
Modeling
Figuring

Plastering
Molding
Lacquering
Beating

LITERATURE

Literature in Thailand was traditionally heavily influenced by Indian culture.

Thailand's national epic is a version of the Ramayana called the Ramakien. A number of versions
of the epic were lost in the destruction of Ayutthaya in 1767. Three versions currently exist: one
of these was prepared under the supervision (and partly written by) King Rama I. His son, Rama
II, rewrote some parts for khon drama. The main differences from the original are an extended
role for the monkey god Hanuman and the addition of a happy ending.

The most important poet in Thai literature was Sunthorn Phu (or Sunthon Phu,

Thai: , 17861855), who is best known for his romantic adventure story Phra Aphai Mani
and nine travel pieces called Nirats.

PERFORMING ARTS

Dance Drama

Thai dance is the main dramatic art form of Thailand. Thai dance drama, like

many forms of traditional Asian dance, can be divided into two major categories: classical dance
(khon and lakhon) which was once performed only as a religious offering in the royal courts, and
folk dance (likay) which evolved as a diversion for common people who did not have access to
royal performances.

Khon - masked dance dramatizes the Ramakien (the Thai version of the Hindu

epic, the Ramayana), and embodies the Hindu concept of devaraja (divine kingship). It is highly
stylized, with choreography, costumes and masks dictated by tradition. Each Khon performance
begins with a wai khru rite to pay respect to past masters.

Lakhon features a wider range of stories than khon, including folk tales and Jataka

stories. Dancers are usually female and perform as a group rather than representing individual
characters.

Music

The music of Thailand includes classical and folk music traditions as well as

modern string or pop music. Thai musical instruments are varied and reflect ancient foreign
influences; they include the klong thap and khim (Persian origin), the jakhe (Indian origin), the
klong jin (Chinese origin), and the klong kaek (Indonesian origin).

Thai classical music emerged in its present form within the royal centers of

Central Thailand some 800 years ago. Thai classical ensembles, deeply influenced by Khmer and
even older practices and repertoires from India, are today uniquely Thai expressions. The three
primary classical ensembles, the Piphat, Khruang Sai and Mahori all share a basic
instrumentation and theoretical approach. Each employs small hand cymbals (ching) and wooden
sticks (krap) to mark the primary beat reference. Several kinds of small drums (klong) are
employed in these ensembles to outline the basic rhythmic structure (natab) that is punctuated at
the end by the striking of a suspended gong (mong). Classical Thai music is heterophonic - the
instruments either play the melody or mark the form. There are no harmony instruments.
Instrumentalists improvise idiomatically around the central melody. Rhythmically and metrically,
Thai music is steady in tempo, regular in pulse, divisive, in simple duple meter, without swing,
with little syncopation, and with the emphasis on the final beat of a measure or group of pulses
and phrase. The Thai scale includes seven tempered notes, instead of a mixture of tones and
semitones.

Pop music and other forms of European and American music became popular in

Thailand during the twentieth century and influenced the development of several local styles of
folk music. The two most popular styles of traditional Thai folk music are luk thung and mor
lam; the latter in particular has close affinities with the music of Laos.

Nang Yai Shadow Puppetry

Nang Yai , ("large shadow puppet") performances originated the beginning of the

fifteenth century C.E. at Wat Khanon during the reign of King Chulangkorn and were a popular
entertainment during the Ayutthaya period. The performances depict various episodes from the
Ramakien. The puppet figures are typically made from perforated cowhide or buffalo hide (more
important figures may be made of leopard or bear skin) and weigh approximately 3-4 kg (6-9
lbs). Performances are typically held in the open air, with the puppeteers manipulating the
puppets behind a transparent screen, with a fire or bright light behind them casting their shadows
on the screen. Puppet shows are accompanied by a musical ensemble and the chants and songs of
several narrators.

CERAMICS

The earliest Thai ceramics are those found at Ban Chiang (3,600 B.C.E. 200

C.E.). Pottery from the later periods was made of buff-colored clay decorated with swirling,
fingerprint-like designs. Besides pots, Ban Chiang made many types of ceramics such as vases,
jars, animal figurines, ladles, crucibles, spindle whorls and beads. Unglazed, low-fired pottery
has been found at other sites throughout Thailand, including Ban Ko in Kanchanaburi province,
where archaeologists found earthenware tripod vessels with hollow tapering legs; and Ban
Prasat, where fine examples made of black or red clay have been unearthed.[14] The height of
ceramic production in Thailand occurred between the fourteenth century and the middle of the
sixteenth century, a time of prosperity for both Ayutthaya and Lanna in northern Thailand. King
Ramkamhaeng of Sukothai (1237 1298) brought potters from China to set up the famous
Sukothai kiln. The kilns of Si Satchanalai or Sawankaloke at Goh Noi and Pa Yang are believed
by some scholars to predate the Sukothai kiln, perhaps by as much as 200 years

BENJARONG

Benjarong (five colors) ware is a traditional Tahi porcelain, typically decorated

with repetitive geometric or flower-based designs using three to eight colors. Hand-applied, gold
masks are laid over the white ceramic, and enamel colors are then applied around the gold and

overglazed, creating a tactile effect over the surface of the piece. Each color is applied
individually and the piece is kiln fired after each application. The firing process brightens the
colors of the finished piece and adds to its beauty. The style of multi-colored enamels on a white
porcelain base originated from Ming Dynasty China. Patterns include traditional Thai motifs,
such as flora, plant and flame designs, as well as cultural symbols, such as the Garuda (the halfman half-bird mount of the god Vishnu and a symbol of Thai royalty). From the thirteenth to the
eighteenth centuries, benjarong porcelain was made exclusively for the use of the royal court;
later its use extended to the upper class. Today, benjarong porcelain is appreciated all over the
world.

ARCHITECTURE

Architecture is a significant part of Thailands cultural legacy and reflects both the

historical importance of architecture to the Thai peoples sense of community and religious
beliefs, and the challenges posed by Thailand's extreme tropical climate. Influenced by the
architectural traditions of many of its neighbors, it has also developed significant regional
variation within its vernacular and religious buildings.

Thai Stilt House

A universal aspect of Thailands traditional architecture is the elevation of buildings on

stilts, most commonly to about six feet above the ground, leaving a space underneath to
be used for storage, a workshop, relaxing in the daytime, and sometimes for livestock.
The houses were raised as protection from heavy flooding during certain parts of the year,
and in more ancient times, protection from predators. Thai building plans are based on
superstitious and religious beliefs and affected by considerations such as locally available
materials, climate, and agriculture. Thai houses are made from a variety of woods, and
from bamboo. Single-family dwellings are expanded when a daughter is married by
adding a house on the side to accommodate her new family.

Kuti

A Kuti is a small structure, built on stilts, designed to house a monk. Its proper

size is defined in the Sanghathisep, Rule 6, to be 12 by 7 keub (4.013 by 2.343 meters). This
tiny living space is intended to aid the monk's spiritual journey by discouraging the accumulation
of material goods. Typically a monastery consists of a number of these buildings grouped
together on a shared terrace, either in an inward facing cluster or lined up in a row. Often these
structures included a separate building, called a Hor Trai, which is used to store Scriptures.

Religious Complexes

A large number of Buddhist temples exist in Thailand. The term Wat is properly

used to refer only to a Buddhist site with resident monks, but it is typically used to refer to any
place of worship other than the Islamic mosques found in southern Thailand.

A typical Wat Thai has two enclosing walls that divide it from the secular world.

The monks' or nuns' quarters or dormitories are situated between the outer and inner walls. This
area may also contain a bell tower or hor rakang. In larger temples, the inner walls may be lined
with Buddha images and serve as cloisters or galleries for meditation. This part of the temple is
called buddhavasa or phutthawat (for the Buddha).

Inside the inner walls is the bot or ubosoth (ordination hall), surrounded by eight

stone tablets and set on consecrated ground. This is the most sacred part of the temple and only
monks can enter it. The bot contains a Buddha image, but it is the viharn (assembly hall) that
contains the principal Buddha images. Also, in the inner courtyard are the bell-shaped chedi
(relic chambers), which contain the relics of pious or distinguished people. Salas (rest pavilions)
can be found all around the temple; the largest of these area is the sala kan parian (study hall),
used for saying afternoon prayers.

TEXTILES

Every region of Thailand has its signature textiles: loose weave cotton in the

north; batik in the south; and royal designs in the central plains. The region of Isaan has a
particularly diverse fabric heritage. Thailand is famous for its handwoven silks, made from the
yellow cocoons of the bombyx mori silk worm. The textured outer part of the Thai cocoon is
carefully separated from the inner smoother, lustrous silk. Each cocoon yields 900 meters of silk
yarn, so fine that several strands must be twisted together before being hand-woven into very
fine silk.

The southern part of Northeastern Thailand, or Isaan, is home to Cambodian

speaking peoples surrounding Surin and Lao peoples in the Buriram area, whose textiles reflect
their historical and ethnic backgrounds. Cotton cannot be grown because of the dry climate, so
many families raise silkworms. Weaving is done during the time between rice plantings and
harvests. A tie-dyeing technique called mudmee (ikat) is used to color the skeins of silk before
weaving. The individual dyed threads are then arranged on the loom, one by one, so that they
form an intricate pattern when woven. The woven fabric appears to shimmer. Mee hol is an
extremely delicate mudmee design dyed with three natural dyes that overlap to create six shades.
A sophisticated double mudmee cloth called am prom is a fine red silk with minute dots of white
resulting from the resist tying of both warp and weft yarns. Two techniques, phaa khit (usually
woven from cotton) and prae wa (woven from silk) use a continuous supplementary weft,
resulting in a raised, almost embroidered look. Complex multi-shaft birds-eye or diamond twill
designs are woven into traditional shoulder cloths called swai soa. Silk brocades are also
produced. Though there has been a steady decline in the demand for handwoven silks since the
1960s, the social structure in rural villages enables skilled weaving to continue. Isaan women
still weave fine silk fabrics to be presented as offerings, or as ritual textiles to be worn to the
temple or for festive ceremonies such as weddings. Renewed appreciation of traditional arts has
motivated the revival of techniques that had been unused for almost a century, and many fabrics
are woven for tourists and for export.

FOLK ART

Thailand has a rich variety of folk arts. Traditional crafts that once produced

objects for everyday use have survived in rural villages and are now being revived to produce
items of beauty for sale and export. Often entire villages are involved in the manufacture of a
single item, such as painted parasols, silver jewelry, pewter ware, teak carvings, or wooden
bowls, with each family taking responsibility for one aspect of production. The art of making
lacquer originally came from China and evolved unique Thai designs and techniques.
Lacquerware is produced in the northern province of Chiang Mai through a painstaking process
that involves imbedding colored paint and gold into engraved patterns. Lacquer is used to
decorate everything from figurines, toys, bowls, trays and boxes to architectural features such as
window frames.[19] Over the centuries, gifted woodcarvers have created religious figures and
elaborate decorations for Buddhist temples all over Thailand. Intricately carved wooden
furniture, bowls, lamp bases and other decorative items are produced for the domestic market
and for export.

Silverware has been a prominent craft in northern Thailand for more than 1000

years. Silversmiths use repouss techniques to adorn silver bowls and boxes with traditional Thai
motifs. Nielloware (kruang tom) reached Thailand during the Ayutthaya period and became
prominent in southern Thailand. Niello artisans fashion every conceivable object from sheets of
finely engraved silver, sometimes covered with old.

Other important crafts include the manufacture of dolls, parasols, baskets from

wood and bamboo, toys, reed mats, and items with mother-of-pearl inlay.