Phetchaburi province will host the Phetchaburi Harmony Puppet Festival 2025 from May 2 to May 4, spotlighting Thailand’s soft power through its rich heritage of puppet and shadow play arts. The announcement was made following the festival’s recognition with the 2025 Asia Local and Traditional Art Festival Tangible Heritage Award by the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA Asia), underscoring its cultural significance in the region.
Set to take place along Damrongrak Road, known locally as the province’s art corridor, the three-day festival aims to revive and celebrate Thailand’s traditional performing arts, particularly shadow puppetry and large-scale puppet theatre. The event draws inspiration from the historic Nang Yai (traditional shadow play) performances at Phra Ram Ratchaniwet Palace (Ban Puen Palace), a site where performances were once held before King Chulalongkorn in the late 19th century.
Under the concept “Three Days, Three Flavors,” the festival will feature performances of Nang Yai from Wat Plubplachai and Wat Ban Don, as well as the southern Thai shadow puppet art known as Nang Talung. A highlight of this year’s event is the participation of 37 Nang Talung troupes, including renowned artists from Songkhla province, reinforcing Phetchaburi’s reputation as a hub for both Nang Yai and Nang Talung.
Beyond local talent, the festival will showcase international puppetry traditions, with artists from over ten countries—including Cambodia, Japan, Mexico, Indonesia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Colombia, and Singapore—presenting a mix of shadow and contemporary puppet performances. International collaborations will include exhibitions and photography workshops by Australian photographer Constantine Korsovitis, as well as the Unima Southeast Asia Online seminar, a global livestreamed forum hosted in partnership with Unima World, the international puppetry federation.
Additional attractions include guided art tram tours, exhibits of traditional Phetchaburi plaster sculpture inspired by the Ramakien epic, photography showcases, and a visit to the Nang Yai museum at Wat Plubplachai.
The award and international recognition reinforce the festival’s role not only in preserving and innovating traditional arts but also in driving tourism and local economic development. Organizers invite the public to join the celebration and experience one of Asia’s most unique puppet art festivals in the cultural heart of Phetchaburi this May.
In attendance at the press conference held on April 24 at Phra Ram Ratchaniwet were Phetchaburi Governor Pol. Lt. Col. Phopchanok Chalanukroh, Deputy Governor Wanphen Mangsri, Central Regional Director of the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau Dr. Suratsanun Thongmee, Commander of the 15th Military Circle Maj. Gen. Korkan Nawetwanichkun, and representatives from the Tourism Authority of Thailand and various public and private sector organizations.
