LAKHON PANTHANG: CULTURAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WEST

Abstract

           This study aims to examine and summarize the relation between the western culture and Thai dance, specific in Lakorn Panthang dance drama by gathering and analyzing academic articles including conducting a number of exclusive interviews with Thai music and drama experts. The word Lakorn Panthang, in this article, refers to a type of dance drama which the story is based on the foreign chronicle, but other relevant features have been adapted to agree with Thai culture. The studying result shows the details in two main features, which firstly is the factors contributing how this type of drama was created and secondly the components of this dance drama influenced by the west nations. There are three significant factors bringing about Lakorn Panthang dance drama, which are the relation development among nations, trade and colonization and the education respectively. The marked components of this type of dance drama includes theater development and naming, introducing of ticket fee, the choreography, costumes, music and songs. This study shall summarize the result in detail which would be beneficial to Thai dance study.