Wat Khanon

Wat Khanon is a Buddhist temple in Photharam District, Ratchaburi Province, renowned as the preservation center for Nang Yai, Thailand's traditional large shadow puppet theatre. Located on the Mae Klong River plain, the temple houses the Wat Khanon Nang Yai Museum which displays a collection of 313 intricately carved leather puppets, some over 100 years old, and serves as a cultural learning center for this UNESCO-recognized heritage art form.

Visitors can expect a quiet temple compound with an ordination hall and a dedicated two-storey Nang Yai Museum. Inside the museum, large buffalo-hide shadow puppets depicting characters from the Ramakien epic are displayed, with demonstrations of puppet carving and occasional live Nang Yai performances accompanied by traditional music and narration. The grounds are open for walking, photography of the puppets and temple architecture, and viewing exhibitions on puppet-making tools and history.

Wat Khanon is historically significant for preserving Nang Yai, a traditional large shadow play dating to the Ayutthaya period. The temple's collection of 313 puppets, some created over a century ago, was preserved by local monks and community leaders when the art form was declining. The temple has become the national center for Nang Yai conservation and transmission.

The temple is the primary cultural center for Nang Yai in Thailand, recognized for safeguarding an important intangible cultural heritage. It functions as a living museum and school where puppet carving, performance, and Ramakien storytelling are taught to younger generations, and regular performances maintain the ritual and entertainment traditions associated with Thai shadow theatre.