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The International Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand

Volume XVI-2024 (Special Issue)

skin color, or ethnicity. Simultaneously, scholars were encouraged to explore research, critique,

and analyze academic issues with an emphasis on evidence, aligning Siamese knowledge with
the academic standards of the West.
An example of this cultural and intellectual advancement is found in the twelve “Nora
Dance” images, showing the local Nora master from Nakhon Si Thammarat, alongside his student,
to be included in the Dance Manual of the Wachirayan Library. This was one of the processes that

elevated Siamese academic and cultural knowledge as that of the Western world, contributing
to the modernization and advancement of the kingdom of Siam under royal leadership.
Regardless of whether the origins of Nora drama stemmed from Ayutthaya as Prince

Damrong Rajanubhab surmised, directly from Indian performing arts, with Nakhon Si Thammarat
being the central hub for the transmission and adaptation of Bharatanatyam into the local
culture, the resulting Nora dance drama emerged as a unique Siamese art form. Nora combined
Hindu, Buddhist, and ancient animist beliefs, with Lord Shiva serving as “Kru Ton” (the legendary
founder). The inclusion of Nora in the royal court’s Dance Manual elevated it from a regional

southern theater tradition to a national treasure for the entire Thai nation. Within a century,
all of Siam would unite in further elevating Nora as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Concluding Remarks

This article has examined the earliest photographs of Nora performers in Thailand in
relation to their place in Thai dance culture and to Kings of the Chakri dynasty. All the photographs
are tied to and emerge from actions taken by Thai monarchy of the Rattankosin era. Nora performers
received the immense honor of being invited to perform before three consecutive Kings of

the Chakri dynasty.
From King Mongkut (Rama IV) in 1858, Nora performers received monetary rewards
for distribution among the troupe to improve costumes and accessories, thereby helping to

foster the development of this performing art. Nora performers were also recognized by
King Chulalongkorn, first when he photographed and wrote them as part of his travels in 1905
to the southern part of Siam. Finally, Nora was honored by the invitation to photograph Nora’s
fundamental poses for inclusion into the Dance Manual commissioned by King Vajiravudh in 1923
as part of his modernization efforts for Thailand in alignment with Western conventions, which

extended to the performing arts. When seen together, Thai monarchs helped to produce the
first direct historical and visual evidence of Nora artists in Thai culture.
Nora masters, meanwhile, showed their reverence for the Thai monarchy by performing

when asked to do so, whether in Nakhon Si Thammarat in 1858 or 1905. Nora Klai Phrommes
and his troupe traveled approximately 800 kilometers from Nakhon Si Thammarat to Bangkok
to perform at the invitation first of His Majesty King Chulalongkorn in 1908 and later in 1923 by
King Vajiravudh. On these occasions, he and his troupe performed in the Grand Palace before the
royal family and court officials, many of whom were experts in performing arts. He received high

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