After the 1930s, Thailand's performing arts landscape, especially the khon masked dance, shrank significantly amid the massive waves of Western art forms that flooded Thai society.
If it had not been for Her Majesty Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother, khon would not have been revived to regain its popularity among audiences of all ages, as is the case today.
Records show that khon existed since the Ayutthaya period, reaching its peak in terms of popularity in the early Rattanakosin era. A performance that combines traditional dance and acting, khon basically depicts episodes from the Ramakien, Thailand's national epic, derived from India's Ramayana.
The Ramakien tells the story of Rama, the reincarnation of Vishnu, after he is banished by his stepmother to spend 14 years in exile. While in exile, Rama's wife Sita is abducted by the 10-faced demon king Ravana (or Thotsakan) and taken to his city of Lanka. To rescue his wife, Rama and his brother Lakshman team up with monkey warriors for a great battle.
According to the study "The Khon Performance Of The Support Foundation Of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit: A Process Of Creation, Conservation and Model Development" by independent researcher Nakarin Namjaidee, the popularity of khon drastically dwindled after the 1932 Siamese Revolution. Changes made to the costumes and storylines diluted its charm, turning more and more people off.
Queen Sirikit realised the importance of preserving khon and regularly staged performances for royal guests in Thailand and for her hosts when she travelled abroad. However, she noticed that several elements of the show were not up to standard. When HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn pointed out that khon had lost its popularity, Queen Sirikit responded "If no one watches it, then I will."
Queen Sirikit's tireless efforts and full dedication towards the revival of the masked dance eventually brought about the Support Foundation's debut khon performance in 2007. That year, the troupe staged the Prommas episode of the Ramakien, the culmination of years of laborious and meticulous work.
The foundation staged Prommas again in 2009, followed by Nang Loy in 2010, Suek Maiyarap in 2011, Jong Tanon in 2012, The Battle Of Kumbhakarn -- Mokasak in 2013, The Battle Of Indrajit -- Nagabas in 2014, The Battle Of Indrajit -- Prommas in 2015 and The Allegiance Of Phiphek last year.
In her birthday speech of August 2009, Queen Sirikit urged authorities to properly preserve this classical art form. Today the Support Foundation's annual khon performance never fails to entertain. Once at serious risk of being lost entirely, under Queen Sirikit's never-ending commitment to preserve this exquisite performing art, khon is now renowned for its meticulously-produced costumes, masks and stunning props among audiences not just in Thailand, but the world over. Thanks to Queen Sirikit's royal patronage, this centuries-old tradition has risen to new heights. 
