Thailand’s independent, non-mainstream theatre scene has been thriving for over a decade, with a variety of both longstanding and newly established theatre companies offering a diverse selection of fringe plays and performances. These range from original text-based works to adaptations and reinterpretations of Thai and foreign classics, and even groundbreaking experimental pieces. Theatre-goers can enjoy high-quality productions, especially on weekends, throughout the year. Most productions provide English surtitles. Additionally, major universities have drama schools that cultivate new theatre-makers and regularly showcase their students' works, further enriching Thailand’s already bustling theatrical calendar.

The most vibrant centre for contemporary theatre in Thailand is the capital, Bangkok. This megacity boasts several large theatrical venues: the Thailand Cultural Centre, Muangthai Ratchadalai Theatre, M Theatre and KBank Siam Pic-Ganesha. Each with over 500 seats and managed by the state or commercially-oriented companies, they present large-scale theatrical productions by the government or production companies such as Scenario or Dream Box to the general public. However, for those who prefer more intimate fringe performances, there are numerous smaller independent theatre troupes scattered throughout Bangkok. Though only a few possess their own venues, they often hire small studios around the city to rehearse and perform.

Beyond the capital, Chiangmai in the north is home to numerous theatre troupes, including Makhampom Foundation and Lanyim Theatre, which will be featured in this article. While theatrical activity is sparser elsewhere in the country, one may find the Patravadi Theatre School in Hua Hin, established by the esteemed pioneer of Thai modern theatre, Patravadi Mejudhon, to nurture the younger generation of theatre performers. Additionally, the Arsom Silp Institute of the Arts, founded by the Moradok Mai theatre troupe in Pathum Thani, serves as another training centre nurturing students in blending Thai traditional theatre with modern practices.

This article introduces a selection of significant contemporary professional theatre companies active in Bangkok and Chiangmai, in chronological order of when they were founded.

Bangkok

1. B-Floor Theatre

B-Floor has garnered a reputation for its captivating, politically-charged physical theatre productions in Thailand for over two decades. Emphasising wordless movement-based performances, they convey their political perspectives with eloquence. 

Boasting exceptional talents such as Teerawat Mulvilai, Jarunan Phantachat, Ornanong Thaisriwong, Dujdao Vadhanapakorn and Sasapin Siriwanij as key members, B-Floor offers a diverse range of productions. At one end are incisive solo performances like Bang La Merd (2012), the staging of which was closely monitored by military officials due to its daring, politically sensitive messages, and Sawan Arcade (2017). At the other are large-scale collaborations with foreign companies, such as the Something Missing series (2015-2017). Noteworthy works by the group include the butoh-inspired Sandanka (2009), depicting the misconduct of Buddhist monks, as well as interactive shows addressing mental health issues like (In)Sensitivity (2013), Secret Keeper (2015) and Blissfully Blind (2017). They have also produced chilling portrayals of state violence and enforced disappearances in the Sathapana series (2014-2016), Ceci n’est pas la politique (2015), Manoland (2015), Fundamental (2016) and The (Un)governed Body (2019). 

B-Floor Theatre is a regular recipient of awards at the annual IATC Thailand Award ceremonies, particularly in the movement-based performance and acting categories. The awards are administered by the Thai section of the International Association of Theatre Critics.

2. Naked Masks Playtimes

Founded in 2004 by Ninart Boonpothong, one of Thailand's finest and most prolific playwrights and theatre directors, Naked Masks Playtimes is renowned for its razor-sharp scripts, frequently based on significant milestones in recent Thai history. These include unresolved political and homicidal murder mysteries, insider stories from the country's financial enterprises during the major economic crisis in 1997, interpretations of Shakespeare’s classic plays, sci-fi punk musicals, and re-imaginings of well-known Thai and foreign literary works as well as films. 

Ninart’s scripts are always highly complex and intricate, often requiring an ensemble cast of up to 30 performers. The compelling stories more than compensate for the minimalist production and settings, managing to capture the audience's attention throughout works that can run as long as three hours. Naked Masks Playtimes contributes extensively to Thailand’s independent theatre community by collaborating with a group of undergraduate students from different universities to form an independent theatre club called Young Pack Action. Additionally, there is another club for younger high-school students called Youth Drama Plus, where Ninart trains these junior enthusiasts in the art of theatre-making by challenging them to perform his highly complex and mature plays.

3. New Theatre Society

This is a theatre company led by eminent drama school university lecturers Damkerng Thitapiyasak and Parnrut Kritchanchai, which has received acclaim since emerging in 2006. New Theatre Society's unique talents lie in reconstructing and reinterpreting classic and canonical world theatre plays within a Thai context, going far beyond mere adaptation. Their idiosyncratic and highly imaginative reworkings render New Theatre Society's plays fresh and original. 

A signature device is reversing the gender of characters in masterworks like Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot featuring four female cast members in hilarious Thai schoolgirl uniforms instead of the traditional two leading men. Or turning Blanche DuBois from Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire into a deeply tormented Thai transwoman returning to her sister in a Thai slum. The recent play Krua Khun Joke Khun Dao Khun Golf (2023) also transforms the male duo of Harold Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter into two female chefs and one gay chef receiving orders of a variety of Thai dishes from the so-called ‘dumb waiter’. Their interpretation of Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage also depicts the unique dignity and pride of Thai parents. The company also spliced Luigi Pirandello’s Six Characters in Search of an Author together with Saokruafah, a Northern Thai version of Madame Butterfly resulting in a wildly uproarious parody. Other great playwrights that have inspired New Theatre Society include William Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw, Molière, August von Kotzebue, David Mamet and A.R. Gurney.

4. Babymime

This is a trio of charming pantomime performers, clad in clownish attire in the troupe’s vibrant colours: pink, yellow, and blue. For nearly two decades, they have delighted audiences of all ages across Thailand with their endearing performances. Their whimsical, virtually wordless sketches convey poignant stories without the need for speech, establishing a trademark style that elevates children's entertainment to an art form. 

Consisting of only three performers—Glur, Nging, and Ta—and utilising minimal props and sets, Babymime has toured almost every province in Thailand over the past 20 years. They also performed in Singapore at Esplanade’s Flipside festival in 2009, 2015 and 2018. 

Although Ta has recently departed from the group to pursue his own path as a soloist with Ta Lent Show, the remaining members continue to collaborate with other theatre-makers, infusing new creativity into their distinctive routines.

5. For WhaT Theatre

This theatre company has been presenting a range of groundbreaking experimental works and incisive political farces to Thai audiences for over a decade. Led by Wichaya Artamat, a film school graduate from Thammasat University who turned to theatre-making after briefly joining the Bangkok Theatre Festival and New Theatre Society, For WhaT Theatre is a frequent award winner at the IATC Thailand annual critics’ award ceremonies. 

Notable works directed by Wichaya Atamat include the twin parallel universe simultaneous performances Baan Cult, Muang Cult (2013) and [what we talk about when we don't talk about the elephant in the room] (2017), as well as a bittersweet reunion between a brother and sister as they gather to remember their late father, Three Days in May (2015 - IATC Best Play), to be restaged as This Song Father Used to Sing at Esplanade’s The Studios in September 2024. 

For WhaT was also behind an anti-movement dance performance titled Oh, Ode! (2017), documentary theatre works on acting As an Actress (2018) + Siamese Femmes Fatales (2019) and Just Away (2023), as well as political drama Four Days in September (2022).

6. NUNi Production

Under the leadership of Pattarasuda Anuman Rajadhon, NUNi excels in both producing original Thai dialogue-driven dramas, such as the endearing interracial working class comedy My Mother’s Kitchen (2019) in which a young Thai girl introduces her Western boyfriend to her family, a relationship frowned upon by the elders. 

The company also faithfully adapts contemporary western classics into Thai versions, including Florian Zeller’s The Father (2021) and Suea Kim’s The Little Tiger for Korea (2022). However, NUNi Production’s pinnacle of success must be their Thai adaptation of Yasmina Reza’s ART, supremely acted by three veteran thespians in Thailand: Damkerng Thitapiyasak, Nikorn Saetang and Pawit Mahasarinand. It ran for more than 40 performances across Thailand in 2022–2023 and swept four major awards at the IATC Thailand 2020–2022 ceremony, including Best Play. The company’s most ambitious production is staging Franz Schubert’s large-scale opera Sakuntala at the Thailand Cultural Centre.

7. Splashing Theatre Company

Established by Thanaphon Accawatanyu, a graduate in film studies, and Thongchai Pimapunsri, a fellow political science student from Thammasat University, Splashing Theatre Company heralds the voice of a new generation of progressive theatre-makers. It ingeniously integrates cinematic techniques into scriptwriting, acting, and production, setting their plays apart from others. 

Their early production, Whaam! (A Brief History of Unknown Astronaut) (2015), a queer, techno-punk sci-fi piece, injected a breath of fresh air into the contemporary Thai theatre scene. It featured a compelling performance by the lead actor Thongchai Pimapunsri in an incredibly demanding and exceptionally difficult role, for which he later received an IATC Award. Subsequent works such as The Disappearance of the Boy on a Sunday Afternoon (2016), a portrayal of teen sexual angst, earned them the titles of Best Play and Best Original Script at the IATC Awards. Their following productions, including the pseudo-musical Thou Shalt Sing: A Secondary Killer’s Guide to Pull the Trigger (2017), the politically charged Teenage Wasteland: Summer, Star and the (Lost) Chrysanthemum (2017), and the vintage film noir set live on-stage Albatross (2018), swiftly attained instant masterpiece status.

8. FULLFAT Theatre

Under the leadership of Nophand Boonyai, FULLFAT has demonstrated itself to be the most anglophone-friendly theatre company in Thailand. Their debut production, Co/Exist (2017), penned by Nophand Boonyai himself, was delivered entirely in English, tackling the theme of urban-life depression. This was followed by a multi-sensory oneiric play, Taxi Radio (2018), which combined stunning visuals with urban music and the sounds of traffic during taxi rides.

Subsequently, they moved away from conventional theatrical stages to create a series of site-specific, immersive and participatory works. Standout productions include the eerily voyeuristic Sleepwalkers (2017), and the chillingly atmospheric Siam Supernatural Tour 2018/2021 offering ‘haunted house’ after-hours guided tours of the KBank Siam Pic Ganesha theatre. Subsequently, they presented Save for Later (2020), an immersive theatre experience acknowledging the COVID-19 social distancing on the issue of environmental awareness. 

FULLFAT Theatre ensures accessibility for English-speaking audiences by employing bilingual performers, thus facilitating participation without language barriers.

CHIANGMAI

9. Makhampom Foundation

A strong presence in Thailand’s independent theatre milieu since the early 1980s, Makhampom stands as one of the longest-operating theatre troupes still active today.

Originally situated in Bangkok, Makhampom later relocated to Amphur Chiangdao, Chiangmai in 2003, inaugurating its own dedicated performance studio, now known as Makhampom Art Space. 

The troupe's current objective diverges from conventional production companies; it is committed to delivering high-calibre plays and performances to the community, particularly within educational institutions and to the burgeoning cohort of theatre enthusiasts. Regularly hosting workshops and training sessions, Makhampom endeavours to cultivate the next generation of theatre practitioners. Despite being rooted in Chiangdao, Makhampom receives repeated invitations to collaborate with communities across Chiangmai and in remote provinces throughout Thailand.

10. Lanyim Theatre

This is one of the most dynamic theatre companies among the numerous troupes in the province. Founded by Nontawat Machai, Lanyim Theatre is situated in Suan Anya: Northern People Historical Museum, Chaiwana Foundation Chiang Mai. The troupe's expertise lies in blending narratives from various literary traditions, both Thai and foreign, with meaningful choreography of physical movement, accompanied by spoken texts. 

Their notable works include Dear Mother Snake (Ibu Ular) (2021), a part of the Biopsy of Fear project. This physical theatre piece is a rare adaptation of a collection of contemporary Thai poems by Arnond Nanmalaew, longlisted for the S.E.A. Write Award in 2019. It depicts a game hunt in Pattani province, echoing the conflicts, violence and suppression in the Muslim deep south of Thailand through movement and verbal expression.

For those interested in translated Thai scripts, a recommended resource is the English book titled Micro-Politics by Collective Thai Scripts. This publication features a collection of four contemporary original play scripts by acclaimed Thai playwrights who subtly express their political ideals through the art of theatre-making. The four are Thanaphon Accawatanyu’s The Disappearance of the Boy on a Sunday Afternoon, Pradit Prasartthong’s A Nowhere Place, Ornanong Thaisriwong’s Bang La Merd and Thanaphol Virulhakul’s Hipster the King, all translated into English.

For theatre-lovers visiting Thailand, November is the best month. This is when the annual Bangkok Theatre Festival unfolds, with the Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre serving as its headquarters.

These glimpses of the Thai contemporary independent theatre scene should illustrate how lively and vibrant the theatre communities in the country are. This list is certainly not exhaustive; there are many other equally distinguished and active theatre troupes and companies. The main challenge lies in the limited circulation of their productions, which are predominantly staged for urban audiences in their respective cities. The extensive Thailand tours of Babymime and of NUNi Production’s ART, featuring only three actors and minimalist sets, provide an excellent model. Thai theatrical productions should venture beyond their local origins to reach wider audiences and engage with fellow Thais in other regions. 

Wichaya Artamat makes his Singapore debut with This Song Father Used to Sing (Three Days in May) which will be presented as part of Esplanade's The Studios series on 6 & 7 Sep 2024 at Esplanade Theatre Studio.