Traditional Puppet Shows and Canal Life in Thonburi
The Artist’s House is located on Khlong Bang Luang in Thonburi, about 30 minutes from central Bangkok. It’s a 200-year-old wooden house that’s been turned into a gallery and café. The main reason people come here is the traditional Thai puppet show, which runs at 2 pm most days except Wednesday. Free to watch, though they appreciate donations.
Art, Crafts and Calm
The house is built around a small white chedi from the temple next door. Downstairs, there’s a café area where people sit and wait for the puppet show. Upstairs is a small gallery with rotating exhibitions, usually paintings, photography, and traditional Khon masks. On weekends, they sometimes run workshops for mask painting or bracelet making. Nothing fancy. The building itself is the main attraction, all dark wood and sloping floors.
Traditional Puppet Shows
This is the highlight. A small troupe performs traditional Thai puppet theatre, the kind you rarely see anymore outside of museums or special events. The puppeteers wear black and manipulate large rod puppets while a narrator tells stories from Thai folklore. Hanuman, the monkey god, usually makes an appearance. Live music accompanies the performance. The whole thing lasts about 30 minutes. We’ve been twice now, and the second time was just as good. The puppeteers clearly take pride in keeping this tradition going.
Life Along Khlong Bang Luang
The area around the Artist’s House is worth exploring on its own. Khlong Bang Luang is one of those canal neighbourhoods where wooden houses hang over the water, and a narrow concrete walkway connects everything. You’ll pass small art studios, a few family shops, and the occasional vendor selling snacks. Some days, a boat comes by selling grilled bananas or drinks. It’s not staged for tourists. People actually live here.
A couple of small restaurants sit right on the canal. Basic Thai food, iced coffee, nothing remarkable, but the setting is nice. We spent an hour just sitting there watching boats go by. Easy to lose track of time.
Don’t Miss the Temple Next Door
Most visitors skip the temple right next door, but it’s worth a quick look. Wat Kamphaeng Bang Chak dates back to the late Ayutthaya period and has some old murals inside. Usually empty. If the gallery feels crowded, the temple courtyard is a good place to wait
Opening Hours and How to Get There
The Artist’s House is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm. Puppet show at 2 pm, except Wednesdays. Easiest way to get there: take the MRT Blue Line to Bang Phai station, then grab a taxi or motorbike for the last stretch. You can also come by longtail boat through the canals if you want the scenic route, but it takes longer to arrange.
The Artist House Photos
The Artist’s House Info
Location: Thonburi
Address: 309 Phet Kasem Rd, Khuha Sawan, Phasi Charoen, Bangkok 10160
Hours: 10 am – 6 pm
Phone: 065 691 5655
Facebook: Click Here
The Artist’s House Map
Things to Do in Thonburi
