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Suchart Sabsin Shadow Play Local Museum “Thank you very much for conserving this kind of performing art.” These were the words spoken by the King to Suchart Sabsin, who is from Mueang Nakhon and considered to be the best shadow play performer, after a show in 1985. This inspired Suchart (also known as Master Suchart) to open a museum that same year to preserve this local cultural heritage for as long as he can. His museum is called the Shadow Play Local Museum. His desire to continue this art in its ancient traditional form is evident in many ways. It has led Master Suchart to use five traditional musical instruments in his shadow play performances. And when he’s not on the stage, he teaches his students and children how to carve out different puppets and perform with them. In addition, he is also a cowskin craftsman who makes his own shadow play puppets. Master Suchart owns a large collection of cowskin shadow play puppets that are on display in his museum on the second floor. The most attractive ones are over 200 years old with some that represent the Issan people and some that represent Muslims. There are also others that portray people from China, India and Turkey. Visitors can watch a cowskin carving demonstration to see how the puppets are made, too. At the souvenir shop, cowskin puppets and other cowskin items like keychains are sold. Donations are welcomed to support the museum. Master Suchart has won several awards. He was honoured as the Most Outstanding Person in Culture and Handicrafts by the Office of the National Cultural Committee in 1988 for his carving of cowskin shadow play puppets. He won the National Artist of the Year in Performing Arts in 2006, the highest honor for the person who has devoted himself in really extending and conserving the local arts of Nakhon Si Thammarat. And in 2009, he was named the Art Teacher of the Land. Sources: Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Nakhon Si Thammarat Office. Trace Kinnaree at Mueang Nakhon, page 4-5. 2012.