TAT Launches Free Cultural Route Celebrating Thai Craftsmanship
TAT launches a free cultural route connecting Bangkok's Grand Palace to Koh Kerd in Ayutthaya, offering visitors experiences in classical Khon dance and traditional Thai craftsmanship through museum visits and guided tours running until Dec
Bangkok, 13 August 2026 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), under the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and in collaboration with the SUPPORT Foundation, is inviting Thai and international visitors to experience “Koh Kerd: The Living Legacy of Thai Craftsmanship”, a cultural route linking the Grand Palace in Bangkok with Koh Kerd in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. Operating every Wednesday to Sunday until 26 December 2026, the route brings together Khon performing arts, Thai craftsmanship and traditional knowledge through visits to the Khon Learning Centre and the Arts of the Kingdom Museum.
The route is presented to mark the 12 August 2026 birthday anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother. It reflects a royal legacy closely associated with the preservation of Thai arts, crafts and traditional skills. Through the SUPPORT initiative, generations of artisans have refined specialist techniques, sustained livelihoods and passed valuable knowledge from one generation to the next.
That legacy comes into focus on arrival at Koh Kerd, where visitors begin at the Khon Learning Centre with an introduction to Khon, Thailand’s classical masked dance drama, inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The experience brings visitors closer to the performance, costume, music and craftsmanship that together define this distinctive art form.
The journey then continues by tram to the Arts of the Kingdom Museum, where works created by artisans trained through the SUPPORT programme showcase the depth and refinement of Thai craftsmanship. The museum collection highlights specialist techniques across Thai decorative arts, offering a closer look at skills and knowledge preserved across generations. Products and souvenirs are also available for purchase, while admission to the museum is complimentary in tribute to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother.
For international visitors, the route adds another cultural dimension to a Bangkok–Ayutthaya itinerary beyond the province’s better-known historical attractions. With departure near the Grand Palace, visitors can independently explore the palace and surrounding historic district in the morning before continuing to Koh Kerd for an afternoon immersed in Thai performing arts and craftsmanship.
A complimentary shuttle departs at 11.00 Hrs. from Na Phra Lan Road, opposite Wiman Thewet Gate on the Silpakorn University side, and arrives at the Khon Learning Centre at approximately 12.30 Hrs. The return service departs the Arts of the Kingdom Museum at 15.30 Hrs. and arrives at Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, Building 4, at around 16.30–17.00 Hrs.
The service operates every Wednesday to Sunday until 26 December 2026 and accommodates up to 50 passengers per trip. Advance registration is required via the project’s designated booking platform at https://artofthekingdomfreebus.com/.
Through the route, TAT is expanding access to Thailand’s artistic heritage while encouraging travel between Bangkok and Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. For families, independent travellers and visitors interested in art and culture, it offers a convenient way to experience the performing traditions, craftsmanship and knowledge that continue to shape Thailand’s cultural identity.
