Classical dance-drama has been a vital part of Thai life since the late Ayudhaya period to the present. This is due largely to the unfailing efforts of Thai kings, poets, and dramatists in promoting, developing, and preserving the khan and lakhqn, both in the living dramatic forms on stage and in literary texts : the bot khan and bot lakhqn. Despite political, economic and social changes and crises, the continuation of the classical khon and lakhqn ram (dance-drama) has been uninterrupted because it has always been subjected to an unceasing process of modernization Which, in most cases, was led by the Thai monarchs of the past. The serious concern to please the tastes and to serve the needs, of a new , generation of audiences in each period has stimulated the leaders in dramatic circles to experiment with new ideas and concepts in order to present their khan and lakhqn in more effective and more attractive ways, which are pleasing to the eye and ear in a simple, direct way, as well as giving to the audiences the fullest possible dramatic entertainment. As political and social problems became major issues in modern times, classical dance-drama began to change its role and function from being mere public entertainment, or a quasi religious attribute of the royal court, to being an agent for political and social change. This started at the end of the Fifth Reign, and increased in significance in the Sixth, Eighth and Ninth Reigns.