An amorphous $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ thin film is one of the most commonly used materials for phase-change data storage. In this study, $Au_x(Ge_2Sb_2Te_5)_{1-x}$ thin film amorphous-to-crystalline phase-change rate were evaluated in using 658 nm laser beam. The focused laser beam with a diameter <10 ${mu}m$ was illuminated in the power (P) and pulse duration (t) ranges of 1-17 mW and 10-460 ns, respectively, with subsequent detection of the responsive signals reflected from the film surface. We also evaluated the material characteristics, such as optical absorption and energy gap, crystalline phases, and sheet resistance of as-deposited and annealed films. The result of experiments showed that the thermal stability of the $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ film is largely improved by adding Au.