Photo shows Si Thep Historical Park in Thailand. — Photo by JJ Harrison/Wikimedia Commons
BANGKOK (Sept 20): Unesco added Thailand’s ancient town of Si Thep and its associated Dvaravati monuments in the northern province of Phetchabun to its World Heritage List.
The ancient town of Si Thep is the seventh Unesco World Heritage site in Thailand.
Other Unesco World Heritage sites in Thailand are the historic city of Ayutthaya, the historic town of Sukhothai and associated historic towns, Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries, Ban Chiang Archaeological Site, Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex, and Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex.
The 45th extended session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC), held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday inscribed the Ancient Town of Si Thep and its associated Dvaravati monuments on the World Heritage List under the 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of the Unesco.
Ancient town of Si Thep and its associated Dvaravati monuments is a serial property of three component parts: a distinctive twin-town site, featuring an Inner and Outer Town surrounded by moats; the massive Khao Klang Nok ancient monument; and the Khao Thamorrat Cave ancient monument.
These sites represent the architecture, artistic traditions, and religious diversity of the Dvaravati Empire that thrived in Central Thailand from the 6th to the 10th centuries, demonstrating the influences from India.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin expressed his deepest gratitude to Unesco for the inscription of ancient town of Si Thep and its associated Dvaravati monuments.
The inscription signifies the beginning of cooperation and collective actions to conserve, restore and protect this invaluable site to be a learning centre and the treasure not only for people all over the world but also for the future generations.
“I look forward to welcoming you all to our remarkable world heritage site of Ancient Town of Si Thep and to join hands on the conservation and development of sustainable eco-tourism together with Thai people,” he said in a video posted on X (formely Twitter).
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said that the inscription of the ancient town of Si Thep as a Unesco World Heritage site brings great pride to the Thai people.
“It enhances international awareness of its values and significance of the ancient town of Si Thep as cultural World Heritage site,” it said. — Bernama