Thailand to propose Maha That temple, Chiang Mai old town as world heritage sites

 

BANGKOK, 27th November 2017 (NNT) – Authorities in Thailand are working on authenticating related documents prior to proposing Maha That temple in Nakhon Si Thammrat province, and the Old Town of Chiang Mai province as cultural world heritages next year. 

The Culture Minister, Vira Rojpojchanarat, said the subcommittee on cultural world heritage has acknowledged the progress being made on the proposal documents being prepared for the nomination of Maha That temple in Nakhon Si Thammrat, and the Old Town of Chiang Mai as cultural world heritage sites, according to the documents submitted to the Fine Arts Department. 

The subcommittee has instructed experts on archaeology and museum authorities to verify the documents and make suggestions for responsible provinces to make additional amendments, and has suggested an international conference be held in order to receive more input to enable the completion of the proposal papers. 

The proposals will be submitted to the World Heritage Committee if they are completed by 2018. 

The subcommittee has agreed to establish another committee to work on the proposal of the Old Town of Chiang Mai as a cultural world heritage site. The committee is chaired by the Governor of Chiang Mai with academics and experts as members. 

The subcommittee has also urged the formation of a working committee to prepare for the nomination of Sri Thep ancient city in Phetchabun in the initial list of world heritage sites to speed up the process, and called on the Fine Arts Department to conduct more research for the preparation of these papers.

 

-- nnt 2017-11-27

The whole of the old town. Bit of a stretch is it not?

A world heritage site the old city...???....it's full of broken, decrepit buildings and piles of garbage!

I always had this completely implausible idea: As a World Heritage Site, wouldn't it be nice if private vehicles were limited inside the old city, sort of like Ho Chih Min city is considering?

 

Imagine that. Yes, I did say implausible.

40 years too late !

Old Town of Chiang Mai.

Do they mean the current old city Muang Chiang Mai,  or do they mean the recently discovered and excavated Wiang Kum Kan just south of 'modern' Chiang Mai?

Had a look at what being a cultural world heritage site means, wiki says;

A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area which is selected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as having cultural, historical, scientific or other form of significance, and is legally protected by international treaties. The sites are judged important to the collective interests of humanity.

Criteria I am not sure the old city as an entity meets.

As for the ongoing commitments, I again wonder.

Still good luck.

1 hour ago, fantom said:

Old Town of Chiang Mai.

Do they mean the current old city Muang Chiang Mai,  or do they mean the recently discovered and excavated Wiang Kum Kan just south of 'modern' Chiang Mai?

Wiang Kum Kam is already a world heritage site.

1 hour ago, terminatorchiangmai said:

Wiang Kum Kam is already a world heritage site.

Are you sure about that?

2 hours ago, alant said:

Had a look at what being a cultural world heritage site means, wiki says;

A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area which is selected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as having cultural, historical, scientific or other form of significance, and is legally protected by international treaties. The sites are judged important to the collective interests of humanity.

Criteria I am not sure the old city as an entity meets.

As for the ongoing commitments, I again wonder.

Still good luck.

..well you wont see decrepit buildings or rubbish like that anywhere else..so it qualifies..yes!

13 hours ago, bubba said:

I always had this completely implausible idea: As a World Heritage Site, wouldn't it be nice if private vehicles were limited inside the old city, sort of like Ho Chih Min city is considering?

 

Imagine that. Yes, I did say implausible.

That may be the idea for listing it. The light rail project, which may take decades to finish, may threaten some of the historical structures without some sort of protection.