Chiang Mai represents Thailand as UNESCO cultural city

[webfact]

Chiang Mai the city of culture

By The Nation

Chiang Mai has been nominated as Thailand's representatives of cities under a UNESCO scheme to promote local and creative cultures, a senior Culture Ministry official said yesterday.

Speaking at a ceremony yesterday in which the Chiang Mai provincial authorities signed a deal with the ministry to promote this northern province, Prissana Phongthadsirikul said Chiang Mai was the first province chosen because it was full of history, cultural diversity in addition to social foundation and community unity.

Under the scheme titled "Chiang Mai Culture Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art", the province will be nominated to join in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which now recognises 27 cities across the globe under seven categories, which include literature, culinary, music and design, for instance.

Pattaya and Phuket are set to be nominated in future step of this scheme, which she said Chiang Mai residents fully agreed and are planning to call for the government to set it as a national agenda.

-- The Nation 2011-09-24

related topics:

Chiang Mai To Apply For UNESCO Creative City Designation

Chiang Mai Creative City Initiative Wins Backing Of Thai Government

[LadyHeather]

I find this article interesting since the Chiang Mai Mail reported on the application being submitted several months ago. It would seem that this signing is the Ministry of Culture co-opting the entire process from Chiang Mai instead.

http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/w021/news.shtml#hd4

[Firelily]

Pattaya?!

[oldgent]

I find this article interesting since the Chiang Mai Mail reported on the application being submitted several months ago. It would seem that this signing is the Ministry of Culture co-opting the entire process from Chiang Mai instead.

http://www.chiangmai.../news.shtml#hd4

why not [Pattaya? there is something for everyone in Pattaya

[Flatouthruthefog]

I find this article interesting since the Chiang Mai Mail reported on the application being submitted several months ago. It would seem that this signing is the Ministry of Culture co-opting the entire process from Chiang Mai instead.

http://www.chiangmai.../news.shtml#hd4

Quite correct. Have you noticed that this rather vague piece does not actually SAY that UNESCO has accepted Chiang Mai's application.

I just wonder if it has been turned down, and this is a very nice, positive, way of covering that up?

I also wonder if the 'creative' part of "Creative City" embraces the massive contributions that could be made by foreign expats: artists of all kinds, musicians (almost certainly not!), writers etc etc. As the big announcement at the D2 Hotel was held exclusively in the Thai language, I assume not.

Let's ask ourselves this question: if the big creative promotion theme was applied to our own home cities or towns in the west (or Japan or wherever), would the authorities include cultural input from immigrants?

Clue: for how many decades has London had the Notting Hill Carnival.........??

[cmsally]

it will be interesting to see where this leads; as according to this:

Unesco Creative Cities

it doesn't really look as though the process should involve the ministry of culture or whatever its called. It looks more as though central govt. got freaked out about Chiang Mai doing something under its own steam.