Push to get World Heritage listing for Thailand's Nan province

[webfact]

Push to get World Heritage listing for Nan province
Pakamard Jaichalard
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Culture Ministry is trying to build support for its plan to put Nan on the list of World Heritage sites. Nan, in northern Thailand, is rich in history and culture.

"Nan has attracted a lot of Thai and foreign tourists. It's a cultural destination," Culture Minister Vira Rojpojchanarat said yesterday.

A three-day trip to Nan for ambassadors and their spouses, diplomats from various countries and the media was part of his ministry's efforts to get the town listed.

"We organised this trip [which concluded yesterday] on behalf of the Thai government so as to promote good ties between Thailand and other countries," Vira said.

"The good ties are bound to pave the way for co-operation and support, including our plan to have Nan inscribed as a World Heritage site."

Nan Governor Ukrit Peungsopha said the province had huge potential to become a World Heritage site.

"Wat Phumin in Nan is the only four-portico monasteries in Thailand," he said, adding that Nan was also home to other ancient sacred sites such as Wat Phra That Chae Haeng and the Wat Phra That Chang Kham.

"There's also an ancient rock-salt field here. It's more than 1,000 years old," Ukrit added.

He said the Nan Culture Office had been instructed to prepare a report to back up the listing plan.

"We will submit this report to Thailand's World Heritage panel in May next year," Ukrit said.

Police, soldiers and locals were also trying to ensure that Nan was completely free of prostitution.

He said government officials, teachers and students in Nan wore traditional Thai attire between Monday and Thursday, and hilltribe clothes every Friday. "We want to highlight the local identity," he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Push-to-get-World-Heritage-listing-for-Nan-provinc-30247995.html


-- The Nation 2014-11-18

[Chang_paarp]

I wonder if they thought this through fully? Will they make the whole province a museum?

In some parts of the world World Heritage listing is used to stop commercial and industrial developments and mining. Is this the outcome they want? If the heritage value of the listed area is degraded they lose the listing and that would be a huge loss of face for whichever government is in power at the time.

[Misterwhisper]

I've been to Nan. Wat Phumin and the other mentioned monasteries are rather mediocre compared to what true World Heritage sites like Luang Prabang or Bagan offer.

Just because those temples are important to Thais doesn't make them "world heritage-worthy".

An ancient rock salt quarry? Why should that qualify for World Heritage status? There are literally thousands of ancient rock salt, marble, lime stone and what not quarries around the world; not a single one of them is recognized by UNESCO.

I can see why old Ayutthaya, Sukhothai/Sri Satchanali, Ban Chiang, Phanom Rung or Khao Phra Viharn deserve the honor - but honestly, Nan? IMO, it's just another blatant ploy to draw in tourists and their money, nothing else.

yes, if much of that golden teak forest the province used to be famous for were still standing, I would perhaps agree that it should receive World Heritage status - and thus at least some protection.... but that forest has has been largely logged, hasn't it?

[Commerce]

Maybe a local General has joint-ventured with the UK to make a theme park called Nanhenge.

[WhizBang]

Pattaya has attracted a lot of Thai and foreign tourists too. Is it also a cultural destination?

Well, ok, yes it is, but in an entirely different context.

[Chao Lao Beach]

What about Walking Street ? It has to be a one of a kind surely...

[klauskunkel]

"Wat Phumin in Nan is the only four-portico monasteries in Thailand,"

Oh governor, now you said it! What do you think all the other wats in Thailand are gonna do, hmm? They will copy porticos!

[lannachiangrai]

Nan can certainly highlight the environmental damage that occurs under corrupt politicians. Corn, corn everywhere and not an old growth forest to be seen. Does that qualify it as a World Heritage Site?

[Alwyn]

"Nan has attracted a lot of Thai and foreign tourists. It's a cultural destination," Culture Minister Vira Rojpojchanarat said yesterday. So a few tourists go there it should be a World heritage site so hopefully more tourists will go there... Err.. That's kind of counter-prodcutive for World heritage sites but shows where Thailand's thoughts are I guess

[sprq]

Another fools' errand. These people have no idea what it takes to get a World Heritage Site listing, yet off they go, blabbering nonsense to the media. For a start, UNESCO doesn't give WHS status to whole provinces; not knowing that makes the governor look a prize <deleted>. And picking out a few pretty unremarkable places isn't going to impress anyone anyway, even in the rest of Thailand, let alone in the global community which UNESCO represents.

But I suppose when you get down to "Police, soldiers and locals were also trying to ensure that Nan was completely free of prostitution", you know these people are impervious to reason and incapable of any kind of mature thinking.

This is one of those cases where you think the right name for this country is Toyland.

[DeepInTheForest]

"Police, soldiers and locals were also trying to ensure that Nan was completely free of prostitution."

Obviously a determined group of people. Nan must be a truly wonderful place if police, soldiers, and locals have resolved more pressing matters and have nothing better to do with their time.

Efforts to eliminate prostitution, incidentally, have been criticized by human-rights orgs as targeting poor women who often have no other way to support themselves.

Edited November 18, 2014 by DeepInTheForest

[DeepInTheForest]

Duplicate post, apologies.

Edited November 18, 2014 by DeepInTheForest

[DeepInTheForest]

Duplicate post.

Edited November 18, 2014 by DeepInTheForest

[Thaddeus]

They are joking, I've got underwear with more history..... with photographic evidence.

"There's also an ancient rock-salt field here. It's more than 1,000 years old," Ukrit added.

Which is more than quite a bit older than Thailand itself, are they going to fess up and admit that that part of the area wasn't controlled by Thailand then, or Siam even.

Heritage eh, blank out the past, take all the credit and charge an entrance fee.