CHIANG MAI, Thailand – Following the inscription of Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan in Nakhon Si Thammarat as Thailand’s 6th cultural World Heritage Site and 9th overall, marking three consecutive years of World Heritage listings for the country, Thailand is already looking ahead to its next milestone. In 2027, Thailand hopes for another success as it submits the “Monuments, Sites and Cultural Landscape of Chiang Mai, Capital of Lanna,” which has been on UNESCO’s Tentative List since 2015, for formal consideration.
The Thai Cabinet has approved the nomination and forwarded the documents to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre in Paris. The proposal covers three main components:
- Inner-city historical sites — the moat, city walls, Wat Chiang Man, Wat Phra Singh, and Wat Chedi Luang
- Outer-city sites and natural areas — Wat Suan Dok, Wat Umong, and Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
- Wat Maha Photharam (Wat Chet Yot)
As part of the evaluation process, UNESCO experts are scheduled to visit Chiang Mai province in early August to assess the site and provide recommendations for the preparation of a complete nomination dossier. The Fine Arts Department, together with related agencies, is working intensively to help secure Chiang Mai’s place as Thailand’s next World Heritage Site in 2027. Fingers crossed for Chiang Mai’s success! (PRD)
