BANGKOK, 3 July 2015 – The World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has resolved not to include the Historic City of Ayutthaya in the list of endangered world heritage sites, following the great floods of 2011 in Thailand.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister General Daopong Rattanasuwan and his team recently attended the 39th Session of the World Heritage Committee in Bonn, Germany.
The minister said that the decision by the panel not to include the Historic City of Ayutthaya on the world heritage site list was because Thailand’s efforts to restore the city did not follow the World Heritage Committee’s protocol.
However, the committee has endorsed the Department of Fine Arts’ management plan for the site. Ministry of Culture has notified the UNESCO panel of its progress to recruit skilled craftsmen and procure materials used to restore the historical site.
UNESCO has asked that Thailand not build any new structures on the historic site.
General Daopong added the restoration plan is being adapted for clarity, before it is to submitted to the World Heritage Committee on December 1 next year.
