Phu Prabat Historical Park added to UNESCO World Heritage List

At its 46th session, held in New Delhi from 21 to 31 July, UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee decided to add Phu Prabat Historical Park, in the northeastern province of Udon Thani, to the World Heritage List.

This will be Thailand’s fifth World Heritage Site, after the historic cities of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai and their satellite towns, the Ban Chiang archaeological site in Udon Thani and the historic city of Si Thep in Phetchabun province.

Minister of Culture Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol urged Thai people to express their joy and celebrate the listing, adding that the Fine Arts Department will waive entry fees for visits to Phu Prabat Historical Park from tomorrow until August 12, so that Thai people and foreign tourists can celebrate this special occasion.

Phu Prabat Historical Park is located on a mountain called Phu Phra Bat in the Mueang Pan area of ​​Ban Phue District, which is part of the Phu Phan Sandstone Mountains on the west side of Udon Thani.

What makes the site unique is that it contains traces of different civilizations and cultures spanning thousands of years. The hill contains traces of prehistoric man, the Dvaravati period and the Khmer presence.

The park contains 68 historical structures, most of which are prehistoric or ancient Buddhist temples.

According to archaeologist Manasawin Narksiri, Phu Prabat was nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the presence of the Sima tradition and the clear evidence that human communities have settled in the park since prehistoric times, as evidenced by the carving of stones for Buddhist rituals.

Photo credit: Thailand Tourism Directory