Thailand Maintains World Heritage Conservation Standards
Thailand's world heritage sites maintained full conservation compliance as none were proposed for the endangered list at the World Heritage Committee's July session, reflecting effective management and monitoring efforts.
During the 48th ordinary session of the World Heritage Committee on July 22, Thailand received positive news as none of its world heritage sites were proposed for inclusion on the List of World Heritage in Danger. This reflects that Thailand's conservation work, area management, and monitoring of world heritage site status continue to comply with World Heritage Convention obligations and successfully preserve the outstanding universal values of these sites. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, led by Minister Suchat Chomklin and Permanent Secretary Dr. Raviwan Puridej, has driven efforts to elevate world heritage conservation in tandem with sustainable development. The Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, serving as Thailand's central coordinating agency for the World Heritage Convention, has integrated cooperation with relevant stakeholders and area management authorities in closely monitoring and assessing conservation status while promoting management measures aligned with international standards to maintain outstanding universal values. World heritage designation is not an endpoint but the beginning of long-term conservation responsibility. State parties and responsible agencies must develop efficient area management plans covering conservation, appropriate land use, tourism management, disaster risk management, community participation, and regular monitoring and reporting of conservation status. If management is inadequate or values are severely compromised, the World Heritage Committee may list a site as being in danger, and if conditions do not improve and universal values are irreversibly lost, the Committee may remove the site from the World Heritage List. Historical examples include Dresden Elbe Valley in Germany, delisted in 2009 due to a large concrete bridge construction that significantly reduced landscape integrity, and Liverpool – Maritime Mercantile City in the United Kingdom, delisted in 2021 due to large-scale development projects in the area.
