UNESCO recognises Wat Arun’s Phra Prang as a Tentative World Heritage Site
UNESCO officially adds Phra Prang of Wat Arun to Thailand's Tentative List, marking a significant step towards World Heritage status.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has officially acknowledged Thailand's submission, confirming that the "Phra Prang of Wat Arun Ratchawararam: The Masterpiece of Krung Rattanakosin" has been included in Thailand’s Tentative List. This was confirmed in a letter dated April 9, 2025.
The letter, signed by Ernesto Ottone R., Assistant Director-General for Culture at UNESCO, congratulated Thailand on its nomination and stated that the submitted documentation met the guidelines of the World Heritage Convention.
What is the Tentative List?
The Tentative List consists of sites that member countries intend to nominate for World Heritage status in the future. Each country must compile and submit these sites to UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre as an indication of its commitment to preservation, management, and protection of these sites. Being included in the Tentative List is a crucial first step towards being recognised as a World Heritage site, as sites not listed here cannot be proposed for World Heritage status in the future.
Thailand’s Seven Tentative Sites
Currently, Thailand has seven sites on the Tentative List:
Cultural:
- Ensemble of Phanom Rung, Muang Tam, and Plai Bat Sanctuaries
- Monuments, Sites and Cultural Landscape of Chiang Mai, Capital of Lanna
- Phra Prang of Wat Arun Ratchawararam: The Masterpiece of Krung Rattanakosin
- Phra That Phanom, its related historic buildings and associated landscape
- Songkhla and its Associated Lagoon Settlements
- Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan, Nakhon Si Thammarat
Natural:
- The Andaman Sea Nature Reserves of Thailand
The inclusion of the "Phra Prang of Wat Arun" in the Tentative List reflects the close cooperation between Thai authorities and UNESCO in preserving and enhancing the cultural heritage of the country. This marks a significant step in Thailand’s pursuit of international recognition and the eventual goal of securing World Heritage status in the near future.
