Thailand monitors issues at World Heritage Committee's meeting

BANGKOK, June 17 (TNA) - The 37th World Heritage Committee Meeting kicked off in Cambodia on Monday, with many issues concerning Thailand included on its agenda. Cambodia chaired the meeting, in which representatives of over 190 countries worldwide participated, including nearly 60 from Thailand, while Thailand also acted as the vice chair of the meeting. Pittaya Pukkaman, Vice Minister of Thailand's Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, who heads the Thai delegation for the meeting, told journalists that Thailand presented new measures to conserve the Dong Phaya Yen-Khao Yai forest complex, after the World Heritage Committee, under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), had suggested that Thailand improve the protection due to concerns over negative impacts from a widened highway through the forest complex, illegal rosewood logging and dam construction, which could increase forest encroachment and hunting and affect indigenous fish. Besides, the Fine Arts Department reported the conservation of World Heritage sites in Thailand, comprising the Huai Kha Khaeng forest, the Sukhothai-Si Satchanalai-Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park, the Ayutthaya Historical Park and the Ban Chiang Archaeological Site. Thai authorities concerned were, meanwhile, monitoring whether issues related to areas surrounding the Preah Vihear Temple were also raised for discussions at the meeting. (TNA)