Wat Phra Mahathat in Thai South expected to gain world heritage status

BANGKOK, August 17 (TNA) - Concerned authorities have led foreign diplomats from 20 countries to tour Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan in Thailand’s southern Nakhon Si Thammarat Province in a bid to have the site listed as a new world heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Chatchai Sukrakan, President of Nakhon Si Thammarat's provincial cultural council, who headed the tour earlier on Saturday, told reporters that he hopes the international diplomats will help promote Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan on the world stage. Chatchai acknowledged that the tour was part of Nakhon Si Thammarat’s efforts to promote provincial cultural heritages in the world community. Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan has been already on the UNESCO’s tentative list of World Heritage Sites. Chatchai said the local authorities concerned are doing their best to prepare a complete set of required documents to be presented to the UNESCO's World Heritage Centre for the inscription of Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan on the World Heritage List. According to the provincial cultural council chief, the documents contain eight chapters and 300-400 pages, specifying significantly-cultural features of Wat Phra Mahathat, the main temple of Nakhon Si Thammarat, which is considered having outstanding values and suitable for the inscription on the World Heritage List. (TNA)