Thailand has secured another place on the global cultural map after Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan in Nakhon Si Thammarat was officially inscribed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.
The decision was approved on Saturday during a meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea, making the historic temple Thailand’s ninth World Heritage site and the first to receive the designation in the country’s southern region.
Culture Minister Sabeeda Thaised, who attended the meeting, welcomed the announcement and said the recognition highlighted the temple’s importance not only to Thailand but to the wider world.
She said the inscription reflected the lasting value of southern Thailand’s cultural identity, traditional knowledge and customs that have been preserved and passed down through generations.
“The temple is not merely a heritage site belonging to Thailand, but a cultural legacy with value to all humanity,” she said. “Its inscription is both a source of pride and a shared responsibility to ensure its preservation for future generations.”
Ms Sabeeda encouraged people across Thailand to celebrate the achievement and visit the temple to experience its cultural and historical significance firsthand.
To commemorate the designation, the Fine Arts Department has also opened a permanent exhibition dedicated to the Phra Mahathat of Nakhon Si Thammarat at the province’s National Museum for the first time.
Outstanding Universal Value
The World Heritage Committee recognised Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan under UNESCO’s criteria for Outstanding Universal Value, citing the temple’s importance as a meeting point of religious, artistic and cultural traditions that developed across Asia over centuries.
The site reflects the historical convergence of Brahmanical, Hindu, Mahayana Buddhist and Theravada Buddhist influences spanning Central and Southeast Asia, with its architecture and religious traditions helping shape cultural practices across the region.
The committee also highlighted influences connected to the Pala tradition of Nalanda in India, Central Java, Sri Lanka and Mon culture in southern Myanmar. Elements of these traditions were later reflected in religious architecture and artistic expression in Thailand, Malaysia and neighbouring areas.
Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan was further recognised as a living centre of faith and the spiritual heart of Nakhon Si Thammarat, where religious customs remain closely connected with the surrounding community.
UNESCO also noted the temple’s association with regional artistic and literary traditions, including the renowned Nora dance and local legends that have remained part of southern Thai cultural life for generations.
“The site exemplifies the enduring relationship between sacred places and surrounding communities and has served as a source of inspiration for religious centres across Thailand and beyond,” it said.
Celebrations marking the UNESCO inscription were held at Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan following the announcement.
The ceremony was chaired by Kraisorn Wisitwong, adviser to Deputy Prime Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, and attended by Phra Dhammavajirakorn, the temple’s abbot, Fine Arts Department director-general Phnombootra Chandrajoti, senior officials, students and local residents.
Thailand’s delegation to the World Heritage Committee meeting in Busan was led by Ms Sabeeda and Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin.
Representatives from the Fine Arts Department, the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education and Nakhon Si Thammarat province also joined the delegation.
