Phu Phra Bat Thailand's newest Cultural World Heritage Site

At 11am on Saturday, Sudawan Wangsuphakitkosol, minister of culture, presided over a press conference at Isara Winitchai Throne Hall, Bangkok National Museum, announcing the inscription of Phu Phra Bat Historical Park as a Cultural World Heritage site.

The event featured a live broadcast from the 46th regular session of the World Heritage Committee, held from July 21-31 in New Delhi, India.

In the third agenda, UNESCO declared Phu Phra Bat Historical Park in Udon Thani Province a Cultural World Heritage site under the name “Phu Phra Bat: Witness to Sema Culture of the Dvaravati Period”.

Phu Phra Bat Historical Park is Thailand's eighth World Heritage site and its fifth Cultural World Heritage site. It is also Udon Thani province's second World Heritage site, following the Ban Chiang Archeological Site, which was inscribed in 1992.

According to the National Museum’s website, Phu Phra Bat Historical Park is located on a mountain called Phu Phra Bat in Ban Phue district, Udon Thani province. 

It is part of the Phu Phan mountain range, a sandstone range west of Udon Thani, with an average elevation of about 320-350 metres above sea level. The area is generally open forest, covered with natural hardwood species.

Archeological surveys have revealed that Phu Phra Bat has been inhabited since prehistoric times, about 2,500 to 3,000 years ago, as evidenced by more than 54 sites  on the mountain with ancient paintings.

Additionally, natural rock shelters have been modified into religious sites by people from various cultures, including Dvaravati, Khmer, Lan Xang and Rattanakosin. These archeological traces illustrate the social development of humans in Northeast Thailand.

Therefore, the Fine Arts Department requested the use of 3,430 rai of national forest reserve from the Department of Forestry. The area was officially registered as a historical site in the Royal Gazette, Volume 98, on April 28, 1981.

Phu Phra Bat Historical Park was subsequently developed and officially opened on June 26, 1992, with HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn presiding over the opening ceremony.

Today, Phu Phra Bat Historical Park is under the management of the Eighth Regional Office of Fine Arts in Khon Kaen, Department of Fine Arts, Ministry of Culture. 

The park oversees 78 registered historical sites. Its main missions include the preservation, conservation, and research of archeological sites and artefacts within and around the park. 

It also serves as a cultural-tourism and educational site for the public.