Bangkok’s Wat Arun nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status
Thailand’s iconic Wat Arun temple is one step closer to global recognition, as the Cabinet has just approved its nomination for the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. The move highlights the temple’s rich architectural history and its significance to the Rattanakosin Kingdom.
In a pivotal Cabinet meeting yesterday, Culture Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol announced that the Phra Prang of Wat Arun Ratchawararam: Identity of the Rattanakosin Kingdom would be officially put forward for consideration. The nomination celebrates the temple’s stunning Phra Prang style, a hallmark of the Rattanakosin period and a rare representation of this architectural form in Southeast Asia.
“The Phra Prang of Wat Arun stands as a symbol of Thailand’s rich cultural heritage and architectural brilliance. Its inclusion on the World Heritage Tentative List would be a significant milestone for the preservation of our national treasures.”
The next step in the process will be submitting the nomination documentation to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre in Paris by the end of this month. This submission will ensure that Wat Arun’s candidacy is added to the agenda of the World Heritage Committee meeting, set for June to July.
In the meantime, Thailand’s Ministry of Culture has charged the Fine Arts Department with the responsibility of ensuring the preservation of the temple and its surroundings, working closely with Wat Arun’s administration to align efforts with international conservation standards.
The nomination process will include archaeological assessments, the implementation of a management plan for the temple’s grounds, and continuous efforts to engage Thai communities in conservation efforts.
After the temple is listed on the Tentative List for a year, a more detailed preliminary report will need to be submitted by September 2026. The final, comprehensive nomination dossier for full UNESCO World Heritage status will follow.
Following a recent earthquake on March 28, the Fine Arts Department has also dispatched experts in structural engineering and ancient monument preservation to conduct a thorough stability assessment of the Phra Prang.
The experts will ensure that the temple remains structurally sound ahead of the upcoming UNESCO evaluation, reported The Nation.
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