Ayutthaya high-speed rail plans raise UNESCO heritage concerns
Plans to build a high-speed rail station in Ayutthaya have sparked fears that the project could threaten the city’s World Heritage status.
Ayutthaya Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991, lies near the proposed site of the Ayutthaya station, part of the Thailand-Laos-China high-speed railway project. Concerns have been raised over potential visual and structural impacts on the ancient ruins.
According to Veeris Ammarapala, Governor of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), a recent assessment was conducted by experts from the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).
These organisations act as advisory bodies to the World Heritage Committee. The expert team visited Ayutthaya between January 19 and 22 to evaluate the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) of the railway development.
Their report concluded that rerouting the line around Ayutthaya is not an option. However, they recommended adjusting the track height and station design to ensure that the structure remains hidden from within the historical park.
The panel also urged close cooperation between key agencies, including the Department of Rail Transport, the Fine Arts Department, and tourism officials, to address indirect and long-term impacts.
Proposed strategies include integrated urban planning around the station and infrastructure improvements in line with tourism growth, reported The Nation.
To manage the expected rise in tourist traffic, experts suggested limiting access to sensitive heritage zones and enhancing transport connectivity between the new rail station and key historic sites.
Meanwhile, in the northeast, the Minister of Culture Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol visited Wat Phra That Phanom in Nakhon Phanom province previously on April 28 to advance the temple’s nomination for UNESCO World Heritage status.
During her visit, she participated in a traditional cloth-wrapping ceremony of the Phra That Phanom stupa, believed to house a Buddha relic. She also toured exhibitions highlighting the temple’s history, the Urangkhathat Relic legend, the Boon Duean Sam festival, and the province’s cultural tourism routes
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