More Asian gems join Unesco list

Past preserved: Wat Phra Mahathat Worama­hawihan, a 13th-century Buddhist temple in southern Thailand known for its 78m stupa and distinctive architecture, was also inscribed on the World Heritage List, becoming Thailand’s ninth such site. — AP

An ornate 13th-century Buddhist temple in Thailand and tidal flats in western South Korea were among several sites added to the World Heritage List at a United Nations committee meeting in South Korea.

The Unesco meetings in Busan, which continue through next Wednesday, are reviewing dozens of other nominations, including the D-Day landing beaches in France, Mount Olympus in Greece and the ancient Japanese capitals of Asuka-Fujiwara.

Wat Phra Mahathat Worama­hawihan, a 13th-century Buddhist temple in southern Thailand known for its 78m stupa and distinctive architecture, was also inscribed on the World Heritage List, becoming Thailand’s ninth site on Saturday.

Unesco has described the temple as an outstanding example of Theravada Buddhist architecture that remains a living place of worship, preserving religious traditions that draw large gatherings of devotees.

The temple was first proposed to Unesco in 2012, and has gone through more than a decade of preparation to meet the nomination requirements.

While the World Heritage listing is expected to dramatically increase visitors to the temple, Kanop Ketchart, mayor of Nakhon Si Thammarat City, said officials are prepared to address potential infrastructure and capacity challenges.

“We have prepared our infrastructure, buffer zoning and evacuation plan to fit all the requirements of Unesco,” he said in an interview this month.

Traces of time: Remnants of the Royal Palace in the Medina of Iconi, south of the Comorian capital, Moroni. It was among the six centuries-old medinas in Comoros added into Unesco – once historic sultanates along Indian Ocean trade routes – to its World Heritage List, raising hopes for their preservation. — AFP

“More importantly, the people are getting used to all this process for almost 10 years. So they are very much looking forward to (it).”

Sarnath, an ancient Buddhist site in the northern Indian city of Varanasi, was another Asian religious location newly added to the World Heritage List.

Recognised as the sacred location where the Buddha delivered his first sermon, the site’s architectural and archaeological properties remain deeply significant despite periods of decline and revival, Unesco said.

The committee also decided to expand the World Heritage listing of the South Korean “getbol” tidal flats with four additional coastal wetlands in Seosan, Goheung, Muan and Yeosu in the country’s west.

Unesco had previously ins­cribed four other South Korean tidal flats in 2021 for their biodiversity and crucial role as a stopover for migratory birds.

Centuries-old handicraft porcelain industry sites in the eastern Chinese city of Jingdezhen were another new addition to the World Heritage List.

The sites trace the evolution of handcrafted porcelain production in China from the 10th to the 19th centuries, showcasing innovations that helped make Jing­dezhen a leading centre for fine porcelain, with its blue-and-white porcelain becoming a global symbol of Chinese craftsmanship, according to Unesco.

The Indian Ocean island nation of Comoros secured its first World Heritage listing after the committee inscribed six historic towns or medinas dating to the 11th century that later emerged as the principal urban centres of the country’s sultanates.

Unesco said the towns reflect centuries of cultural exchange through Indian Ocean trade networks while preserving distinctive urban traditions shaped by African, Arab and Islamic influences. — AP