By Chen Guanxin, compiled and reported
The list of winners for the 2011 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage was announced, with three projects from Thailand receiving either the Award of Merit or Honourable Mention. The scripture hall of Bangkok’s Thepthidaram Worawihan Temple, which won the Award of Merit, was once in a state of severe disrepair. Thanks to the use of traditional craftsmanship and materials, along with the joint efforts of temple staff, local communities, and residents, the restoration has been fully completed, transforming the dilapidated structure into a magnificent royal temple heritage site. Additionally, the Honourable Mention awards went to Bangkok’s Na Phra Lan Historic Shophouses and the Salarian Pavilion of Wat Kudhakhan in Songkhla Province.
The restoration project of the scripture hall at Bangkok’s Thepthidaram Worawihan Temple, which won the Award of Merit, has revived the original appearance of the royal temple heritage site. (Photo courtesy of the Tourism Authority of Thailand)
The Na Phra Lan Historic Shophouses face Bangkok’s iconic landmark—the Grand Palace. The recent restoration of these historic shophouses also helped revive the surrounding historical streetscape by removing inappropriate modern elements and restoring the old street’s historical aesthetics, while meeting the goals of modernization and sustainable use.
The Na Phra Lan Historic Shophouses face the Grand Palace and are located in the historic heart of Bangkok. This restoration project aimed to bring back the original appearance of the old street. (Photo courtesy of the Tourism Authority of Thailand)
The Salarian Pavilion of Wat Kudhakhan in Songkhla Province was mainly restored by local craftsmen using traditional materials and unique local techniques, reviving the traditional appearance of an 18th-century wooden pavilion that had nearly become a ruin. With the completion of the renovation of the Salarian Pavilion, local cultural heritage has gradually gained more attention, enabling other historical structures within the temple to also receive restoration.
Thanks to the restoration project of the Salarian Pavilion at Wat Kudhakhan in Songkhla Province, public awareness of the surrounding heritage sites has been heightened, bringing more attention to the local cultural heritage. (Photo courtesy of the Tourism Authority of Thailand)
The 2011 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage received applications for 34 entries from 10 countries across the Asia-Pacific region, including museums, hotels, cultural institutions, educational institutions, religious sites, public institutions, residential buildings, and urban areas. Entries had to be over 50 years old and have undergone restoration within the past 10 years to be eligible. The buildings also had to have been in use for at least one year prior to the announcement of the awards.
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