A centuries-old monastery in southern Thailand is the country’s latest cultural monument to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, which will help conserve the site, the government announced on Sunday.
Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan in Nakhon Si Thammarat province is Thailand’s ninth world heritage site, but the first in the country’s southern region, Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
“Its inscription will further strengthen cooperation at the national and local levels in the conservation, protection and sustainable management of the world heritage site,” the ministry said.
Officials and monks celebrated the monastery’s UNESCO recognition on Saturday by chanting blessings and banging a gong, local media reported.
Also known as Phra Mahathat Monastery, the site “has served as a major regional Buddhist center since its founding in the 8th century,” according to Unesco, the United Nations cultural agency.
The temple grounds include imposing gray stupas, a huge reclining Buddha statue, and rows of golden standing and seated Buddha monuments, as well as various ornate depictions of guardian deities.
Located on the Thai peninsula, between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, the monastery has been influenced by various religions and architectural styles, including Brahmanism, Hinduism, Mahayana Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism, originating in parts of India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, UNESCO said on its website.
“These influences were integrated into its religious buildings, rituals and cultural traditions,” the agency added.
It is believed that the UNESCO heritage listings will boost tourism in the country, a key economic sector for Thailand, which has yet to return to pre-Covid-19 visitor levels.
The total number of tourist arrivals fell by more than 3% in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2025, according to the latest figures from the Tourism Ministry.
The historic city of Ayutthaya, the Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries and the ancient city of Si Thep and its associated monuments in Dvaravati are among Thailand’s eight other UNESCO heritage sites.
