Chiang Mai Governor Rattaphon Naradit conducted site visits on 29th May to seven key temples and cultural heritage sites nominated as part of the city’s bid for UNESCO World Heritage status, ahead of an official assessment by experts from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) scheduled for 3rd–8th August.
The sites visited included Wat Umong, Wat Suan Dok, Wat Chiang Man, Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Jet Yot and the Lanna Architecture Centre at Khum Chao Burirat. The governor reported that preparations across all sites are now more than 80% complete, with landscaping and environmental improvements still ongoing.
That evening, the governor was joined by Chiang Mai PAO President Pichai Lertphong-adisat, CMU Faculty of Architecture Dean Asst. Prof. Dr. Phaendin Unjana and Chiang Mai City Council President Supharoek Phavilai for a press conference on the bid’s progress. The Lanna Architecture Centre at Khum Chao Burirat will serve as the information hub for the ICOMOS delegation, with CMU’s architecture faculty designing the presentations for both the centre and all nominated sites.
An advisory team will conduct a preparatory review on 13th–14th June to assess readiness and provide further recommendations before the official ICOMOS visit.
