via South China Morning Post, 13 December 2019: Travel piece on Sukhothai, its Unesco World Heritage properties and its status as a Unesco Creative City.
Sukhothai was one of 66 sites dubbed a Creative City by Unesco in October. The United Nations body picks these cities based on their achievements in, and commitment to, the arts, split into specific fields. Sukhothai was chosen in the crafts and folk art category, reflecting the city’s impact on Thai art, architecture and urban planning.
Unesco may refer to it as a city but Sukhothai is actually a small province, about 350km north of Bangkok and home to fewer than 500,000 people.
The provincial hub, Sukhothai Thani, gives away little of its regal heritage, appearing much like any other Thai town. Its streets are quiet and activity is concentrated around a few wet markets and a cluster of Buddhist temples.
