via Bangkok Post, 21 September 2023: The UNESCO World Heritage designation for Si Thep Historical Park in Thailand brings both opportunities for tourism and challenges for local communities, highlighting the need for a balanced approach to heritage management.
The 2,800-rai Si Thep Historical Park isn’t geographically isolated. But there are still people who have lived for generations in the park, making a living by tending cows and growing simple crops in and around the ruins.
While others jumped for joy upon learning of the park’s inclusion as a World Heritage Site, those living in the area are fretting about their future.
The Department of Fine Arts was quick to announce that villagers living in the area will be properly compensated.
However, it needs to be noted that most people living in the area do not haveproper title deeds to their land and are likely to be forced to move out.
Source: Unesco label half the fight
