via various sources, 02 October 2023: Phetchabun province is grappling with a sudden surge in visitors to Si Thep Historical Park after it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site on September 19. Officials, including the deputy governor, admit that the province was unprepared for the influx, which has increased from 300 to about 7,000 visitors per day. The situation has led to complaints about inadequate facilities and has raised concerns about potential damage to the historical site.
Chatchaval Benchasiriwong, deputy governor, on Sunday said the province was not prepared for a tourist overcrowding situation. The province should have implemented measures to better manage the park after it was first added to a tentative Unesco list in 2019, he said.
“The number of visitors has climbed from 300 to about 7,000 per day,” Mr Chatchaval said. “We need an urgent solution to protect Si Thep Historical Park from damage amid tourist overcrowding.”
“We had time to prepare the site for tourism for four years, but why did we do nothing?” said Mr Chatchaval, who has been deputy governor for about two years.
Source: Phetchabun ‘unprepared’ for sudden visitor spike | Bangkok Post
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