Decision 47 COM 7B.89

The Ancient Town of Si Thep and its Associated Dvaravati Monuments (Thailand)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/25/47.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 45 COM 8B.41 adopted at its extended 45th session (Riyadh, 2023),
3. Commends the State Party for the progress made in revising the Management Plan, establishing the information management systems, launching the land acquisition at the surrounding area of component part 002, and enhancing the monitoring system;
4. Welcomes the positive steps taken by the State Party towards implementing World Heritage Committee decisions at the time of its inscription, such as planning and implementing the research projects, developing the community engagement strategies, and protecting the buffer zones and the wider setting;
5. Requests the State Party to complete the land acquisition of the area surrounding component part 002 by 2027 and proceed with the minor boundary modification in accordance with Paragraph 164 of the Operational Guidelines;
6. Notes with concern the status of the new oil drilling projects, requests the State Party to revise the Unitary Town Plan of Si Thep District and to develop the Unitary Town Plan of Wichian Buri to incorporate prohibition regulation on new oil drilling projects, and urges the State Party to take any necessary measures to prevent new oil drill projects from being undertaken in order to protect the property, its buffer zones and the wider setting ;
7. Welcomes the development of Heritage Impact Assessment process in Thailand and requests the State Party to follow the procedure outlined in paragraphs 172 and 118bis of the Operational Guidelines for any future works that may affect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property;
8. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2026, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 49th session.