[Article] Historian advocates joint control of border heritage sites.

January 23, 2011 | The Nation by Supalak Ganjanakhundee

Countries in the Mekong River basin and the Dangrek Mountain range should consider creating a trans-boundary world heritage site of cultural and natural resources to end their border conflicts, prominent historian Charnvit Kasetsiri proposed over the weekend.
Speaking at a seminar "Our Boundaries, Our Asean Neighbours" on Friday, Charnvit said countries in the region had a lot of cultural and natural heritage left by ancestors centuries ago, some of which were sources of conflict.
Thailand and Cambodia have been at loggerheads over the Hindu temple of Preah Vihear for half a century. The proposal by Cambodia to list the ruined temple as a World Heritage site in 2008 fuelled conflict between the neighbouring countries.
A group of Thai nationalists want the government to block Cambodia's attempt to run Preah Vihear and kick a Khmer community out of the area adjacent to the temple.
A ruling by the International Court of Justice in 1962 found that Preah Vihear was situated in territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia.
Bangkok said it respected the court's ruling but argued that the temple's vicinity and even the land where the temple sits belongs to Thailand.
Preah Vihear temple was listed as a World Heritage site in 2008 but the Thai government, with strong support from nationalist groups, opposed its management plan. The two countries remain in conflict and seem to have no way to settle their differences.
Charnvit proposed what he is calling a "Mixed Cultural and Natural Mekong-Dangrek World Heritage" as a model to end the conflict.
There were some examples in the world, he said, where trans-border World Heritage sites had been possible, citing the Iguazu waterfalls - the world's largest - which are situated on the border of Argentina and Brazil.

[...Read the full article here...]

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[Article] Volcanic mud threatens Prambanan Temple.

17 jan. 2011 | The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta by Slamet Susanto

Powerful flows of volcanic mud carried by rivers from Mount Merapi that have destroyed bridges, houses, farmlands and other structures along river banks also pose a threat to the Prambanan Temple.
The famous Hindu temple complex, located in Prambanan on the border of Yogyakarta and
Central Java provinces, sits 100 meters from the banks of the Opak River, a confluence of the Petit Opak and Gendol Rivers that flow from Mt. Merapi.
Prambanan, a ninth-century Hindu temple compound — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia and one of the largest Hindu temples in Southeast Asia.
In 1006, large eruptions on Mt. Merapi covered the Buddist temple of Borobudur in Magelang, Central Java, in ash, where it lay hidden for centuries under ash and jungle growth.
An  official from the Volcanic Technology Development and Research Center (BPPTK) in Yogyakarta, Dewi S. Sayudi, said the threat to Prambanan was immense because the upper streams of both the Opak and Gendol Rivers carried large amounts of volcanic debris from the 2010 Mt. Merapi eruptions.
“The lahar that we have seen so far is just the tip. The flows carry only a small portion of the thick layers of volcanic debris from the slopes of Merapi,” Dewi said recently.
The eruptions in October and November, Merapi’s most powerful in a century, were estimated to
have spewed more than 150 million cubic meters of volcanic debris consisting of large rocks, stones, sand and ash.

[ ... Read the full article here ... ]

Yogyakarta’s Temples in the Firing Line of Lahar Floods
18 jan. 2011 | The Jakarta Globe by Candra Malik

Yogyakarta. Lahar, the cold volcanic debris flowing down the slopes of Mount Merapi, is not only threatening houses and infrastructure but also archeological sites, a geologist said on Tuesday.
Subandrio, head of the Volcano Investigation and Technology Development Institution (BPPTK), said a team of geologists and archaeologists was evaluating the physical condition of temples located near the paths of the lahar runoff from Merapi.
“According to a letter from the Archaeological Heritage Conservation Center of Central Java, we have to give particular attention to the safety of Prambanan Temple and other temples in the complex,” he said.

[ ... Read the full article here ... ]

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[Article] Abhisit sets out Thai position on temple.

Abhisit: Opposes development

22/11/2010 | Bangkok Post

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has clearly told his Cambodian counterpart that Thailand opposes any attempt to develop disputed territory adjacent to the ancient Preah Vihear temple.
Mr Abhisit said he held bilateral talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen last week on the sidelines of the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy meeting in Phnom Penh.
Mr Abhisit said during his weekly talk show yesterday morning that it was the first time the two leaders had seriously discussed issues relating to the proposed development near the temple as part of the Preah Vihear World Heritage project.
He told Hun Sen that Thailand considered the area to be Thai territory but the World Heritage listing in 2008 had led to a proposal for Cambodia to manage the area "and that is unacceptable to us".

[ ... Read the full article here ... ]

[Article] Volcanic Ash a Threat to Borobudur.

October 29, 2010 | The Jakarta Globe | by Associated Press

A worker dusting volcanic ash off a statue at Borobudur temple. Volcanic ash is threatening one of Indonesia's most popular tourist attractions, officials said on Friday. (Antara Photo)

Yogyakarta. Volcanic ash that has fallen like heavy rain onto a 9th-century temple complex is threatening one of Indonesia's most popular tourist attractions, officials said Friday.
Parts of the famed Borobudur temples have been closed to the public so workers can clean off the blanket of white ash from Mount Merapi, which began erupting Tuesday.
Antiquities experts are concerned the acidic soot will speed the decay of the stones, said Marsis Sutopo, head of the temple conservation office.
Visitors can still enter the outside yard to the temples but won't be able to go inside the gates until at least next week, officials said. A Mahakarya Borobudur traditional dance performance will go on as scheduled Saturday.

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[ ... Read the full article here ... ]

[Article] Stones of contention.

28 September 2010 | Southeast Asia Globe | Charlie Lancaster

For decades, Preah Vihear has been witness to a war of words and sporadic fights between Cambodian and Thai troops over territorial claims.
The 11th century cultural tourist site lies at the heart of a border dispute that harks back 100 years and was re-ignited in 1954 when Thai forces occupied the temple following French withdrawal from Cambodia. Cambodia's successful bid to have the temple listed as a Unesco World Heritage site in July 2008 sparked the recent series of cross-border spats and political posturing. Since then, nationalists, media sensationalists and politicians pursuing private agendas have commandeered the temple. All the while, tourists and cultural enthusiasts are left waiting in the wings for the curtain to finally close on the drama, so they can visit this World Heritage site in peace.
It is in no one's interest for the issue to spiral out of control, for the disputed land surrounding the temple to turn into a 'zone of death', as Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, once threatened or for Thailand to employ military force to resolve the issue, as The Nation quoted Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva as saying in August. Dialogue, with or without Asean as a mediating body, is the best hope for a peaceful solution. But why is this conflict dragging on? Who, or what, is adding fuel to the fire?

The 1907 map, on which the 1962 ICJ ruling was based, placed the temple within Cambodia.

The watershed affair
The 900-year-old temple was built at the height of the Khmer empire. In 1904, Siam and French authorities ruling Cambodia formed a joint commission to demarcate their mutual border along the watershed line of the Dangrek mountain range, which would have placed nearly all of Preah Vihear temple on Thailand's side. However, when France drew up a topographic map to identify the border's location in 1907, the line deviated from the watershed in the Preah Vihear area, placing the entire temple within Cambodia. Crucially, Thailand did not immediately contest this map, on which the 1962 International Court of Justice ruling concluded the temple was "situated in territory under the Sovereignty of Cambodia" was based.

[...Read the full article here...]

[Article] President Patil mesmerized by Angkor Wat, advocates cultural exchange.

Sep 17th, 2010 | India Talkies | by Shilpa

Siem Reap (Cambodia) : President Pratibha Devisingh Patil expressed wonder and amazement at the beauty of the 12th-century Angkor Wat temples, said to be Cambodia’s grandest legacy.
The temples were constructed by Cambodia’s once mighty Khmer Empire, and have a great influence of Hinduism on its architecture.
Angkor is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia and contains the magnificent remains of different capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the ninth to the 15th century.
“Angkor Wat temple is considered one of the biggest in the world. It was built in 12th century having historical and mythological importance. The temple architecture has been greatly influenced by architecture,” President Patil told ANI.
“Ramayana, Mahabharata and Samudramanthan scenes are depicted on the walls of the temple. It is really surprising to see that how so large stones were beautifully carved and put together in ancient times. Today also, the carvings seem to be depicting real life pictures,” she said.
“The carvings give a message of peace to the world and shows that Indian culture at that time had influence not only on Cambodia, but on Laos and Vietnam also. Everywhere I see that these places have a strong relationship with India and people here believe in Hindu gods and goddesses,” she added. resident Patil also advocated more cultural exchanges between the two countries and asked the younger generation and students of India and Cambodia to visit each other to see their age-old cultural and historical ties.ngkor Wat is a Hindu temple complex made in early 12th century by King Suryavarman II. It was first dedicated to the Hindu god Lord Vishnu, and then to Buddhism.
The modern name Angkor Wat means “City Temple”.

[ ... Read the full article here ... ]

[Article] India to renovate 11th century Shiva Temple in Laos.

Friday 10th September, 2010 | Laos News.Net (ANI)

India has agreed to renovate the Vat Phou or Wat Phou temple complex in southern Laos as part of deepening cultural and historical ties which have existed between the two countries for more than 2000 years.
Wat Phou is a ruined Khmer temple complex in southern Laos. It is located at the base of Mount Phu Kao near the Mekong river in Champasak province. There was a temple on the site as early as the sixth century. The summit of Phu Kao is like Linga, the phallic symbol of Shiva, thus giving it the more popular name, Lingaparvat.
"It is an ongoing restoration project which started in 2009. The work restarts again after the end of rainy season in Lao. It will take seven years for completion of the project. It will also help us to understand common cultural heritage of Lao," Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Vijaya Latha Reddy.

(Image : by magical-world on Flickr. Some rights reserved.)

[Read the full article here]

[Article] The temples of Yogyakarta have it.

Saturday September 4, 2010 | Star Weekend via The Star Online | By S.S. YOGA

When in Yogyakarta, you don’t want to miss Java’s twin gems of Hindu and Buddhist treasures — Prambanan and Borobudur.
THE heavens really opened up, and water, the equivalent of Niagara Falls, Victoria Falls and probably a few hundred other waterfalls combined, fell upon the earth. Or to be less dramatic about the whole thing – it rained like there was no tomorrow.
The day had been hot. As was the day before, when we first arrived in Yogyakarta, Java. The sun was scorching, so we were really caught unawares by the downpour.

Heritage: The Buddhist complex Borobudur in Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia. – S.S. YOGA

[Read the full article here]

[Article] Indonesian Academic Claims Borobudur Temple Is Islamic

September 02, 2010 | Jakarta Globe

Jakarta. An obscure group led by an academic from a respected Islamic university in Indonesia is reportedly set to petition the Constitutional Court to declare that the Borobudur Temple in Central Java belongs to Islam.
Kompasiana.com reported that researchers from the Islam and Ancient History Study Institution, led by Fahmi Basya, an Islamic mathematics lecturer from Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic State University in Jakarta, claimed they had solid proof the Buddhist temple was built by the Prophet Solomon’s “genie soldiers.”
Solomon, who according to the Hebrew Bible was a king of Israel, is known as the prophet Sulayman in the Koran.
According to the article, the researchers had connected Borobudur with the Kraton Ratu Boko (Queen Boko’s Palace) near the Hindu temple Prambanan in Central Java, claiming that Boko was actually another name for Queen Balqis, the wife of Sulayman.

Buddhist monks pray at Borobudur Temple in Central Java. A group of Indonesian researchers claim that the temple was built by Solomon, as Islamic prophet. (Antara Photo/Anis Efizudin)

[Read the full article here]

[Article] Tourists flock to temple.

Thursday, 15 July 2010 | The Phnom Penh | Nguon Sovan

Children walk in front of a temple in Preah Vihear.
The complex has seen a huge rise in tourist numbers this year. AFP

TOURISTS visiting Cambodia’s Preah Vihear Temple increased nearly sevenfold in the first half of this year, as the area benefited from better infrastructure and reduced tension with Thailand.

Preah Vihear Tourism Department chief Kong Vibol said yesterday that from January to June this year 46,400 tourists visited the Preah Vihear temple complex.
The figure is a dramatic leap from the 5,940 tourists recorded over the same period last year. Foreign visitors were also being drawn to the site – they increased by 85 percent to 480 from 260.
“Most tourists are local, and the temple has attracted more of them due to good roads and infrastructure. It is easy to travel to, guesthouses and restaurants are available, and local security is strengthening while tensions with Thailand are diminished,” he said.

[<< Read the full article >>]

[Internet] Candi di Indonesia - [Buddhist and Hindu] Temples of Indonesia

http://candi.pnri.go.id/

Perpustakaan Nasional Republik Indonesia / National Library of the Republic of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia

Self-description:

"This site is developed [2000-2005 ed.] by the National Library of the Republic of Indonesia, particularly offered to the Congress of South East Asian Libraries (CONSAL), [http://www.consal.org/] [...]. Temples are mentioned as the theme for the existence of the temples in Indonesia has close relationship with the history of this nation and the state of Indonesia. The [Buddhist and Hindu] temples spreading throughout the archipelago are incredible cultural heritage and highly appreciated; hence, their existence should be broadly well known to the societies."

candi.pnri.go.id

[Article] Festivities celebrate temple

08 July 2010 | Phnom Penh Post | Vong Sokheng

Preah Vihear province
During the ceremony, Buddhist monks chanted blessings while performers beat traditional Khmer drums representing the warrior ethic of the Angkorian empire.
In an address, Chea Dara, deputy commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, paid tribute to the “smart leadership” of Prime Minister Hun Sen, which he said had helped protect the temple from Thai occupation.
“We are determined to protect Preah Vihear temple and its sovereignty according to the policy of Prime Minister Hun Sen, who ordered us not to invade 1 millimetre into Thailand, and also not to allow our sovereignty to be invaded by 1 millimetre either,” he said.
The temple’s July 2008 listing by UNESCO was highly controversial in Thailand, and triggered a rapid troop buildup along the border with Cambodia. The standoff has been punctuated by a series of small-scale clashes – some of them deadly – along the frontier.
Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said the celebration was designed to raise awareness about the value of the ancient temple as an emblem of Cambodian history and culture.
In a press conference at Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak yesterday, he said the issue of ownership was definitively settled by a 1962 World Court ruling that handed the temple to Cambodia.
“We are here to look for cultural conservation and preservation, but the government of Thailand looks at the temple as a border conflict,” he said.
“We take this important day to send a message to Thai soldiers and the international community that Cambodia has no border conflict with Thailand.”
He added that in 2009, the government spent US$99 million conserving Preah Vihear and improving road access to it.
Hang Soth, director general of the Preah Vihear National Authority, said that ever since the UNESCO listing, projects had been undertaken to ready the temple for an increase in tourists.
“My work here is to focus on the conservation, restoration and research of the heritage site in order to ensure its sustainable development as a tourist destination,” he said.
Hang Soth said much progress on preservation had been made in the past two years, but that work had been hamstrung by tension with Thailand.
He said that with international support, the 11-century ruins could finally get the attention they deserve after years of civil war and conflict.
“We hope that the international community will support our research and conservation projects,” he said.


Evidence in Thai bombing
Also yesterday, Thai police said they found evidence linking a pair of Red Shirt activists to the attempted bombing of a political party headquarters in Bangkok on June 22, following their deportation from Cambodia on Monday.

[... Read the full article ...]

Photo by: Heng Chivoan

Séminaire EFEO | Dominic Goodall.

[Article] Religious Affairs Ministry to Help Manage Historic Temples

March 16, 2010 | Candra Malik & Ulma Haryanto | Jakarta Globe

In response to calls from Hindu and Buddhist leaders, Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali said his ministry would play a role in the management of historic temples in the country. 

“In the past, the government has only looked at temples and historic sites from the point of view of tourism and culture. In fact, temples and historic sites have an important religious function,” Suryadharma said during a ceremony on Monday at Prambanan Temple in Klaten, Central Java, to welcome Nyepi, or the Day of Silence. 

He said his ministry would work with other agencies to increase public appreciation for the country’s historic temples, while also facilitating their use as active places of worship. 

Hindu and Buddhist leaders have asked the Ministry of Religious Affairs to jointly manage temples with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. 

Among their demands is that Hindus and Buddhists going to temples to worship not be charged tourist entrance fees. 

Although no details have been released, the new arrangement could see more rulings similar to Borobudur Temple’s recently announced ban on tourists wearing skimpy clothes to respect the “sacredness of the place.” 

Central Java’s governor, Bibit Waluyo, said he hoped Prambanan Temple would become a center of worship for Hindus in Indonesia and from around the world. 

“The rebuilding of Prambanan Temple after the 2006 earthquake should not be oriented only toward the physical development of the temple, but should also consider religious aspects, cultural preservation and the economic growth of the surrounding community, because this temple is also an object of religious tourism,” Bibit said. 

Suroso, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture’s director of archeological heritage, said the co-management of historic temples should not be a problem as far as the issues of religious observances and conservation were concerned. 

He added that the arrangement “is still in line with the ministry’s basic tasks and functions.” 

Suroso said the Ministry of Religious Affairs would only regulate ceremonial matters at the temples. 

“But the conservation, preservation and maintenance will still be the responsibility of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture,” he said.

Photo Credit : Copyright © 2008 PT. Different Bali Indonesia Tours and Trave.

[Film] "Angkor, l'aventure du Baphuon", film de Didier Fassio.

"Angkor, l'aventure du Baphuon", film de Didier Fassio coproduit par l'EFEO est programmé le jeudi 1er avril sur France 5 à 21 h 35 dans l'émission « Un soir au musée » ainsi que le samedi 10 avril à 23 h 55 et le dimanche 18 avril à 6 h 35 toujours sur France 5.

Jeudi 1er avril 2010 à 21.35 (inédit)

Un soir au musée : Angkor, l'aventure du Baphuon.

Synopsis :

"Le musée Guimet des Arts asiatiques demeure relativement peu connu du grand public. Situé dans le XVIe arrondissement, ce musée fut inauguré en 1889 par l'industriel et érudit lyonnais Emile Guimet. Laurence Piquet propose de découvrir les collections inestimables qui y sont exposées. C'est l'occasion de partir à la découverte de quelques-uns des mystères de la civilisation khmère. Un documentaire consacré à la restauration du temple du Baphuon, au coeur de la cité d'Angkor, ponctuera les déambulations au sein du musée Guimet. Depuis 1908, les 300 000 pièces de ce temple ont été extraites de l'épaisse végétation. Une impressionnante modélisation en 3D est utilisée pour le montage final."

Soirée arts et culture

Plateau : 20'

Présentation : Laurence Piquet

Réalisation : Catherine Aventurier

Production : MFP

Documentaire

Durée : 52' réalisation Didier Fassio

Production : France Télévisions / Cinétévé / Ecole Française D'extrême-Orient / C.Toutcom ! International

Année : 2009

Plus d'informations (version pdf) > >--

[Article] 82 historic stone stelae recognised.

VNA/VNS | Anh Tuan | March, 11, 2010

HA NOI — The United Nations' Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has recognised 82 stelae commemorating laureates at court exams from the 15th to 18th century at Ha Noi's Temple of Literature as world documentary heritage.

The decision was announced at the meeting of the Memory of the World Committee for Asia and Pacific (MOW-CAP) on Tuesday in Macau.

"I am extremely happy at the decision," deputy minister of foreign affairs Nguyen Thanh Son told the Vietnam News Agency at the ceremony. "This is a real honour for Viet Nam. The laureate record stelae, which bear historical meaning and symbolise Vietnamese intellect, have officially been recognised by the world. We have proved that Viet Nam has a proud culture and history."

Speaking at the ceremony, Son, on behalf of the Vietnamese Government, thanked MOW-CAP for the decision.

He also confirmed Viet Nam's commitment to effectively restore and preserve documentary heritage, actively making contribution to UNESCO's activities in all fields at regional and international levels.

The Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945) wood block documents were recognised with the same title last year.

The 82 stone stelae are inscribed with the names of 2,313 doctorate holders who passed the court examinations between 1442 and 1779 under the Earlier-Le, Mac and Later-Le reigns.

The stelae, which bear the names of Trang Nguyen, Bang Nhan, Tham Hoa, and Hoang Giap (the first, second, third and fourth winning categories at the royal competition), sit on top of stone turtles.

Dang Kim Ngoc, director of the Temple of Literature, told Viet Nam News that the stelae at the temple were different from those in other Asian countries, including China, which had influenced Vietnamese feudal education.

The stelae are mainly in rectangular slanted slabs while those in China have varied forms, including square slabs and cylinders.

The decorative patterns on Viet Nam's stelae are more diverse.

The Temple of Literature was founded in 1070 as a Confucian temple. Parts of the complex date to the earliest period, although much of the architecture dates from the Ly (1010-1225) and Tran (1225-1400) dynasties, with the latest restoration conducted in 1999.

In 1076, Viet Nam's first university, the Quoc Tu Giam or Imperial Academy, was established within the temple to educate bureaucrats, nobles, royalty and the elite.

The university functioned from 1076 to 1779. The doctorate laureate exams were extremely difficult, with few students passing them. Each year, the names of those who did were engraved on the stelae.

UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme, also called UNESCO World Documentary Heritage is an international initiative launched to safeguard the documentary heritage of humanity against collective amnesia, neglect, the ravages of time and climatic conditions, and wilful and deliberate destruction.

It calls for the preservation of valuable archival holdings, library collections and private individual compendia all over the world for posterity, the reconstitution of dispersed or displaced documentary heritage, and the increased accessibility to and dissemination of these items. — VNS

Illustration : The stelae, which commemorated laureates at court exams at Temple of Literature, have been recognised as world heritage by UNESCO. VNA/VNS

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[Article] Van Mieu steles endangered by human touch.

3 jan. 2010 - Thanh Nien Daily (link).

Eighty-two stone steles at Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature – first National University) in Hanoi are in danger of being irreparably damaged because of the large number of people who are touching them.
Temple official Nguyen Hai said last Thursday that more than 70,000 people visited the place over four days of the Tet (Lunar New Year) festival from February 14-17.
"People visiting the Temple of Literature during Tet has for long been a cultural feature.
"Recently, however, many people have come to touch the stone steles and stone tortoises to wish for good luck and this can damage the precious structures," Hai said.
The situation has developed over the past few years and this year, the temple built an iron fence to prevent visitors from touching the stone tortoises and steles, but a large number of people broke the fence on Lunar New Year's Day, he added.
Last December, the cultural activity center at Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam sent documents to UNESCO for recognition of the stone steles of doctoral candidates in the Le – Mac dynasties (1442- 1779) as a world cultural heritage.
However, the damage being caused currently to the structures will soon destroy them, experts have cautioned.

Image : Many people touch the stone steles and stone tortoises to wish for good luck but this can damage the precious structures.

Source : SGGP.

Ayutthaya Historical Park taking shape [The Nation]

By Pakamard Jaichalard |The Nation |Published on February 5, 2010

"We have already recreated six temples in pictures," Fine Arts Department director-general Grienggrai Sampatchalit said yesterday.
He was speaking after attending a ceremony to worship late Thai kings at the Ayutthaya Historical Park.
The ancient complex at Ayutthaya is a Unesco World Heritage Site.
PTT Exploration and Production has provided more than Bt68 million for the project to conserve the complex in honour of His Majesty the King.
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has been the chief adviser to this project.

Vigorous efforts are now up and running to recreate the core zone of the once-splendid capital of Ayutthaya in 3D models and animation.

Grienggrai said officials would develop the pictures and models for the reconstruction, based on the ancient remains.
"Once the project is completed, visitors will be able to see the models that will depict clearly where each structure was located in the old days," he said.
Grienggrai added that animation would also be produced and kept for study purposes at learning centres.
Methadon Wijakkhana, who heads the Ayutthaya Historical Park, said the models would be very close to what stood in Ayutthaya centuries ago.
"This is because we have developed the models not just from historical remains but also from old documents," he said.
Methadon pointed out that photos taken in the reign of King Rama V could be used to develop the model for Wat Mahathat. He added that there was also an old map prepared by Dutchmen.
"This is the first time innovative technology has been used at the Ayutthaya Historical Park," he said.
He believed the project would boost the number of visitors to the park. Once completed, the pictures and models will be put right next to the historical remains so that visitors have a clearer idea of what Ayutthaya looked like in the past.
Currently, the Ayutthaya Historical Park attracts 1.2 million tourists from about 90 countries annually. Of them, about 60 per cent are from Europe.

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