The government is hoping Thailand's membership with Unesco's World Heritage Committee will boost its chances of getting the Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex and Phu Phrabat Historical Park listed as World Heritage sites.
Representatives from 193 member countries voted at the 22nd session of the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention in Paris on Wednesday to fill nine vacant seats in the 21-member panel.
One seat was reserved for Asia-Pacific countries, and Thailand -- as the only candidate from the region -- received 156 votes. Thailand has served on the committee four times before and its latest tenure will end in 2023.
Raweewan Bhuridej, secretary-general of the Office of Natural Resources, Environmental Policy and Planning, said Thailand will push its agenda at next year's World Heritage Committee meeting in France. "We will propose the listing of Kaeng Krachan and Phu Phrabat," she said.
Earlier this year, the committee rejected listing Kaeng Krachan and asked Thailand to review its proposal, especially the complex's actual boundaries, and improve local communities' participation in managing the site.
"Officials are revising information about Phu Phrabat and will add more information about the park's boundary and the extent of local communities' participation," Ms Raweewan said.
Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex covers about 2.9 million rai across Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces, while Phu Phrabat Historical Park in Udon Thani is known for its peculiar rock formations. Artefacts found in the park point to the existence of a civilisation between the Bronze Age and the Dvaravati, Lop Buri and Lan Chang periods.
Thailand's representative on the committee, former envoy to France, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, said: "We will do our best to streamline our proposals ... and improve access to information."
