Thailand pushes UNESCO bid for Thai costume heritage status
SATURDAY, MAY 23, 2026
Play
PM Anutin and UNESCO discussed Thai costume heritage status, sustainable tourism and Thailand’s bid to host a global education summit
Thailand and UNESCO are moving to deepen cooperation on culture, tourism, education and sustainable development, with Bangkok intensifying efforts to push “Thai costume” onto UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul held talks with UNESCO Director-General Khaled Ahmed El-Enany Ali Ezz at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on May 22 at 3pm local time, five hours behind Thailand.
Government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek said the meeting followed discussions between the two sides at Government House in Bangkok on May 15 during the UNESCO chief’s first official visit to Thailand since taking office.
Anutin said he was pleased to meet the UNESCO director-general again and thanked him for the invitation to visit UNESCO headquarters in Paris. He said the exchange of visits reflected the close relationship and strong partnership between Thailand and UNESCO.
The UNESCO chief praised Thailand’s cooperation and role across several areas, while commending the Thai government’s commitment to expanding collaboration with UNESCO in a broader and deeper way.
He also acknowledged growing interest from Thailand’s private sector in participating in UNESCO-related initiatives, particularly in the area of sustainable tourism.
Sustainable tourism and balanced development
According to Rachada, both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in several major areas, especially sustainable tourism, which UNESCO considers a high priority.
Thailand expressed readiness to expand cooperation aimed at balancing economic growth with the preservation of cultural heritage and natural resources in a sustainable way.
Anutin said Thailand currently has eight World Heritage sites and stressed that the country places importance on protecting cultural and natural heritage alongside balanced national development.
He also expressed hope that Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan in Nakhon Si Thammarat would be considered for inscription as a World Heritage site during the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee in South Korea this July.
Thai costume campaign tied to soft power and royal legacy
A central part of the discussions involved Thailand’s campaign to have “Thai costume” recognised by UNESCO as part of the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The prime minister said the proposal reflected Thai knowledge, traditional craftsmanship and the shared cultural identity of Thai people.
He added that the initiative was also intended to honour Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother, who has dedicated herself to preserving and promoting Thai silk, Thai fabrics and traditional textiles on the international stage for decades.
The government sees the proposal not only as cultural recognition, but also as an important opportunity to raise global awareness of Thailand’s intangible cultural heritage and strengthen the country’s cultural soft power internationally.
Towards the end of the talks, both sides discussed the possibility of Thailand hosting the 2027 Global Education Meeting.
Thailand and UNESCO reaffirmed plans to work closely together to strengthen cooperation in education, science, culture and sustainable development.
The discussions reflected Bangkok’s broader attempt to position itself more prominently in international cultural, educational and sustainability cooperation, while linking heritage preservation more directly to tourism and long-term economic development.
