Stories tagged with temple
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Chiang Mai temple threatened by flood
Most people who have travelled to Chiang Mai will have visited the magnificent Prathat Doi Suthep pagoda. Situated atop a high hill, the climbing to the top of the pagoda provides spectacular views of the city below.
Steeped in local legend, the Prathat Doi Suthep pagoda is an icon of Chiang Mai. However, it seems that the future of the mighty monument may be uncertain as it is sitting on unstable ground.
Recently, engineers from the Asian Institute of Technology and Chiang Mai University discovered cracks on the second level of the pagoda and the northern section of the surrounding terrace. After assessment, they believe the structure is at risk and may collapse after an earthquake or heavy rain.
"First I thought they were just cement cracks, but after more checks, we found they were caused by structural subsidence," Sahawat Naenna, director of Fine Arts Office region 8 in Chiang Mai told The Nation recently.
The top part of the golden pagoda snapped in 1995 after heavy rain and an earthquake. Measures are being taken to preserve the monument, but those who have yet to admire the pagoda should visit soon before it suffers further damage.
Posted by: Andrew on 29 Jun 2009, 09:02 -
UNESCO award given to temple in Lampang
UNESCO has awarded Wat Pongsanuk the “Award of Merit” for the restoration efforts of the ancient temple in the northern city of Lampang, Thailand. The award was received at the 2008 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation. This ceremony is held each year to highlight and honor historic venues located around Asia.
This year there were 13 countries that submitted entries detailing historical sites around Asia. The Stadium Merdeka located in Kuala Lumpur, and the ancient city of Herat in Afghanistan, received the UNESCO Award of Excellence. The Award of Excellence is the highest award given.
Everyone who helped restore Wat Pongsanuk, and its resident monks, were honored to receive this prestigious award. A UNESCO press release stated that Wat Pongsnauk was an inspirational model where the community joined together to save the Lanna temple. The City of Lampang is proud of the recognition this award brings and hopes it will help Lampang become one of Thailand’s key tourists destinations.
Other locations around Thailand to receive awards were Ban Amphawa, The historic Crown Property Bureau site in Chachoengsao, and the canal community of Samut Songkhram.
Posted by: Andrew on 19 Nov 2008, 10:57 -
Thai-Cambodia joint patrols to start
Following the deadly clash between Thai and Cambodian forces along the disputed border near Preah Vihear temple, the two countries have decided to try out joint patrols in a bid to begin some level of cooperation on the issue. Senior army officers from both sides met last week and agreed that this would be a good first step towards solving a problem that looks increasingly impassable.
Thai Second Army chief Lt General Wibulsak Neepal, who is in charge of security in northeastern Thailand, confirmed that a high level meeting was held for more than 4 hours in Si Sa Ket province. The meeting was a result of the clash that left two Cambodian soldiers dead and several others from both nations wounded.
General Wibulsak admitted the two sides were no closer to an agreement concerning Preah Vihear temple, but that by introducing joint patrols they may be able to avoid future armed confrontations. The atmosphere in the villages and towns along the border in the disputed area is eerily quiet as locals prepare for snap evacuations or possible outbreaks in fighting.
Reports are filtering out that many Cambodians living in these border towns are packing their belongings and heading inland to stay with family. In spite of the tensions, soldiers from both armies are presently staying at their bases and de-mining operations are continuing in the affected area.
Posted by: Andrew on 28 Oct 2008, 06:06 -
Thai and Cambodian troops clash
A brief skirmish along the Thai-Cambodian border resulted in injuries to soldiers from both nations, according to official statements released by Thailand and Cambodia. The incident lasted only a few minutes, but as would be expected, both sides have opposing stories of how the incident was started. This latest clash happened near the disputed Khmer temple Preah Vihear.
Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith confirmed that one of their soldiers was injured by a grenade blast from Thai troops. But Thai officials claim that Cambodian troops had illegally entered Thai territory first, firing at and wounding two Thai soldiers.
Cambodia’s spokesman, Phay Siphan, contends the clash was sparked when a Cambodian foot patrol caught Thai soldiers trespassing on the part of temple land claimed by Cambodia. Phay says that the Cambodian soldiers fired warning shots at the Thais, who retreated but then launched a grenade at the Cambodians. The two groups then exchanged fire with AK-47s for about 5 minutes, according to Phay.
Naturally, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat told the exact opposite chain of events, claiming the Thais were patrolling their own territory when "the Cambodian troops shot at the Thai troops first, wounding two soldiers. One Cambodian soldier was also wounded after the Thais responded," Tharit said. The contentious issue over the temple is no closer to being resolved.
Posted by: Andrew on 07 Oct 2008, 08:07 -
Khao Phra Viharn National Park Closed Over Temple Dispute
The popular Khao Phra Viharn National Park in the eastern Thai province of Si Sa Ket has officially been closed to the public as a result of the ongoing dispute between Thailand and Cambodia. Talks are continuing between the two countries over ownership of the Preah Vihear temple, but with little indication of reaching a conclusion.
Wichan Thavichai, the deputy director-general of Thailand’s National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Division, confirmed that the park will not reopen until the situation along the border returns to normal. At the centre of the spat is a 4.6sqkm piece of land surrounding the ancient Khmer temple Preah Vihear, which lies directly on the border between Thailand and Cambodia.
Both countries claim ownership of the temple, but Cambodia was awarded rights to Preah Vihear by the International Court of Justice in The Hague back in 1962. A recent successful bid by Cambodia to have the temple listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site thrust the contentious issue back into the limelight.
Nationalism has flared up on both sides of the border, and tenuous national politics have only helped fan the fire. A recent request by Cambodia to have the UN intervene in the matter was put on hold while the two countries try once again to reach a settlement. Until this happens, however, the temple and its national park will remain off-limits to the public.
Posted by: Andrew on 31 Jul 2008, 05:27 -
Doi Suthep temple Chedi under restoration
Chiang Mai’s biggest tourist attraction, the famous golden chedi amid Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, is once again undertaking emergency restoration work to prevent it from possible collapse.
The chedi is believed to contain a relic of the Lord Buddha and is under constant attack from high levels of moisture caused by high humidity, despite its lofty location.
The renovation work, which began on June 4, is being lead by Chiang Mai University Fine Arts Department expert Rung Juntabun, a traditional Lanna style architect. The idea is to temporarily remove the top of the chedi for safe keeping and then place a series of drainage pipes within the structure.
The work is expected to take about six months and will cost somewhere in the region of 6.6 million baht. The government is footing the bill.
The Chedi has seen various attempts at restoration in the past, some successful and others of no use at all, even causing more harm than good. The central base of the chedi was renovated in 1992 along with the strengthening of the grand terrace’s foundations.
The site was again worked on in 1998 when iron rods were installed into the lime and brick pagoda, which in turn caused even more damage due to swelling. The excessive humidity in the structure was also realized to be causing damage in 2004 owing to the brass and gold cladding of the chedi trapping in heat and humidity.
In addition, water seeps in through cracks during rain to exacerbate the situation. With a bit of luck, this will be the last attempt at sorting out the chedi for some time.
More on Soi Suthep
Posted by: Andrew on 13 Jul 2008, 11:42 -
Cambodia Closes Thai Border at Preah Vihear Temple
Cambodia closed a border gate with Thailand leading to a centuries-old temple, which both nations claim as belonging to them. An unnamed official said the action was taken on Tuesday as Thai protesters gathered outside the gate and opposition members in the Thai Parliament accused the PM of yielding sovereignty over the site to Cambodia.
The border closure at Preah Vihear temple was the latest in a long series of flare-ups between Thailand and Cambodia over the ownership of this area.
Located atop a cliff around 245kms north of Phnom Penh, Preah Vihear is actually more accessible from Thailand than it is from Cambodia.
The two countries have disputed ownership of this temple, which is found on territory that is also under dispute. The International Court of Justice, however, awarded ownership to Cambodia in 1962.
This most recent conflict came to life a week ago when the Thai government supported Cambodia's attempt to register Preah Vihear with UNESCO as a World Heritage site.
Critics in Thailand condemned the actions of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej when he bypassed Parliament and endorsed Cambodia's bid to UNESCO, accusing him of violating Thai sovereignty. According to the critics, the two countries should make joint application for the site’s World Heritage Status.
A large crowd of Thai protesters gathered early in the week near the entrance to the temple at the border, shouting that Preah Vihear belongs to Thailand and telling the Cambodians who live in the temple area to move away, reported the director-general of the Preah Vihear Authority, Hang Soth.
"We decided to shut down the border entrance because we are afraid that Thai demonstrators will reach the temple and cause problems with our people who live the near the temple," said Hang Soth.
Authorities will consider reopening the entrance "when the situation becomes normal and Thai demonstrators stop protesting in front of the temple," he added.
Posted by: Andrew on 01 Jul 2008, 16:00 -
Earthquakes Damage Ancient Temples
Following several recent earthquakes widening cracks have been found in the walls of the over 400-year-old assembly hall of Wat Saohinan in the northern province of Chiang Mai, according to the Bangkok Post. The abbot told reporters that the temple has requested funds from the Fine Arts Department to carry out restorations. There is further concern for structures predating the Chiang Saen kingdom in the province of Chiang Rai.
Posted by: Toony on 21 Jun 2007, 08:33