The historic city of Ayutthaya has been on the World Heritage List since 1991, and has faced severe flooding in recent years which placed many of its iconic historical monuments at risk. But it looks like the luck of this Thai city might be turning around after World Monuments Fund president Bonnie Burnham announced that they have received a grant of $131,800 from the US State Department’s Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation and the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok.
The grant money will go towards work at a Buddhist temple known as Wat Chaiwatthanaram which is situated in the historic city.
‘Support from the State Department’s Ambassadors Fund will assist the Thai Department of Fine Arts with continuing efforts to protect the site in light of increasingly severe flooding in the region and will advance conservation activities at the temple,’ Burnham said in a press release.
She also noted that the World Monuments Fund has also received support from the Robert W. Wilson Challenge to Conserve our Heritage which will provide approximately $300,000 for on-site conservation activities.
‘World Monuments Fund anticipates that the investment in conservation will have a catalytic effect for generating greater attention to the needs of Ayutthaya’s for the benefit of the community and visitors that value and treasure it,’ she said.
Wat Chaiwatthanaram was commissioned by King Prasat Thong in 1630 in the traditional Khmer style. The impressive temple sits atop a rectangular platform and once featured Buddha paintings and statues on its outside walls. An extremely important part of Thailand’s history, the temple attracts thousands of tourists a year to the region and is renowned as one of Thailand’s most significant historical monuments.
Another part of the temple’s great appeal is its setting among the rich historical city of Ayutthaya. The city’s history dates as far back as fourteenth century, where it flourished as a political, cultural and economic center. Disaster struck in 1767 when the Burmese army attacked and left the city in ruin. After the city was flooded in 2011, experts have been busy assessing the damage caused to the town to determine how best to assist the city to the best recovery possible.
Independent organisation the World Monuments Fund have been heavily involved in the recovery process of this unique city. Working with over 90 countries, the WMF has long dedicated itself to preserving the world’s greatest treasures and has been responsible for the preservation of over 150 sites throughout all seven continents.
