Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan, in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, has officially been inscribed on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Education, Science, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The inscription was approved on 25 July 2026 during the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Busan, Republic of Korea, making the temple Thailand's ninth World Heritage Site, sixth Cultural World Heritage Site, and the first in the country’s southern region.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suchart Chomklin, who led a Thai delegation to attend the meeting, said that Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan was recognized for its Outstanding Universal Value, reflecting a living testimony to diverse belief systems and spirituality influenced by more than 1,500 years of religious traditions, artistic exchange, and cultural connections across Maritime Asia. The site also remains an active center of Buddhist worship, where local customs and religious practices continue today.

He said that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Culture, and other relevant agencies would continue to work closely together in managing this World Heritage Site in accordance with UNESCO standards, as well as promoting sustainable tourism and community participation in preserving Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan as living heritage.

At the heart of this temple stands the magnificent Phra Borommathat Chedi, a Sri Lankan-style bell-shaped stupa crowned with a gold-covered spire containing over 725 kilograms of gold. It is surrounded by 153 subsidiary stupas, alongside numerous historic monuments that preserve the rich legacy of Thailand’s history, art, and civilization.