The Pathumwan district residence of a civil servant during the reign of King Rama VI received the Award of Merit from UNESCO’s Asia Pacific Heritage program this year.
For being a good example of preservation efforts, the Phraya Si Thammathirat Residence was one of five projects in the world to receive an Award of Merit from the UN’s custodians of culture this year.
“The restoration of the early 20th-century Phraya Si Thammathirat residence in Bangkok’s Pathumwan district is a prime example of multiple-stakeholder commitment to the preservation of a building with significant heritage value,” UNESCO announced Tuesday.
The Award of Merit is the bronze-medal of preservation awards. Perhaps reflecting the state of preservation efforts in the region, only one project won the second-tier “Award of Distinction” (The Saryazd Citadel in Iran) and the top-level prize went unawarded.
Initially owned by Phraya Si Thammathirat, the house is currently occupied by the Thai-Chinese Education and Culture Foundation in the compound of the Sitabutr Bamrung School, according to the Bangkok Post.
Thirteen other projects from nine countries were recognized in this year’s Asia Pacific Heritage awards including Afghanistan, Singapore, and New Zealand.
The awards were established in 2000 to recognize successful conservation efforts in the region by the private sector or public-private parterships.
To be eligible, projects must be more than 50 years old.
