Director General of the Heritage​ Department, Ministry​ of Information, Culture and​ Tourism​, Mr Phakhanxay Sikhanxay. -​-Photo​ Pathetlao​ Daily​ newspaper​

Official refutes rumour that UNESCO will remove Luang Prabang from list of world heritage sites

The rumour that UNESCO will remove Luang Prabang city from its list of World Heritage Sites is unfounded, and Laos has not received any official document from UNESCO concerning the matter, according to the Director General of the Heritage​ Department of the Ministry​ of Information, Culture and​ Tourism.
Mr Phakhanxay Sikhanxay told reporters on Friday "I confirm that the rumour that UNESCO will remove Luang Prabang city from the World Heritage list is unfounded. We have not received any information or official document from UNESCO concerning the removal of Luang Prabang from the World Heritage list."

The Director General’s statement followed a post on an unofficial social media site in a neighbouring country that UNESCO planned to remove Luang Prabang city from the World Heritage list, which provoked a public outcry.
In fact, UNESCO has praised the Luang Prabang world heritage site as a good example of the preservation of world heritage resources involving the contributions of many people, with the definition of detailed conservation boundaries and supporting legislation for the preservation of the Luang Prabang world heritage site.
Luang Prabang city has rules on the preservation of its cultural and historic sites, which govern the restoration, construction and management of heritage sites, natural areas, and land use, Mr Phakhanxay said.
Luang Prabang also has rules on obtaining approval to carry out activities in the world heritage town, which have been created to protect the mountains and natural scenery around Luang Prabang, maintain the natural environment by the Mekong and Khan rivers, and ensure that invasive or inappropriate construction does not take place, he added.
Mr Phakhanxay said the false report had been published to create alarm and misunderstanding both in Laos and other countries, because Laos is advertising Visit Laos Year 2024 and encouraging people from all over the world to visit the country.
It is a time when a large number of tourists both from around Laos and foreign countries are interested in visiting Luang Prabang to explore its world-heritage-listed attractions, he added.
Removal of a site from UNESCO’s World Heritage list is based on lengthy consideration of the status of the preservation of that site and the maintenance of standards for continued inclusion in the list.
If the World Heritage Committee finds that a heritage site is not properly cared for or protected, the committee will inform the relevant member state of the problems involved, so they can be rectified.
If the problem cannot be resolved, the World Heritage Committee will place the heritage site in question on the list of World Heritage resources that are in danger.
UNESCO will continue to advise and assist member countries to resolve such issues. If resolution is unsuccessful, the World Heritage Committee will remove the World Heritage site, the Heritage​ Department of Laos’ Ministry​ of Information, Culture and​ Tourism said.
Luang Prabang is one of the most well-known provinces in Laos and is a top tourist draw because of its old temples, scenic attractions and rural landscapes.
The old quarter of the town was inscribed as a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1995.

By Times​ Reporters​
 (Latest Update December 23, 2023)