The Sri Thep Historical Park is one of Thailand's ten historical parks. Located in Phetchabun province, it was registered by the Department of Fine Arts, Ministry of Culture, in the year 1984. The name "Sri Thep" is an adaptation following the royal decree of His Majesty Somdet Phra Paramintharamaha Chulalongkorn (King Rama V), who had visited and inspected the region of Phetchabun during his reign as Minister of Siam.
The park holds significance due to its continuous traces of human settlement dating back to prehistoric times, the Dvaravati period, and the Khmer period, totaling over 800 years. It is believed to have been abandoned due to severe epidemics or drought during the 1800-1900 AD period before the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya cultures emerged in the area and continue to develop until today.
This park consists of two parts: the Ancient Town of Sri Thep, characterized by a moat and earthen mound enclosure, similar to the moated city culture of the Dvaravati period, which has been well preserved. It contains Khao Klang Si Thep, the Prang Song Phi Nong and Prang Si Thep groups, significant archaeological sites. The second part is an area located outside the ancient town of Sri Thep, where many unexcavated and undeveloped archaeological sites, around 50 in total, are predominantly located north of the ancient town.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) presents the event "The Marvelous Spectrum at Sri Thep: Towards Global Heritage." This event showcases the Sri Thep Historical Park in Phetchabun province with stunning colorful lights, inviting everyone to experience the wonder of the past, illuminated by bright lights. The event is held from August 29th to September 3rd, 2023. It aims to promote tourism in both local and international contexts, further boosting the Sri Thep Historical Park's potential to be registered as a new world heritage site of Thailand by UNESCO. The event's opening ceremony was honored by Mr. Pipat Ratchakitprakan, the Minister of Tourism and Sports, and features four highlight performances daily: 19:00, 19:30, 20:00, and 20:30. These performances narrate the legends of Sri Thep from beliefs to people's faith in the Pa Sak River Basin, leading to the creation of architectural and artistic heritage and culture. The stories are presented through LED screens and synchronized lighting techniques that connect projected images and light displays into a harmonious presentation.
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