Today (29 November 2018), in Port Louis, the Republic of Mauritius, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICS-ICH) decided to inscribe “Khon Masked Dance Drama in Thailand” on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (RL). This is its first inscription since Thailand has ratified the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage or 2003 UNESCO Convention.

      Thailand has become a party to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2016. With 178 States Parties, the Convention’s purposes are to safeguard practices, expressions, knowledge and skills which are recognized as intangible cultural heritage of a community, a group of people or individuals. The inscription helps raise awareness at the local, national and international levels on the importance of the intangible cultural heritage and encourages international cooperation in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage which can be in the domains of oral traditions and expressions, performing arts, social practices, rituals and festive events, knowledges and practices and traditional craftsmanship.

      Earlier on 28 November 2018, the Committee also decided to inscribe “Lkhon Khol Wat Svay Andet” as proposed by Cambodia on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding (USL). Such inscription is a recognition of the practices of Khon and Lkhon Khol, which have their own distinct practice and characteristic. Furthermore, the inscription does not entail the claim of ownership nor copyrights. It is rather the pride of the submitting State. Many countries have decided to jointly submit their file for inscription of the same or similar intangible cultural heritage. At this meeting, the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea decided to join their submission of Ssirum or Ssireum, a traditional Korean Wrestling.

      The Thai Delegation comprising representatives from the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Foreign Affairs has congratulated the Cambodian Delegation led by Mrs. Sackona Phoeurng, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts for the inscription of Lkhon Khol Wat Svay Andet. The Cambodian Delegation also did the same for Thailand’s first inscription. The warm congratulatory feelings are mutual.