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Intellectual Cultural Heritage
9
Designation of Thailand’s Intellectual Cultural Heritage
Background History
The Department of Cultural Promotion (DCP),
Ministry of Culture, has been carrying out various
works in cultural conservation, restoration, promotion
and disimilation, as well as research and studies,
particularly with regards to the folk culture. The DCP
has laid down policies, strategies, and measures
and has organised various projects and activities to
fulfill its mission.
From 2005 to 2009, the DCP has collected
data and has prepared Thailand’s Intellectual
Cultural Heritage (ICH) database. At present, the
database contains 350 items in the performing arts,
500 in the traditional craftsmanship, and 40 in the
folk literature domains. Moreover, in the 2010 fiscal
year, the DCP supported the ICH inventory making
program at the provincial level through the pilot project
in the performing arts, traditional craftsmanship,
folk literature, and folk sports, games and martial arts
domains.
To follow up on the implementation, the DCP
laid down the mission to safeguard the ICH by focusing
on the national ICH designation as one of the main
activities.The designation serves as the key testimony
to the nation’s ICH, promotes pride in it and encourages
community participation in safeguarding and protecting
the local and national ICH. This will lead to knowledge,
understanding, appreciation and acceptance of cultural
diversity, and ultimately to the peaceful co-existence
of the people in society.
Objectives
1. To record the background history, wisdom
and identity of the intellectual cultural heritage;
2. To p r ov i de impo r t a n t da t aba s e on
intellectual cultural heritage in Thailand;
3. To enhance the crucial role and the pride of
the communities, groups, or individuals that own the
intellectual cultural heritage;
4. To promote and develop the r i ght of
communities to conserve, perpetuate, restore, and
safeguard the local and national intellectual
cultural heritage;
5. To prepare the groundwork for Thailand to
become a state party to UNESCO's Convention for the
Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.