Europe-Thailand, Sharing A Common Heritage

Bangkok (Thailand) – April 11, 2016 (travelindex) – The Delegation of the European Union to Thailand, with the support of the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC), is launching the 2016 version of its European Heritage Map and App, which for the first time include four new European Heritage Trails. The European Heritage Map and App, which are highlighting the deep-rooted cultural ties between Europe and Siam, will be unveiled in the presence of experts and professionals from the tourism and hospitality sectors, at the historical British Club Bangkok.

The 2016 edition of the European Heritage Map also contains additional sites of historical and cultural importance, located in and around Bangkok. It has been enhanced with clearer graphics and stunning photos to make it visually harmonious and easier to read. First published in 2013, the Map went out of print just a few weeks after its introduction. Its unexpected success inspired the EU Delegation to create and launch an application for mobile phones, which has become an important tool for modern-day tourism.

The new thematic European Heritage Trails, covering on average 12 to 18 sites around Bangkok, can easily be done on foot, by bicycle or public transport. These trails will take visitors on a stunning journey through time, past unspoilt neighbourhoods and otherwise inaccessible places, to see some of the finest and most distinctive examples of architectural legacy Bangkok has to offer.

“The 2016 European Heritage Map and App, complemented by the four newly-completed Heritage Trails, will certainly help us further embrace the unique diversity of our common Thai-European heritage”, said Ms Luisa Ragher, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Thailand. “The architectural treasures speak volumes of a shared past, and we would like to encourage the conservation of these historical icons, which forms an integrated part of our joint history. We are confident that users of the map, app and trails will find much pleasure exploring and (re)discovering some of Bangkok’s architectural jewels,” she added.

With a total of 217 listed sites and monuments, the European Heritage Map and App are to date the largest source of free information about Thailand-Europe common heritage.

New Sites in the 2016 Map Edition
– SAB Junction and SAB Building in Yaowarat; Songwat Road (Yaowarat) with the Luang Kocha Isahak Mosque; Maen Si Pumping Station in Dusit; St Gabriel College in Dusit/Samsen district; Bangkok Supreme Court along Sanam Luang in Phra Nakhon district; Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, Thai Red Cross, near Silom; Sanam Chan Palace in Nakhon Pathom Province;
(see 2016 New Sites Press Release for further information)

Four thematic European Heritage Trails:
– Royal Palaces and Royal Mansions
– Religious Heritage
– Technologies and Transportation
– Commerce and Trade

FREE: download the EUNIC Mobile App for IOS or Android from App Store or Google Play Store respectively.