As I recently in my review already called Koh Ker a ‘Tier 3’ Khmer site, Si Thep can only be Tier 4! The nomination, up for discussion at the WHC later this year, will undoubtedly focus more on the remains of the Buddhist Dvaravati culture which share the same area as the unremarkable Khmer structures of a later date.

I visited Si Thep (sometimes also transcribed as Sri Thep) by rental car from Bangkok, a car that also gave me access to the more remote Huai Kha Khaeng WHS further to the northwest. When I arrived at the main location, the outside temperature was 37 degrees, so I was pleased to see an electric cart waiting to ferry me around. We first stopped at what the driver called ‘three temples’. Two of them are quite plain Khmer-style stupas, the third is a lower rectangular structure where up close you can see that it has a beam all around decorated with funny carvings of crouching men and animals. These ‘stucco dwarfs’ stem from the Dvaravati culture. A protective roof now protects them from the elements.

After that, we went to see the excavation site where they found five human skeletons and one of an elephant, which probably date from before the Dvaravati period. And that was it – after half an hour or so I was brought back to the parking lot. Nothing visible at the site refers to “the long-distance maritime trade and exchange network with people in the inland communities … witnessed by the discoveries of glass and semi-precious stone beads, jade ornaments, and an Indian ivory comb” that the TWHS description so highly talks about. OK, the ‘dwarfs’ are memorable, but they also reminded me of the Naumburg Cathedral statues. Just a couple of interesting sculptures (most are in a bad condition anyway) surely can’t be sufficient for WH status?

About 3km further along the main road lies the second location, Khao Khlang Nok. This is one of the biggest remains of the Dvaravati architecture. It now is an enormous brick platform with a heap of stones on top. Climbing is allowed from the stairs on one side. A better introduction though is the scale model at the site entrance of what the stupa used to look like: an impressive tall white structure, somewhat Burmese in appearance (the Dvaravati was a Mon kingdom, still a major ethnic group in current Myanmar). Next to it, they have already prepared an information panel about World Heritage (in Thai only).

To me, this archaeological site is only of regional interest and I fail to see its global significance. The Mon were responsible for spreading Buddhism further into Southeast Asia (well, mainly Thailand), and Si Thep is said to have been a major religious center although little remains of that compared to for example the Pyu Ancient Cities or Bagan.

So in all, a disappointing site to visit and the Thai can only hope that the nomination at least on paper is convincing enough (or find enough friends on the WHC to support it).