MANAGING LIVING HERITAGE SITES IN MAINLAND SOUTHEAST ASIA By Patcharawee ...

251 Pages·2010·4.02 MB·English

by  Silpakorn University

MANAGING LIVING HERITAGE SITES IN MAINLAND SOUTHEAST ASIA
By
Patcharawee Tunprawat
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
Department of Archaeology
Graduate School
SILPAKORN UNIVERSITY
2009
MANAGING LIVING HERITAGE SITES IN MAINLAND SOUTHEAST ASIA

By
Patcharawee Tunprawat
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
Department of Archaeology
Graduate School
SILPAKORN UNIVERSITY
2009
The Graduate School, Silpakorn University has approved and accredited the

Thesis title of “Managing Living Heritage Sites in Mainland Southeast Asia”
submitted by Miss Patcharawee Tunprawat as a partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Historical Archaeology

……........................................................................

(Associate Professor Sirichai Chinatangkul, Ph.D.)

Dean of Graduate School
........../..................../..........
Thesis Advisors
1. Assoc. Prof. Sayan Praicharnjit
2. Mr. Pisit Charoenwongsa
Thesis Examination Committee
.................................................... Chairman
(Prof. Phasook Indrawooth, Ph.D.)
............/......................../..............
.................................................... Member
(Assoc. Prof. Chanan Vongvipak)
............/......................../..............
.................................................... Member .................................................... Member
(Assoc. Prof. Sayan Praicharnjit) (Mr. Pisit Charoenwongsa)
............/......................../.............. ............/......................../..............
48101904 : MAJOR : HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY

KEY WORD : LIVING HERITAGE CULTURAL HERITAGE MANAGEMENT MAINLAND
SOUTHEAST ASIA CONSERVATION
PATCHARAWEE TUNPRAWAT : MANAGING LIVING HERITAGE SITES IN
MAINLAND SOUTHEAST ASIA. THESIS ADVISORS : ASSOC. PROF. SAYAN PRAICHARNJIT
AND PISIT CHAROENWONGSA. 238 pp.

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In the 14 century A.D. after the decline of Angkor and the rise of Pagan
and Ayutthaya, Theravada Buddhism, from Sri Lanka, became the most prominent

religion and has been practiced in Mainland Southeast Asia in present-day Thailand,
Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Myanmar, while Mahayana Buddhism, spread from China,
became popular in present-day Viet Nam. The Buddhist worldviews governed how
the traditional population interacted with past material remains and differentiated the
traditional worldviews from the Western worldviews which were based on
Christianity. It was noted that the West perceived time as linear and the cult of the
holy relics dictated that values were inherent in materials whereas in the East values
were ascribed to materials.
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The arrival of the Europeans in the late 19 century A.D. by way of
Colonization greatly influenced the traditional worldviews. After France and England
gained control of most parts of the region except Siam, they took it under their
responsibilities to study the antiquities of the region which became the legacy of the
colonizers. After WWII, the Wars of Independence that took place in many cities
gradually made France and England relinquish their controls. Antiquities by then
became icons for independence and nationalism for the natives. Though Siam was
not colonized, its structure of heritage management was laid out by Westerners, which
immersed Siam, which later became Thailand, in the Western concepts of
conservation and heritage management. The Venice Charter launched in 1962 became
the backbone of heritage conservation in many countries including Southeast Asia.
The World Heritage Convention born in 1970s emphasized authenticity. This concept
was later questioned and caused heritage professionals to revisit heritage management
in their countries in order to move away from the fabric-based conservation, which is
not applicable in all cases. During this period, looting has reached a new height, while
the lack of awareness is a serious issue. Communities have been separated further
from the heritage.
In order to find a practical context-based framework to manage heritage
sites in Mainland Southeast Asia, there is a need to explore the current trends and
approaches in heritage management which will provide a basis to form a regional
framework. This framework will then be combined with results from the case studies
in the region and the fundamental concept of heritage conservation and management
so as to come up with a model as well as guidelines for heritage managers which are
based on the traditional system, making the heritage ‘living’.
Department of Archaeology Graduate School, Silpakorn University Academic Year 2009
Student's signature ...............................................................
Thesis Advisors' signature 1. ..……………......................... 2. ................................................
c
Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the following people who provided me with their
time, materials, and valuable comments: Dr. Pisit Charoenwongsa, Dr. Phasook
Indrawooth, Assoc. Prof. Sayan Praicharnjit, Assoc. Prof. Chanan Vongvipak, Dr.
Pinraj Khanjanusthiti, Dr. Gamini Wijesuriya, Dr. Britt Baillie, Dr. Pornthum

Thumwimol, U Nyunt Han, Dr. Thongsa Sayavongkhamdy, Mr. Simon Warrack, U

Ba Shwe, Mr. Phong Vo Dang, Ms. Nguyen Thu Ha, Mr. Mark Chang, Ms. Le Thi

Thu Thuy, Ms. Montira Horayangkura Unakul, Mr. Samlane Luangaphay, Ms. Tara

Sharma, Dr. Ioanis Poulios, Ms.Katriina Simila, and Dr. Elizabeth Moore.
I also thank friends and colleagues at SPAFA, ICCROM, GCI, and
Silpakorn University who have always been supportive during the time of my
research and shared with me their experiences.
I would especially like to thank my colleagues in Phrae including Mr.
Wuttikrai Pathong, Ms.Sunantana Saenprasert, Mr. Shinnaworn Chompoophan, Mr.
Prayad and Mrs. Lantima Kaewmanee, as well as the Phrae project volunteers
especially Ms.Pichya Boonpinon, Ms.Wannachan Chiewsilp, and Mr. Palawat
Thammamitr.
I am always thankful for my family especially my father and my mother
without whom this thesis would not be accomplished.

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Table of Contents

Page
Abstract ................................................................................................................... c
Acknowledgements................................................................................................. d

List of Figures ........................................................................................................ g

Chapter

1 Introduction................................................................................................. 1
2 Trends and Approaches in Heritage Management...................................... 9
Current Trends in Heritage Management ........................................... 9
Public Archaeology/ Community Archaeology.................................. 13
Heritage Management Approaches..................................................... 17
3 The Old World: Traditional Mainland Southeast Asia ............................... 23
Mainland Southeast Asia and the Foundation of its Beliefs System... 23
Essence of Beliefs ............................................................................... 27
Traditional Concepts of Materiality and Time .................................... 31
Traditional Views on Past Material Remains and Conservation......... 36
Traditional Systems of Conservation and Management...................... 44
Summary ............................................................................................. 48
4 The Colonized Past ..................................................................................... 49
Western Colonization .......................................................................... 49
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European Interests in Antiquities from the 19 Century A.D.
to 1940s ............................................................................................... 58
Early Tourism in Mainland Southeast Asia ........................................ 88
Summary ............................................................................................. 97
5 Heritage and Politics ................................................................................... 100
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Chapter Page

5 Thailand and the Birth of Heritge........................................................ 100
Independence of French Indochina and Its Heritage........................... 106

Burma’s Independence ........................................................................ 117

New Challenges................................................................................... 121

6 Current Heritage Management Practices in Mainland Southeast Asia ...... 125
The Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar..................................................... 125
The Angkor Complex of Monuments, Cambodia ............................... 138
The Plain of Jars, Lao PDR................................................................. 153
The Ancient Town of Hoi An, Viet Nam............................................ 166
The Historic City of Phrae, Thailand .................................................. 181
7 Conclusion and Recommendations............................................................. 197
The Journey of Heritage ...................................................................... 197
Discussion on Heritage and Conservation........................................... 200
Analysis of Heritage Management Models ......................................... 203
Guidelines for Heritage Managers ...................................................... 210
Further Recommendations .................................................................. 217
Bibliography ........................................................................................................... 222
Biography ............................................................................................................. 238

f
List of Figures

Figures Page
1 The Shwezigon Pagoda in Myanmar ................................................ 37

2 The Mandalay Palace........................................................................ 38

3 An example of a traditional Mainland Southeast Asian village ....... 39

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4 Map of East and Southeast Asia in the 16 century A.D. ................ 50
5 The capture of Ava by the British .................................................... 52
6 King Thibaw, the last King of Burma .............................................. 53
7 French soldiers in Tonkin in 1884.................................................... 53
8 In 1905, France gained control of the Thai province of Trad. ......... 56
9 August Pavie negotiating with Laotian princes in the late .............. 57
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19 century A.D.
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10 A French Colonial school in Laos in the early 20 century A.D. .... 60
11 That Luang Pagoda in Vientiane destroyed by the Chinese Haw...... 61
12 Residence of the Résident Supérieure in Vientiane, 1903 ............... 62
13 Angkor Wat in 1866 with small huts in front of the temple............. 64
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14 Buddha images at Angkor Wat in the early 20 century A.D.......... 66
15 A small bronze statue found by Colani ............................................ 67
16 Some of the anthropomorphic stone sculptures found by Colani .... 68
17 Henri Parmentier and Charles Carpeaux having lunch at one of the 68
Cham monuments, 1903-1904.
18 Local workers at My Son Group B, C, D., 1903.............................. 69
19 That Luang after the restoration by Pierre Morin in 1919 ............... 71
20 That Luang at present after the restoration by Louis Forbertaux ..... 72
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Figures Page

21 Edwardian British tourists refused to take off their shoes ............... 74
when visiting temples

22 Sketch of the first train operation in Burma ..................................... 75

23 A Rangoon street full of immigrants ................................................ 76

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24 Mandalay Palace in the early 20 century A.D................................ 77
25 The Queen’s Golden Monastery....................................................... 78
26 King Mongkut and his Queen .......................................................... 82
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27 Impression of the Siamese Court in the late 19 century A.D. ........ 83
28 Phra Pathom Chedi........................................................................... 84
29 Model of Angkor Wat at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha ......... 85
in Bangkok
30 H.R.H. Prince Damrong Rajanubhab at a Khmer temple in Surin... 88
31 Angkor Wat at the Exposition Coloniale in 1931 ............................ 89
32 The Hanoi Street at the Marseille Exposition in 1906 ..................... 89
33 Angkor Wat Pavilion at the Exposition Coloniale in Paris in 1931. 90
34 Angkor Wat Pavilion when being demolished................................. 90
35 Paris Expo, 1931............................................................................... 91
36 Hotel Morin in Hue in the 1910s...................................................... 92
37 King Sisowath of Cambodia at Angkor Wat in 1921 with the......... 93
French War Hero Joffre le Maréchal
38 The Strand Hotel in Rangoon........................................................... 94
39 Dak Bungalow.................................................................................. 95
40 People waiting for the steamer at the Irrawaddy bank ..................... 95
41 A Siamese Pavilion at an Expo in 1889 ........................................... 96
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Figures Page

42 Thai Pavilion in Turin, 1911 ............................................................ 96
43 King Prajadhipok and Rambhaibhanni inaugurated the................... 101

national museum

44 The Victory Monument .................................................................... 102

45 King Vajiravudh at the Viharn Phra Mongkolbopit before ............. 103
the restoration
46 Thailand Community Archaeology Project in Nan province........... 104
47 H.R.H. Princess Sirindhorn at the Bangkok National Museum ....... 105
48 Ho Chi Minh..................................................................................... 106
49 Jacqueline Kennedy with King Sihanouk and B.P. Groslier ........... 110
during her visit to Angkor in 1967
50 King Sihanouk and Queen Monique during the early period........... 111
of Khmer Rouge
51 The National Museum in Phnom Penh............................................. 112
52 Angkor became a favourite spot for brides and grooms to ............. 113
have their wedding photos taken.
53 King Sisavangvong and the Queen .................................................. 113
54 King Savang Vattana, the last ruling monarch of Laos.................... 114
55 Lao National Museum located at the former building of the Hotel . 115
Commissariat
56 The Luang Prabang National Museum or the former Royal Palace. 116
57 Photos from the Middle Mekong Archaeology Project by............... 117
University of Pennsylvania
58 The present National Museum in Yangon........................................ 119
59 Restoration work at a pagoda in Pagan ............................................ 120
60 General Khin Nyunt visited Beiktano in May 2003......................... 121
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