Bangkok, September 8, 2021 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is pleased to announce that Thailand has ranked 7th worldwide in the “Best Cultural Heritage Countries 2021” ranking. This represents an improvement of two places compared to 2020, and Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country and one of only three Asian countries in the top 10.

The Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Yuthasak Supasorn, said: “Thailand’s rich and magnificent heritage has always been a major factor in its enormous appeal to travelers from all over the world. The leading countries on the list of countries with the best cultural heritage are characterized by a unique identity, and Thailand can be very proud of that.”

The “Best Country Heritage” list is a sub-ranking of the “Best Countries” ranking, which was created by the BAV Group (a unit of the global marketing communications company VMLY&R) and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania based on perceptions of 78 countries using various metrics gathered in a study of over 17,000 people.

The World Heritage List is based on five characteristics of a country: cultural accessibility, a rich history, excellent cuisine, numerous cultural landmarks, and numerous geographical attractions. The characteristic "geographical attractions" is new in 2021.

In its description of the ten most important cultural heritage countries, the Heritage List states the following about Thailand: “Buddha figures are ubiquitous in the ‘Land of Smiles,’ where vibrant, modern cities stand alongside ancient ruins, sparkling beaches, and gilded temples. The country is the home of the famous Thai massage and a cuisine known for its balanced blend of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and spicy flavors.”

Thailand's impressive performance in the 2021 list of countries with the best cultural heritage is evident not only in its rise from 9th to 7th place among the top 10 – which were once again dominated by Europe, with Spain, Italy and Greece taking the top three spots, followed by France in 4th place – but also in the fact that it is one of only three Asian countries among the top 10, alongside India and Japan.