Doi Suthep-Pui National Park
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park
Rationale for choosing Doi Suthep-Pui National Park landscape
The Doi Suthep-Pui National Park is considered as one of the greatest cultural landscapes in Thailand’s Chiang Mai Province. The cultural landscape meets the high standards of international criteria on the aspects of its richness in natural aspects since it offers a scenic location of biodiversity besides having both rare and endangered species in its vicinity. The Doi Suthep-Pui National Park is critically a significant venue for a visit as it presents different cultural and natural attractions, for instance, the Phra That Doi Suthep Temple (Sponsel, 2014).
Additionally, tribal people have lived in the area; the Hmong people. Their rich culture is not merely unique, but gives a clear insight of their ways of life since their first settlement (Elliott & Cubitt, 2013). Therefore, conservation of this highly important cultural landscape on both the cultural and natural aspects drives it the potential of being rated in the world heritage.
Evaluation of the cultural significance of the landscape
The Doi Suthep-Pui National Park creates a meaningful venue especially on the various elements of its archeological and historical significance in connection with the establishment of the city of Chiang Mai and long built history of over 700 years. The National Park is a section of the greater Thanon Thongchai Mountain ranges which are characterized by high cliffs and complex features, with a geological profile of quartzite, sand stone, and granite (Stanturf, Madsen & Lamp, 2012). The park’s forest features and mountainous nature makes it to be a source of several streams, basins, and rivers make it provide water for consumption and use for the province of Chiang Mai.
Wiang Bua and Wiang Jed Lin, at the foot of the Doi Suthep Mountain, was the settlement place for the Lua –the ethnic inhabitants. During that time, the Doi Suthep Mountain was considered a sacred place for the indigenous, as it was the place of one hermit.
Additionally, the Hariphunchai’s artifacts were discovered at the archeological site, San Ku, on the peak of Doi Suthep Mountain and other many places in Chiang Mai. The implication portrayed by this was the prosperity of the Hariphunchai culture, civilization, and ritual during that period (Williams, 2011).
The San Ku has been an archeological site since the 8th century. The site is located at the peak of Doi Suthep Mountain as it was believed that it was a sacred place and holy thing must be on the highest point. There is a presence of remnants of two big buildings which portray the attempt of the struggle of the people to construct and move very big buildings without any technology at that time. Another implication portrayed by this is the importance of the people’s beliefs and ritual in the past (Rerkasem & Rerkasem, 2015). Similarly, the Pha Lad Temple is considerably another archeological site for about 500 years ago. The past prosperity of the area is depicted from the remains found in the temple. The temple further shows the importance of nature that the forest has and the fact that people never destroyed nature but only adapted their lives to nature instead.
There are religious places located along the Doi Pui Mountain from its foot to its peak. The historic foot trail to the peak of the mountain was primarily for religious reasons and the beliefs of the local people. The temples were arranged traditionally with Fai Hin Temple at the foot, then in the middle is Pha Lad Temple, and last on is the Phra That Doi Suthep Temple on the highest point along with the relic of the Lord Buddha.
Another aspect of the cultural significance of the landscape is the presence of vernacular buildings. The Hmong villages are vernacular and relate with their environment and traditions, and its cold weather. The Hilltribe people pay respect to their ancestors in their village, and therefore, they don’t move to anywhere else. These people have been living in the village before the area became a national park. This made them to get the permission from the authority to stay in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. This made the Doi Pui Hmong village to be also visitor’s destination.
Despite all the spectacular natural beauty, the major reason why there are many visitors coming to Doi Suthep-Pui National Park is to pay a visit to Phra That Doi Suthep Temple. The Thailand people consider this site a must visit place as it is a sacred place for paying homage to the Lord Buddha’s relic at the temple, a venerated and venerable temple which is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Thailand. The site is a major pilgrimage destination. The temple is regarded as a sacred place of both local and indigenous Chiang Mai people.
The archeological site of San Ku is on the peak of Doi Suthep Mountain and is believed to be used to conduct ritual during the period of Queen Chammathewi as Hariphunchai artifacts were found.
Additionally, Doi Suthep-Pui National Park has contributed immensely to Chiang Mai since more than 700 years ago. King Mangri found that Wiang Chaing Man would be a residential area for groups of communities at the foot of Doi Suthep Mountain since it was a perfect location with natural resources like waterfalls, and other auspicious signs which were considered by King Mangrai when the city was being established.
How and why the landscape is contested
The Doi Suthep-Pui National Park is in the top rank of the various national parks visitors from different countries spend their vacation to explore and adventure on the cultural landscape’s cultural and natural features. The cultural landscape has offered a conducive environment for the local people to co-exist in the area side by side with the Hmong people, next to the royal residence, and the Ranger Unit for the purpose of security.
The province of Chiang Mai has high altitude, with the weather on the considerably upper slopes of the mountain ranges being pleasant and cool throughout the year even in the hot season. Average they experience a temperature range of about 20-230c with the February’s cool season’s temperature dropping to 60c.
The park has a great fauna and flora features. Some of the rare plants are found here with the plant community consisting of five different kinds of forests including; Diptocarpus forests, Dry Evergreen forests, Mixed Deciduous forests, Pine forests and Hill Evergreen forests.
The landscape is further contested on the basis that the park’s cultural landscape has a great integrity of fabric. Among the a few tangible examples that show the existence of historic evidence and their authenticity of the park are Pha Lad Temple, Phra That Doi Suthep Temple, settlement of the Hilltribe people, and the since 8th-century archeological site (San Ku). These highlighted physical aspects link the memory of the people on the great Doi Suthep-Pui National Park of its long riding importance and fact that it is still a grand cultural landscape to-date (Clarence, 2014).
Phra That Doi Suthep Temple, as both the visitors’ primary destination and the focal point on Doi Suthep Mountain, is a great example to justify all the different types of value which were found to hold a greater aspect for the parks recognition and attraction of visitors for adventure and educational purposes at large.
The presence of naturally constructed water features has created great success to the park and the nearby community of the Hmong people. Doi Suthep-Pui National Park provides a good water supply source which is used by the people in both the city of Chiang Mai and the national park. The different villages have been equipped with built water features in form of reservoirs (Stanturf, Madsen & Lamp, 2012). One reservoir constructed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand is in Bhubing Palace with moving fountains right inside the reservoir. The water kept in the reservoir is purposefully for utilitarian functions hosted in the palace. There exist other water supply stations for people, offices, organizations in the national park (Berger, 2014).
The national park overs fantastic and remarkable vistas and views. Visitors are able to take a panorama view of the city of Chiang Mai at the different rest areas and viewpoints, and also at the Phra That Doi Suthep Temple’s terrace. At the park’s viewpoint 2, the visitors can have a look at the south of Chiang Mai in different perspectives since most of it are mountainous areas while in the valley one sees the Doi Pui Hmong village and the peak of Doi Pui Mountain. Nevertheless, Doi Suthep-Pui National Park is remarkably seen from all the points of the city, especially the Phra That Doi Suthep, which is the symbol of Chiang Mai.
The socio-economic and cultural consequences for the landscape
Social relevance
The Doi Suthep-Pui National Park is still a place where different people across the globe give attention to to-date, since it doesn’t only serve as an attractive site for the visitors but also provides a place for everyone in Chiang Mai, which includes tribal people, thereby stimulating their sense of belonging.
The positions of buildings and constructions are a reflection of the social structure of the city in the past. For example, San Ku, which used to be a sacred place, is situated at the peak of Doi Suthep Mountain as it was for the holy ritual (Sponsel, 2014). Phra That Doi Suthep Temple also holds the relic of the Lord Buddha, with the temple at the higher point, while Fai Hin Temple and Sri Soda Temple at the foot of the mountain, and Pha Lad Temple in the middle of the mountain. This particular structure is related to a hierarchical social status which comprises of the governor or the king, the servants and the general people.
The Phra That Doi Suthep Temple is still to-date a place for the people in the community to gather just like any other temple. Most importantly, the community conducts an annual Buddhism ceremony known as “Tieo Khun Doi,” in which people walk up to the temple to purposefully pay homage to the relic of the Lord Buddha (Devakul, 2011). The occasion has been held on a yearly basis on Visaka Buja’s Day at the temple as the holy places. The people still pay attention to this particular traditional ceremony with another of visitors coming to join in being part of the ceremony.
Scientific significance
The great flora and fauna is assurance one of the fertility of Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, thereby making it an ideal place for studying ecology. The park has different types of wildlife and plants at the different levels of altitude. A huge number of endangered and rare species which are worth conserving and studying are found in the park.
The Doi Suthep-Pui National Park provides complete and varied fields of research and study (Sukin & Chantapa, 2012). For this reason, a number of organizations ask for permission to use the area for their educational purposes, for instance, Doi Pui Research Stations by Kasetsart University, Royal Thai Navy Seismic Research Station, and Chiang Mai University.
Moreover, the Hmong villages provide some scientific value to the park as it’s located in a steep area full of valleys, cold climate and therefore there are special techniques in relation to the people's local wisdom and engineering expertise to construct a structure in such a location.
Historic relevance
Doi Suthep-Pui National Park helps in tracing back to the past of the Chiang Mai since their first settlement about 1400 years ago. Every component of the city’s constructions provides its specific story and gives useful, informative and rich history (Williams, 2011). For instance, San Ku is an archeological site and thus shows that people have been living in the area since 8th century. These people gave much emphasis on the ritual and belief. This is the reason why San Ku is very huge showing grandeur. Another archeological site is the Pha Lad Temple, which has an ancient remnant indicating the importance of Buddhism to the people in the nearby area for over 500 years ago. The remains show the magnificence of the temple. Again, the Phra That Doi Suthep Temple presents historical significance by revealing the people’s belief and the significance of Buddhism to their ways of life (Kemf & Hillary, 2013).
The aesthetic significance of the cultural landscape
The captivating beauty of Doi Suthep-Pui National Park is basically found, both man-made and nature-made aspects as it provides a perfect place of absolute blend of culture and nature. The park’s intangibly aesthetic aspect is exhibited from the frontier of the life of Hilltribe (Darlington, 2012). The Hmong people have a lifestyle which charming and distinctive, thereby attracting visitors across the globe to appreciate that kind of lifestyle which cannot be experienced anywhere else.
Furthermore, the various constructions and buildings show the beauty which the park holds. For instance, the Bhubing Palace is skillfully designed and constructed from both the aspects of its buildings and landscape. The Phra That Doi Suthep Temple is an explicit expression of the undeniable beauty of Lan Na temple. There are various northern temples in Lan Na style but still none of them is flawlessly built to match the standards of Phra That Doi Suthep Temple.
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