The South East Asia Challenge in Management of World Heritage Sites: Results of the Inscriptionin the WHL

South-East Asia has greatly improved the management of cultural heritage in the last years and the inscriptionon the WHL in many cases has been decisive to improve the protection measures for the countries with a general social and economic impact and increase of tourist attraction to the sites. The case-study sites Sukhothay, Si Satchanalai, Kamphaeng Phet and Ayutthaya (Thailand), Vat Phou (Laos)and Preah Vihear (Cambodia) are particularly representative for the area. The Thailand sites have changed positively over the years, starting even before their inscription in the WHL, which took place in 1991 and since then, there has been a lengthy process of conservation and protection ofcultural assets throughout the country. As far as conservation is concerned, great progress has been made compared to the first restoration campaign in Sukhothai and regarding the use of new technology, such as all the devices employed for risk preparedness at Ayutthaya, even if the recent monsoon season has completely compromised the state of conservation of the entire area.Preah Vihear temple was founded in the 9th century and is situated on the border between Cambodia and Thailand. It was inscribed in the WHL in July 2008 and for years, it was contended between Thailand and Cambodia. The possibility to inscribe the site as transboundary property between the two countries has failed. The intention of being able to solve these long-standing problems with the WHL inscription have failed so far; they have triggered a conflict at the borders between the two nations. The inscription of Vat Phou and Associated Ancient Settlements within the Champasak Cultural Landscape(Khmer vestiges, South of Laos) took place in 2001. Starting by the master plan of the area, before the formal inscription, there has been further progress concerning rules and regulations, both nation-wide and locally. In the end, to respect the exceptional value of these ancient cultural environments, rich of tangible and intangible heritage, is a fundamental priority. In order to plan a sustainable development of the cultural heritage sites, thesocial, economic, political, environmental and legislative aspects should not be ignored inside the fundamentaldocument, the management plan. Only a dynamic, evolving and interactive management plan will be able tobring success to any sustainable development of the territory while maintaining its identity.