Local arts and wisdom protected

It is also creating a database to document another 8,000 traditional arts and knowledge, and will later register them as national treasures to prevent copyright infringement. However, it will continue encouraging further development of the arts and integrating them with modern technology to either preserve them or to profit from them.

Chief of the World Muay Thai Council, Sakchai Thapsuwan, said HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn had paid special interest to preserving muay thai, and has promised to provide support for the development of the martial art.

Next year, traditional wisdom in two fields, namely astrology as well as cultural rites and rituals, will be registered.

Included in the 25 forms to be registered this year are puppetry, likay, weaving, moulding and sculpture-styles for Buddha images, Thai fairytales, farming rituals such as the blessing of rice, as well as ancient references to Siamese cats.