Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Mini Siam

About 95 miles south of Bangkok in Pattaya, Thailand, a large park offers over 80 famous historical and sacred sites in miniature. The park was built in 1986 to attract more tourists to this remote part of Thailand. Most of the models are on a scale of …

House of Opium

Discover House of Opium in Wiang, Thailand: A small museum in the Golden Triangle tells the story of the opium drug trade that gripped Northern Thailand.

Big Buddha Temple

Discover Wat Phra Yai (Big Buddha Temple) in Ko Samui, Thailand: A dazzling temple featuring a towering 12-meter golden Buddha.

The Kingdom of Somchai’s Affection

Discover The Kingdom of Somchai’s Affection in Ko Kut, Thailand: On the small Thai island of Ko Mak, there is a forgotten garden of erotic statuary.

Erawan Shrine

Discover Erawan Shrine in Bangkok, Thailand: A shrine built to combat the bad karma of a commercial venture.

Bo Sang Umbrella Village

Discover Bo Sang Umbrella Village in San Kamphaeng, Thailand: Peek into the world of those creating the beautiful, delicate paper parasols found all over the globe.

Mummy of Luang Pho Dang

After he died at 79 years old while meditating, the Buddhist monk Luang Pho Dang was closed in a glass coffin and left in his mudra pose with his legs folded, lotus style. Over 20 years later, his body remains incredibly well-preserved. In death, the se…

Counterfeit Goods Museum

Discover Counterfeit Goods Museum in Bangkok, Thailand: A museum in a law office, filled with authentic and counterfeit goods.

Sala Keoku

Discover Sala Keoku in Tambon Wat That, Thailand: Bizarre Hindu and Buddhist sculpture park.

Bat Caves of Khao Yai National Park

Discover Bat Caves of Khao Yai National Park in Hin Tung, Thailand: Thousands of bats stream out of caves every night on the edge on Thailand's second largest park.

Rafflesia

Discover Rafflesia in Khlong Sok, Thailand: Surat Thani's official flower—and the world's largest—smells of rotting meat.

Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute

Discover Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute in Bangkok, Thailand: A collection of poisonous snakes and reptiles for the whole family to enjoy.

Ko Hin-Ngam

In Thailand stands Ko Hingham, a small uninhabited island that no one would ever bother to visit. Unless, of course, the gods had decided to adorn the entire island with precious stones. Which according to Thai mythology, they did. Precious, indeed, bec…

Giant Swing

Discover Giant Swing in Bangkok, Thailand: For centuries young Thai men used this Giant Swing as a slingshot to heaven.

Baan Dam – Black House

Discover Baan Dam – Black House in Nang Lae, Thailand: An entire elephant skeleton, snake skin table runner, and thousands of animal remains become art in Thailand's Black House.

Nightingale-Olympic

Discover Nightingale-Olympic in Bangkok, Thailand: Time-frozen department store of dangerous and dusty relics.

Wat Tha Ka Rong

Situated on the banks of the Chao Phraya river away from the tourist center of Ayutthaya, Wat Tha Ka Rong, aka The Temple of the Blackbird or the Monastery of the Landing of the Crying Crow, is an unexpected novelty away from the main city center. Forme…

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i
To represent a masterpiece of human creative genius. 261 ii
To exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design. 480 iii
To bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared. 514 iv
To be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history. 642 ix
To be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals. 137 v
To be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change. 172 vi
To be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria). 256 vii
To contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance. 151 viii
To be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features. 98 x
To contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation. 168

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