The Khmer temple of Wat Phu Champassak lies on the right bank of the Mekong River some 45 kilometres south of the provincial capital of Pakse. Constructed between the 7th and the 12th centuries on the site of a much earlier sanctuary, Wat Phu Champassak is an important example of both early and classical Khmer architecture. Yet it is just one component of a rich cultural landscape which also includes the archaeological remains of two ancient urban settlements, now identified as Setapura (5th-7th centuries) and Lingapura (9th-13th centuries), an Ancient Khmer Road, the outlying temples of Nang Sida, Thao Tao and Tomo (Wat Oubmong), and further afield the prasats That Ban Done, That Ban That, That Ban Viene, That Dong That, That Nang In and That Nasamrieng. The two ancient cities of Setapura and Lingapura represent the earliest known and studied examples of urban planning in South East Asia. Setapura is also the first Khmer city from any period to be scientifically excavated. As such, the site provides unique and valuable evidence for the origins of South East Asian urbanism. Although of outstanding cultural and historical value, Wat Phu Champassak had suffered from serious deterioration through environmental damage and other causes, including vandalism, due to the lack of comprehensive, systematic site management and appropriately trained personnel. In addition, increasing pressure for tourism and economic development had put the integrity of the cultural landscape at risk. Responding to the appeal made by the Lao government for international assistance, a project was established in 1996 under the UNESCO/Japan Trust Fund aimed at assisting the national authorities in cultural resource management through the preparation of a comprehensive ‘Zoning and Environmental Management Plan’ for the preservation of the Wat Phu site. The main activities carried out under the project between 1996 and 1998 were: the establishment of the National Inter Ministerial Co-ordinating Committee for Wat Phu; the training of national personnel in conservation and site management; scientific site-investigation; and small-scale restoration and emergency assistance. To make the task of preserving Wat Phu and the wider Champassak cultural landscape easier, the UNESCO-Lao Champassak Heritage Management Plan was drawn up in 1998 to identify a number of projects critical to the preservation and development of the site, ranging in scope from site improvements and visitor enhancements to employee training and in cost from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. This was followed in 1999 by the establishment of the Wat Phu Champassak Fund for the Safeguarding of Champassak Heritage, which will pay for some of the projects. Funding for larger-scale projects such as the stabilisation or restoration of standing structures, which will cost in the millions of dollars, will be sought under different means, primarily through inter-governmental co-operative agreements. On 14 December 2001 the entire site was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List as Wat Phu and Associated Ancient Settlements within the Champassak Cultural Landscape. Preserving Wat Phu and the wider Champassak cultural landscape is a major, even a monumental task. Projects for which funding is currently being sought include: Interpretation and Site Enhancement at Wat Phu; Interpretation and Site Enhancement at Tomo; Interpretation and Site Enhancement at Nang Sida; Interpretation of the Champassak Cultural Landscape; Historic Structures Inventory; HATCH Program Development: Support for Traditional Crafts; a Wat Phu publication; and a heritage booklet for Lao schoolchildren. Wat Phu Champassak World Heritage Site incorporates the remains of hundreds of ancient buildings, but only a small number of these are substantially intact.