Cultural Heritage and Identity in the Metaverse: Thai Temples, Traditions and Virtual Pilgrimage

Cultural heritage is changing fast because of tech and the internet. This paper asks how the metaverse and other digital places are changing how we understand, show, and protect our cultural heritage. Cultural groups are starting to use digital tools to reach more people and change how they share things like objects and traditions. We look at how culture, identity, and digital media are all changing each other, using Thai temples and other things as examples. The paper also talks about the metaverse, AI, avatars, and the tech stuff needed to turn heritage into digital form. A look at how Zhu Xi's story is told in the metaverse shows how this new tech can be helpful for learning and teaching. The paper ends by thinking about what's happening now and how tech can change how we protect heritage, do tourism, and teach, especially in Thailand and Southeast Asia.