Thai western forest complex listed as a World Heritage site

UNESCO has awarded World Heritage Site status to Thailand’s Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex, a lush and bountiful green sanctuary covering 464,000 hectares spanning Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Ratchaburi provinces in western Thailand.

“To receive such global recognition is a great achievement for Thai forests and wildlife that will help increase public awareness in nature conservation,” said Warawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment. He added that the recognition would also increase ecotourism by both domestic and foreign visitors.

Kaeng Krachan National Park is the largest of more than 100 national parks in Thailand. It is a landscape of lush rainforests, dappled with numerous rivers, waterfalls and caves. The terrain is extremely hilly as it lies along the slopes of the Tenasserim Mountain Range.

The Park is a treasure trove for lovers of wildlife, conservationists, bio-researchers, and a sought-out destination for local and foreign campers and trekkers.

Kaeng Krachan’s thick green natural canopy is home to over 460 species of birds and 91 mammals, several of them rare. A number of endemic and globally endangered plant species have been reported in the property, which overlaps with two Important Bird Areas (IBAs) and is noted for its rich diversity of birdlife, including eight globally threatened species.

The western section of the park is adjacent to large expanses of relatively pristine forest in Myanmar. This allows animals to roam across the border, enhancing the biodiversity of the area. Kaeng Krachan is linked by forests both in Thailand and Myanmar to the large Huai Kha Kaeng-Tung Yai Naresuan Forest Complex further north in Thailand.

Photo courtesy of: https://www.thainationalparks.com/kaeng-krachan-national-park