Korat is first Thai province with three UNESCO sites

Nature lovers would be wise to make a trip to Nakhon Ratchasima, or Korat, in northeastern Thailand as the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has approved the third Natural World Heritage Site in the province, making it the first province in the Kingdom with three such sites.

On May 24, UNESCO declared that the Korat National Geopark would now be the Korat UNESCO Global Geopark. The designation is a testament to Thailand’s efforts to protect and preserve its lush and diverse environments through its system of national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and conservation areas. Despite a growing population and expanding agriculture, Thailand values its natural treasures and understands their role in mitigating climate change.

UNESCO Global Geoparks are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development. There are 195 of them in 48 countries.

While Nakhon Ratchasima has three World Heritage Sites, its geopark is only the second in Thailand. The first was the Satun Geopark, in the far south, which UNESCO added to its list in 2018.

The geopark contains fossils of prehistoric animals, including four dinosaurs: Sirindhorna Khoratensis, Ratchasimasaurus Suranareae, Siamodon Nimngami, and Siamraptor Suwati. Animal fossils and petrified wood are displayed at the Korat Fossil Museum.

The two other UNESCO World Heritage sites in Korat are the Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex, which was declared a Natural World Heritage Site in 2005, and the Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve designated in 1976.

The Khao Yai Forest Complex also contains Khao Yai National Park, which has long been a favorite destination for people in Bangkok looking to reconnect with nature. It is roughly a three- to four-hour drive from the capital.

Photo courtesy of  https://www.tatnews.org/2023/05/nakhon-ratchasima-is-thailands-first-city-to-have-3-unesco-sites/