Kaeng Krachan National Park (Thai: อุทยานแห่งชาติแก่งกระจาน, RTGS: Utthayan Haeng Chat Kaeng Krachan, pronounced [ʔùt.tʰā.jāːn hɛ̀ŋ t͡ɕʰâːt kɛ̀ŋ krā.t͡ɕāːn]) is the largest national park in Thailand. It is located on the border with Burma and is next to the Tanintharyi Nature Reserve. The park is popular because it is close to the tourist town of Hua Hin. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site on July 26, 2021, even though the OHCHR raised concerns about human rights issues affecting the indigenous people who live in the park.
Geography
The park is located in parts of the districts Nong Ya Plong, Kaeng Krachan, and Tha Yang in Phetchaburi Province, and in Hua Hin of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. It is mostly made up of rainforest on the eastern side of the Tenasserim Mountain Range. The highest point in the park reaches 1,513 meters, which is in an area shared by Thailand and Myanmar. The second highest mountain in the park is Kao Panern Toong, with a height of 1,207 meters. Two major rivers begin within the park: the Pranburi River and the Phetchaburi River. The Phetchaburi River is blocked by the Kaeng Krachan Dam at the park's eastern border. This dam forms a lake that covers 46.5 km. The dam was built in 1966.
History
The park was declared a reserve in 1964 and became the 28th national park of Thailand on June 12, 1981. It originally covered 1,548,750 rai, or about 2,478 square kilometers (957 square miles). In December 1984, the park was expanded to include an area along the border between Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan Provinces, adding 273,125 rai, or about 437 square kilometers (169 square miles). The park is listed as an ASEAN Heritage Park. It is part of the Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex, which the Thai government has tried to designate as a World Heritage Site since 2011. In 2019, UNESCO rejected Thailand’s third attempt to make it a World Heritage Site because the information about the park’s boundaries was outdated and local communities were not involved. In July 2021, Thailand submitted its fourth application. On July 26, 2021, UNESCO approved the park’s listing as a World Heritage Site after a vote by 21 member nations, which resulted in 12 votes in favor and 9 against.
The killing of wild elephants continues to be a problem in the park. Authorities have not been able to stop poachers. Some park officials are accused of being involved in the illegal trade of elephant parts.
Even though the park is a protected area, there are private plantations inside its boundaries. Some of these plantations have electric fences. In June 2013, an elephant calf was killed after touching one of these fences.
In 2018, the park began accepting proposals for a project to pave 18.5 kilometers of the Bang Krang to Phanoen Thung Road. The project costs 87.62 million baht. The current dirt road is described as “broken beyond repair” by the park’s chief. Environmentalists oppose the project because easier access might lead to more tourists, which could harm the park’s delicate ecosystem. The park chief said the project follows regulations and that the park has a duty to continue it. The project was temporarily stopped in early November 2018 so opponents could share their concerns.
Flora and fauna
The forests have a wide variety of tropical plants, including trees with wide leaves and palms. There are 91 types of mammals and 461 kinds of birds in the park.
- Martes flavigula, yellow-throated marten
- Trachypithecus obscurus, dusky leaf monkey
- Arachnothera magna, streaked spiderhunter
- Pycnonotus flavescens, flavescent bulbul
- Halcyon coromanda, ruddy kingfisher