Kaeng Krachan National Park
Designation
ASEAN Heritage Parks
Body
| Kaeng Krachan National Park - Jewel of the Tenasserim |
| The Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex has a total area of 437,300 hectares and covers three national parks and one wildlife sanctuary. These are Kaeng Krachan National Park (291,500 hectares), located just four hours away from Bangkok; Kui Buri National Park (96,900 hectares); Maenam Phachi Wildlife Sanctuary (48,900 hectares) (Suksawang, 2007); and Chaloem Phrakiat Thai Pra Chan National Park. Kaeng Krachan National Park. Established in 1981, Kaeng Krachan is Thailand's 28th national park and the largest in the country. The Park forms part of a continuous forest complex spanning the border with Myanmar, and encompassing forests in the watersheds of the Phetchaburi and Pranburi rivers. It includes portions of Nong Ya Plong, and Kaeng Krachan districts in Phetchaburi Province and of Hua Hin district in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. The Park lies at the junction of biogeographic zones thus, biodiversity in the area is a mix of Indo-Burmese and Malaysian forms. The Chaloem Phrakiat Thai Prachan National Park. The Park is part of the national forest reserve tat is located on the left bank of Phachi river in Yang Huk sub district, Pak Tho district; Tanaosi sub district and The Khoei sub district, Suan Phueng district; Ban Kha sub district and Ban Bueng sub district, Ban Kha district, Ratchaburi province. The Park's highest peak is Khao Yuet or Khao Phra Lop, which is 834 meters high. Mixed deciduous forests cover most areas on the western portion of the Park. Maenam Phachi Wildlife Sanctuary. This sanctuary covers 48,900 hectares at the northern portion of peninsular Thailand in Rat Buri province. The Sanctuary is one of the most important watersheds in the country since it is the source of both the Phet Buri and Pran Buri Rivers. The Wildlife Sanctuary comprises semi-evergreen and dry evergreen forest, with dry dipterocarp and mixed deciduous formations. Commercially valuable trees include Diptercarpus alatus, Hopea odorata, Afzelia xylocarpa, Pterocarpus macrocarpus, Xylia kerii, Shorea obtusa and Pentacme suavis (DNP, 2007). |