Traveling to Natural World Heritage Sites: Dong Phayayen – Khao Yai Forest Complex
Dong Phayayen – Khao Yai Forest Complex, the 184th natural world heritage site in the world, consists of five nature conservation areas, namely Khao Yai National Park, Pang Sida National Park, Thap Lan National Park, Ta Phraya National Park, and Dong Yai Wildlife Sanctuary; the total area is approximately 3,845,100 rai (6,154 square kilometers). Dong Phayayen – Khao Yai Forest Complex was declared a World Heritage Site under the name “Dong Phaya Yen – Khao Yai Forest Group Area” on 14 July 2005, in Durban, Republic of South Africa, when it was listed as a natural world heritage area. With its distinctive features, it is a habitat for rare and endangered species of animals and plants; they are still able to survive here, thanks to the ecosystem that is the source of the abundance of plants and animals of interest around the world.
In terms of biodiversity, the forest group plays an important role in conservation, especially since it is a diverse ecosystem reserve, ranging from humid rainforests, hill evergreen forests, and dry evergreen forests to mixed forest and dry dipterocarp forests. There are also grasslands scattered everywhere, including forests on limestone hills and the forest along the creek. It is an excellent habitat for many plant and animal species. A survey found that in the Dong Phayayen – Khao Yai area, there were at least 2,500 animal species, such as pig-tailed macaques, stump-tailed macaques or red-bottomed monkeys, crowned gibbons, large hedgehogs, jackals, buffalo bears, clouded leopards, gaurs, chamois, pale-capped pigeons, Siamese fireback pheasants, peacocks, and finfoot birds.
There is a long, high cliff connected to the west of the forest area, and it has many other outstanding landscapes. In terms of recreation, there is a creek and stream, and there are many waterfalls scattered around the area. They attract millions of visitors each year. Participating in recreational activities to gain knowledge and having the opportunity to truly experience nature are valuable experiences that tourists receive from visiting this forest.
In addition, the Dong Phayayen – Khao Yai Forest Complex is one of the most complete natural resources in the country. Tourists can see important, rare, or endangered wildlife species, such as wild elephants, tigers, gaurs, banteng, white-handed gibbons, crowned gibbons, reeds, great hornbills, and freshwater crocodiles. Many people think that these animals have become extinct in Thailand. In addition, it is also a place where crowned gibbons and white-handed gibbons live together; there are only a few places in the world where that can be seen.
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