Doi Phu Kha National Park

Doi Phu Kha National Park
อุทยานแห่งชาติดอยภูคา
Map showing the location of Doi Phu Kha National Park
Map showing the location of Doi Phu Kha National Park
Location within Thailand
LocationNan Province, Thailand
Nearest cityNan
Coordinates19°12′2″N 101°4′5″E / 19.20056°N 101.06806°E / 19.20056; 101.06806
Area1,704 km2 (658 sq mi)
EstablishedJune 17, 1999
Visitors63,102 (in 2019)
Governing bodyDepartment of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation

Doi Phu Kha National Park (Thai: อุทยานแห่งชาติดอยภูคา) covers parts of 8 districts in the Luang Prabang Range, Nan Province, Northern Thailand and has rich natural resources. It is Northern Thailand's largest National park and rivers such as Nan River and Pua River, have their sources within the area of the range under the protection of the park limits. Khun Nan National Park is located north of the park area.

1,980 m high Doi Phu Kha, located within the parks perimeter, gives its name to the park. There are many caves in the park area. The park is named after chomphu phu kha (Thai: ชมพูภูคา Bretschneidera sinensis), a tree with attractive pink flower bunches, which together with Caryota gigas and Acer wilsonii, are rare species of plant which in Thailand can be found only in this park. There are natural rock formations on 1,837 m high Doi Phu Wae peak. The ascent takes 3 days and 2 nights. The scenery of the sea of mist and the mountain range is the reward for the trekkers who can reach Phu Wae peak.[1]

The park was established on June 17, 1999[2] with an area of 1,065,000 rai ~ 1,704 square kilometres (658 sq mi).[3] Doi Phu Kha National Park is part of the Luang Prabang montane rain forests ecoregion.[4]

King Bhumibol Adulyadej has blamed the destruction of Thailand's forested areas on the greed of some state officials. This is evident in large zones of Doi Phu Kha National Park that were formerly covered with virgin forest and that have been deforested even while having national park status.[5]

A panoramic image of the mountains on the south-side of the park

Location

See also

References

  1. ^ Doi Phu Kha National Park
  2. ^ "Royal Decree specifying the area as a National Park in 1999" (PDF). Royal Gazette (in Thai). 116 (48 ก): 5. 1999-06-17. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 4, 2012.
  3. ^ "ข้อมูลพื้นที่อุทยานแห่งชาติ ที่ประกาศในราชกิจจานุบกษา 133 แห่ง" [National Park Area Information published in the 133 Government Gazettes]. Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (in Thai). December 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2022, no 94{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  4. ^ "Luang Prabang montane rain forests - Globalspecies". Archived from the original on 2017-03-17. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  5. ^ King says greed a factor in floods - Govt urged to find ways to prevent deforestation
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