Thung Salaeng Luang National Park

Thung Salaeng Luang National Park
Kaeng Sopha waterfall
Map showing the location of Thung Salaeng Luang National Park
Map showing the location of Thung Salaeng Luang National Park
Location within Thailand
LocationPhitsanulok, Phetchabun Provinces, Thailand
Coordinates16°49′40″N 100°52′12″E / 16.82778°N 100.87000°E / 16.82778; 100.87000
Area1,262 km (784 mi)[2]
Established27 May 1963[3]
Visitors52,126[4] (in 2019)
Governing bodyDepartment of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation

Thung Salaeng Luang National Park (Thai: อุทยานแห่งชาติทุ่งแสลงหลวง, RTGS: Utthayan Haeng Chat Thung Salaeng Luang) is a 1,262 square kilometres (487 sq mi) national park in Phitsanulok and Phetchabun Provinces of Thailand. It encompasses substantial portions of Wang Thong and Lom Sak Districts.[5]

Topography

The park consists of limestone hills, slate and hardpan at altitudes ranging from 300 to 1,028 metres (984 to 3,373 ft), Khao Khae is the highest point in the park.[6] Thung Salaeng Luang is inlaid with meadows, especially in the southern portions of the park. The park is the source of numerous streams. There are large salt licks at Pong Sai in the northwest and Pong Thung Phaya in the southwest. The Wang Thong River flows through the park.[7]

History

Thung Salaeng Luang was proposed for inclusion in the national parks system In 1959. Thung Salaeng Luang was declared the 3rd national park in 1963, covering an area of 1,282 square kilometres (495 sq mi). At the request of the Thai Army 20 square kilometres (7.7 sq mi) were withdrawn from the national park. That is why a "new" national park area was created in 1972. Thung Salaeng Luang was "reestablished" as a national park on 27 May 1975, covering an area of 789,000 rai ~ 1,262 square kilometres (487 sq mi).[8] From the late-1960s to the early-1980s, the park's forest was used as a base for guerrillas of the Communist Party of Thailand.[7]

Flora

The park features numerous forest types, including hill evergreen, conifer, tropical evergreen, dry evergreen, mixed deciduous and dry dipterocarp forest.
Plant species have a significant variety:
Evergreen species:[6][9][10]

Dipterocarp species:[6][9][10]

Deciduous species:[6][9][10][11]

Flowering plant species:[9][10][11][13]

Carnivorous plant species include:[10][13]

Orchids species include:[10][13]

Fauna

The number of sightings in the park are:
Mammals, include:[2]

Birds, the park has some 170 species, of which some 115 species of passerine from 37 families, represented by one species:[14][15]

Yellow-eyed babbler

and some 55 species of non-passerine from 20 families, represented by one species:[14][15]

Indochinese roller

Reptiles, include:[16]

Amphibians, include:[16]

Fishes, include:[16]

Butterflies, include:[11][13]

Places

Poi waterfall
  • Namtok Kaeng Song - a 10 metres (33 ft) high waterfall.
  • Namtok Poi - a waterfall in Khao Krayang Forest park.
  • Namtok Kaeng Sopha - a 3-tiered waterfall of the Wang Thong River.
  • Namtok Phai Si Thong - a recently discovered 9-tiered waterfall.
  • Namtok Kuhlab Daeng - a waterfall[17]
  • Lanphwai Kaeng Wang Nam Yen - a creek with hundreds of islets.
  • Tham Duan and Tham Dao - caves.
  • Tham Phra Rod-Maree - a cave.
  • Tham Phra Wang Daeng - a 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) long cave, habitat for millions of bats.
  • Tham Sai-Ngarm - a cave.
  • Thung Nang Phaya - a savanna, approximately 5 square kilometres (1.9 sq mi).
  • Thung Non Son - a grassland with pinery and forest flowers.
  • Thung Salaeng Luang - a savanna, about 10 square kilometres (3.9 sq mi).[6][13]

Climate

Sunrise at Thung Salaeng Luang N.P.

The average annual temperature is 25 °C (77 °F), although temperatures often reach 30 °C (86 °F) during late spring and early summer. The average annual rainfall is 1,700 millimetres (67 in).[7]

Malaria

Historically, malaria has been a health issue in the park.[7]

Effects of human presence

Communist insurgents as well as hill tribes and other intruders have destroyed some of the park's flora and fauna over the years.[7]

Location

See also

References and notes

  1. ^ "Thung Salaeng Luang". Protected Planet. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  2. ^ a b "ทุ่งแสลงหลวง" [Thung Salaeng Luang]. Department National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (in Thai). Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  3. ^ "พระราชกฤษฎีกา กำหนดบริเวณที่ดินป่าทุ่งแสลงหลวง ในท้องที่ตำบลวังบกแอ่น ตำบลชมพู ตำบลบ้านมุง ตำบลไทรย้อย อำเภอวังทอง ตำบลหนองกะท้าว ตำบลบ้านแยง อำเภอนครไทย จังหวัดพิษณุโลก และตำบลน้ำชุน ตำบลแคมป์สน อำเภอหล่มสัก ตำบลท่าพล อำเภอเมืองเพชรบูรณ์ ตำบลวังโป่ง อำเภอชนแดน จังหวัดเพชรบูรณ์ ใหเป็นอุทยานแห่งชาติ พ.ศ. ๒๕๑๘" [Royal Decree: Determine the forest land area Thung Salaeng Luang in the area of Wang Nok Aen Subdistrict, Champoo Subdistrict, Ban Mung Subdistrict, Sai Yoi Subdistrict, Wang Thong District, Nong Kathao Subdistrict, Ban Yaeng Subdistrict, Nakhon Thai District, Phitsanulok Province and Nam Chun Subdistrict, Kaem Son Subdistrict, Lom Sak District, Tha Phon Subdistrict, Mueang Phetchabun District, Wang Pong Subdistrict, Chon Daen District, Phetchabun Province to be a national park. B.E. 2518 (1975)] (PDF). Royal Thai Government Gazette. 92 (101): 136–139. 27 May 1975. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 27, 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  4. ^ "สถิตินักท่องเที่ยวที่เข้าไปในอุทยานแห่งชาติ ปีงบประมาณ พ.ศ.2562" [Statistics of tourists visiting National Parks fiscal year 2019]. Department of National parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (in Thai). 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2021, no.91 Thung Salaeng Luang N.P.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  5. ^ "Thung Salaeng Luang National Park". Department of National Parks (Thailand). Archived from the original on 26 March 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d e "NATIONAL PARKS in THAILAND: Thung Salaeng Luang National Park" (PDF). Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. 2015. pp. 107–108. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  7. ^ a b c d e National parks in northern Thailand
  8. ^ "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. Archived from the original on 3 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022, no 3{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  9. ^ a b c d "ทุ่งแสลงหลวง" [Thung Salaeng Luang]. Department National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (in Thai). Retrieved 28 October 2021, พืชพรรณ - flora.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  10. ^ a b c d e f "Plant names". DNP-Botany. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  11. ^ a b c Elliot, Stephan; Cubitt, Gerald (2001). THE NATIONAL PARKS and other Wild Places of THAILAND. New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd. pp. 104–109. ISBN 9781859748862.
  12. ^ The origin of the national park's name. "Thung Salaeng Luang" literally means "field of Salaeng Luang (Strychnos nux-vomica) trees".
  13. ^ a b c d e Great Savanna of Thailand (PDF). Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. 2013. pp. 33–35. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Wildlife in Thung Salaeng Luang". GibbonWoot (managing company). 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021, Thai National Parks website is NOT an official government website of the Department of National Parks. T.A.T. license 12/02497.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  15. ^ a b "Thung Salaeng Luang National Park". Avibase - The World Bird Database. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  16. ^ a b c "ทุ่งแสลงหลวง" [Thung Salaeng Luang]. Department National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (in Thai). Retrieved 28 October 2021, สัตว์ป่า - fauna.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  17. ^ "ทุ่งแสลงหลวง" [Thung Salaeng Luang]. Department National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (in Thai). Retrieved 28 October 2021, สถานที่ท่องที่ยว - tourist attractions.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  18. ^ "ส่วนอุทยานแห่งชาติ, 10 อุทยาน" [National parks section, 10 parks]. Office of Conservation Area 11 (Phitsanulok) (in Thai). 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.