Thung Salaeng Luang National Park
Thung Salaeng Luang National Park | |
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Location | Phitsanulok and Phetchabun Provinces, Thailand |
Coordinates | 16°49′40″N 100°52′12″E / 16.82778°N 100.87000°E |
Area | 1,262 km2 (487 sq mi) |
Established | 1963 (1972) (1975) |
Visitors | 147,997[1] (in 2015) |
Governing body | Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation |
Phitsanulok Wildlife |
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Endangered |
Vulnerable |
Near threatened |
National Parks |
Thung Salaeng Luang National Park (Thai: อุทยานแห่งชาติทุ่งแสลงหลวง;RTGS: Utthayan Haeng Chat Thung Salaeng Luang ) is a 1,262 km2 (487 sq mi) national park in Phitsanulok and Phetchabun Provinces of Thailand. It encompasses substantial portions of Wang Thong and Lom Sak Districts.[1]
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.[2] 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.[3]
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 1,281.6 km2 (494.8 sq mi). At the request of the Thai Army 19.2 km2 (7.4 sq mi) were withdrawn from the national park.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 1,262.4 km2 (487.4 sq mi).[4] 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.[3]
Flora
Deciduous dipterocarp and mixed evergreen-deciduous forest with lowland shrub, such as Mussaenda parva and broadleaved evergreen, such as Livistona palm and Mountain date palm.
[5]: 106 Plants include Barleria strigosa, Christmas berry and Pseuderanthemum andersonii.[5]: 108
Flowers at Thung Non Son are: dok ngon nak (Murdannia giganteu), dusida flower, kradum ngoen and uang nuan chan orchid.[6]: 106–107
Fauna
The number of sightings in the park are:
Three species of mammals, include:[7]
One species of turtles in the park:[7]
Ten species of lizards, include:[7]
Fifteen species of reptiles, include:[7]
Four species of amphibians, include:[7]
This park is famous for its butterflies, such as Common archduke.[5]: 104
The park has 113 species of birds, of which 78 species of passerines include:[7]
- Ashy woodswallow
- Asian fairy-bluebird
- Bar-winged flycatcher-shrike
- Black-naped oriole
- Blyth's paradise flycatcher
- Buff-breasted babbler
- Common green magpie
- Common myna
- Crimson sunbird
- Golden-fronted leafbird
- Great iora
- Grey-headed canary-flycatcher
- Hair-crested drongo
- Japanese white-eye
- Large scimitar babbler
- Olive-backed pipit
- Red-rumped swallow
- Scarlet-backed flowerpecker
- Silver-breasted broadbill
- Sooty-headed bulbul
- Sultan tit
- Two-barred warbler
- White-bellied erpornis
- White-crested laughingthrush
- White-rumped shama
- Yellow-bellied warbler
- Zitting cisticola
35 species of non-passerines, include:[7]
Places
- 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.
- 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 km2 (1.9 sq mi).
- Thung Non Son - a grassland with pinery and forest flowers.
- Thung Salaeng Luang - a savanna, about 10 km2 (3.9 sq mi).[5]: 104–107
Climate
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).[3]
Malaria
Historically, malaria has been a health issue in the park.[3]
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.[3]
Facilities
There are seven bungalows at the park's headquarters and five bungalows at Nong Mae Na office, also four campsites but no concessions in the park.[3]
References
- ^ a b "Thung Salaeng Luang National Park". Department of National Parks (Thailand). Archived from the original on 26 March 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
- ^ National Parks in Thailand (PDF). Department of National Parks (Thailand). 2015. p. 107. ISBN 978-616-316-240-3. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f National parks in northern Thailand
- ^ "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. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ a b c d Elliot, Stephan; Cubitt, Gerald (2001). THE NATIONAL PARKS and other Wild Places of THAILAND. New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd. ISBN 9781859748862.
- ^ a b Amazing Phitsanulok (PHITSANULOK GUIDEBOOK). Phitsanulok Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO). 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Thung Salaeng Luang National Park". Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- ^ Phitsanulok. Provincial Development Stategy Group Phitsanulok. 2005. pp. 69–82. ISBN 974-458-068-2.