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Khao Yai National Park Facts

Khao Yai National Park Facts
Khao Yai National Park is a 2,168 square kilometer park located in Thailand's western Sankamphaeng Mountain Range. For several years, from 1922 until 1932, the region had been used as a refuge by fugitives. This resulted in the government relocating villagers in Tambon Khao Yai and cancelling the region's status as a tambon (local government). In 1959 the government made it possible for national parks to be created. Khao Yai National Park became the first national park in Thailand, established in 1962 by royal proclamation. It is the third largest national park in Thailand.
Interesting Khao Yai National Park Facts:
Khao Yai National Park was named after the previous tambon - Khao Yai Tambon.
Khao Yai National Park was declared an ASEAN Heritage Park in 1984. ASEAN stands for Association for Southeast Asian Nations Heritage Parks.
Khao Yai National Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. Together with other parks in Thailand in the same region they are called the Dong Phaya en-Khao Yai Forest Complex.
Despite the protection that being designated a national park involves, there is still illegal logging and development occurring in the area.
The four river drainage systems located in Khao Yai National Park include the Sai Yai, Khao Yai, Nakhon Nayok, and the Saraburi.
Wildlife that can be found living in Khao Yai National Park include wild elephants, Asiatic elephants, Sambar deer, black water monitors, Malayan porcupines, black giant squirrels, moustached barbets, green-eared barbets, Indian muntjacs, great hornbills, chestnut-headed bee-eaters, northern pig-tailed macaques, red-headed trogons, green-legged partridges, Siamese firebacks, Asian fairy bluebirds, guars, otters, bears, leopard cats, marbled cats, clouded leopards, golden cats, and Vogel's pit vipers. A tiger has not been seen in the park in over 10 years.
Reptiles commonly found in Khao Yai National Park include crested lizards, reticulated pythons, Ahaetulla prasinas, Chinese rattlesnakes, and Chinese water dragons.
There are more than 50kms of trails for hikers to enjoy in Khao Yai National Park, but guides are encouraged for those with no mapping experience.
Activities that tourists in Khao Yai National Park can enjoy include camping, staying in cabins, kayaking, rafting, hiking, wildlife watching at night, bird watching, and site-seeing.
Visitors to Khao Yai National Park can take a four day long hike to see a dinosaur footprint - called the Klong Pa Kang-Wang Haew-Dinosaur Footprint.
The largest waterfall in Khao Yai is Hero Narok Waterfall, at 150 meters in height. Other waterfalls include Heo Suwat Waterfalls, Heo Sai Waterfalls, and Heo Prathun Waterfalls.
Rainy season in Khao Yai National Park is from May to October each year. The cold season, with average daytime temperatures of 22 degrees Celsius, runs from November to February. The hot season, with average daytime temperatures of 20-30 degrees Celsius, runs from March to April.
There were 828,525 visitors to Khao Yai National Park in 2014.
Khao Yai National Park is made up of forests, mixed forests, rainforests, grasslands, mountains, and wide plains.
There are roughly 2000 different plant species found in Khao Yai National Park, and approximately 70% of the park is covered in tropical moist evergreen forest.


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