Thailand's national parks to receive $14 million upgrade this year
STAFF WRITER


Featured image is of Mu Ko Similan National Marine Park and is by yutphuket (Creative Commons)

BANGKOK: -- Thailand’s national parks – clocking in at 127 at the last count – are arguably the jewel in the Kingdom’s crown, attracting tourists, locals and explorers of every sensibility for their lush landscapes and abundance of exotic flora and fauna.

฿500 million (US$14.2 million) has been allocated by the Department for National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation to upgrade 50 of the most popular national parks by the end of the year, reports the Bangkok Post.

Upgrades would focus on visitor services, namely restaurants, toilets and accommodation, which would enable Thailand’s parks to compete on a global level with other natural attractions and improve their accessibility.

“We will improve the recreation zone in the parks to welcome tourists, responding to the government’s policy,” said Thanya Nethithammakul, director general of the department, referencing the government’s 5 year plan to improve the nation’s national parks.

Also on the agenda for improvement are landscaping and waste management – another ฿500 million (US$14.2 million) project, expected to get underway this year too.

These investment upgrades are possible thanks to an initiative over the past year to streamline and legitimise the collection of entrance fees at the parks;

Full story: http://whatsonsukhumvit.com/thailands-national-parks-to-receive-14-million-upgrade-this-year/

-- (c) What's on Sukhumvit 2016-04-07

Spend it on trash cans and enforcing littering laws, and you will see a vast improvement.

I guess Thailand plans to use the some of the funds that they will generate from charging foreigners 10 times the Thai entrance fees. Who knows, maybe they can afford to hire someone to pick up all the trash that the Thai visitors throw all over the ground in the parks. One day the parks may even be clean and enjoyable to visit.

That is a lot of palm trees...

Edited April 7, 201610 yr by CantSpell

The National park administrators will be looking forward to receiving that budget... New benz on order...

So what does that work out at... 10 million to admin, 4 million to infrastructure of which 3 million gets creamed off by the subbies... TIT you gotta love it......

Spend it on equipping rangers to arrest poachers and destroy snares.

my first thought is how much of that will actually reach the parks

my second is, given that those running the parks, at least at the top, are completely clueless, what chance is there of it doing any good even if the money gets to where it's supposed to?

I guess Thailand plans to use the some of the funds that they will generate from charging foreigners 10 times the Thai entrance fees. Who knows, maybe they can afford to hire someone to pick up all the trash that the Thai visitors throw all over the ground in the parks. One day the parks may even be clean and enjoyable to visit.

I have been to about 20 National Parks in Thailand, the only time I have ever seen a litter issue was at Songkran time in Erawan, and even then the litter was all piled around the many bins which were already filled, the rest of the time they have all been immaculate. The beach parks down the East coast are the cleanest beaches in the area by a long way. I guess either we have been to different parks or you haven't actually been to any at all!

Oh blx! That means we'll be paying 20X the price of locals instead of the usual 10.

Long over due. Facility's in alot of the parks are poor. For example if you camp, toilets and showers are generally run down and in need of refurbishing.

Long over due. Facility's in alot of the parks are poor. For example if you camp, toilets and showers are generally run down and in need of refurbishing.

except that all that is largely "face" what is really needed is a proper scientific review of how the public interacts with the National parks....as the parks are run by people who know apparently know diddly it is up to their subordinates to see the money (what's left of it) goes to good use

Lots of ways the Parks could benefit from some spending. most of them involve reducing the human impact. poaching, exploitation of forest products, encroachment, fragmentation of protected areas by through roads, all of these issues need tackling. Shame if the money all goes on landscaping and toilets! even more of a shame if much of it is stolen.

Spend it on trash cans and enforcing littering laws, and you will see a vast improvement.

FULLY Fuunctioning toilets , not the squat type with tissue and a decent septic system with traps on the urinals would be back to the future.

Spend it on trash cans and enforcing littering laws, and you will see a vast improvement.

FULLY Fuunctioning toilets , not the squat type with tissue and a decent septic system with traps on the urinals would be back to the future.

actually any national park worth it's salt should have composting toilets.

The way that waste is generated and then dealt with is of great importance in any natural/conservation area.

Lots of ways the Parks could benefit from some spending. most of them involve reducing the human impact. poaching, exploitation of forest products, encroachment, fragmentation of protected areas by through roads, all of these issues need tackling. Shame if the money all goes on landscaping and toilets! even more of a shame if much of it is stolen.

absolutely...these "proposals" just underline how incompetent the management is....