KKFC World Heritage Application

The initial presentation by IUCN and the World Heritage Committee deliberation can be seen in the following video starting at "1.51"

REFERRED. The case has been referred to the next meeting in February 2021, with additional details to be supplied by Thailand.

This should not be seen as a failure, simply a procedural realignment to allow the case to be approved in the next session when Thailand submits additional details.

"The chief of Kaeng Krachan National Park has vowed to resolve a conflict between ethnic Karen locals and authorities after it scuppered the park’s bid for Unesco world heritage status.

“The World Heritage Committee cited concerns of the local community as a caution against granting world-heritage status to the Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex [KKFC],” park chief Mana Permpoon said on Monday, “We will address the concerns using the law and discussion.” ................."

The whole article with more information can be read at ....


Source: www.nationthailand.com/news/30373001

The Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex (which includes KKNP) has finally been inscribed as a World Heritage Site. The third natural site in Thailand to achieve this exalted status.

The road to a successful listing has been marred by enchroachment issues, human rights issues, political issues in Thailand and within the World Heritage Committee itself. Many times the importance of the bio-reserve and its bio-diversity has been forgotten by many of the actors in this whole process. Today that is all put to rest and the animals and landscape have been victorious.

We must hope that the increased funding and responsibilities that this will bring will allow the area to be fully conserved for future generations. 

Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex (KKFC) comprises 4 Protected Areas: Kaeng Krachan NP,  Kuiburi NP, Thai Prachan NP and Mae Mam Phachi WS.

" Thailand, Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex (KKFC)

The site is located along the Thailand side of the Tenasserim mountain range, part of a north-south granite and limestone mountain ridge running down the Malay Peninsula. Located at the cross-roads between the Himalayan, Indochina, and Sumatran faunal and floral realms, the property is home to rich biodiversity. It is dominated by semi-evergreen/dry evergreen and moist evergreen forest with some mixed deciduous forest, montane forest, and deciduous dipterocarp forest. A number of endemic and globally endangered plant species have been reported in the property, which overlaps with two Important Bird Areas (IBAs) and is noted for its rich diversity of birdlife, including eight globally threatened species. The property is home to the critically endangered Siamese Crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis), the endangered Asiatic Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus), Banteng (Bos javanicus), Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), Yellow/Elongated Tortoise (Indotestudo elongata), and the endangered Asian Giant Tortoise (Manouria emys), as well as several other vulnerable species of birds and mammals. Remarkably, it is also home to eight cat species: the endangered tiger (Panthera tigris) and Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus), near-threatened Leopard (Panthera pardus) and Asian Golden Cat (Catopuma temminckii), the vulnerable Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosi) and Marbled Cat (Pardofelis marmorata), as well as Jungle Cat (Felis chaus) and Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis)."