Kaeng Krachan National Park
| Kaeng Krachan National Park | |
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IUCN category II (national park)
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 Map of Thailand
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| Location | Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan Provinces, Thailand |
| Nearest city | Phetchaburi |
| Coordinates | 12°45′0″N 99°36′0″E / 12.75000°N 99.60000°ECoordinates: 12°45′0″N 99°36′0″E / 12.75000°N 99.60000°E |
| Area | 2,914.7 km2 (1.8 million rai). |
| Established | 12 Jun 1981 |
Kaeng Krachan (Thai: แก่งกระจาน) is the largest national park of Thailand. It is on the border with Burma, contiguous with the Tanintharyi Nature Reserve. It is a popular park owing to its proximity to the tourist town of Hua Hin.
The park covers parts of the districts Nong Ya Plong, Kaeng Krachan, and Tha Yang of Phetchaburi Province, and of Hua Hin of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. It consists mainly of rain forest on the eastern slope of the Tenasserim Mountain Range. The highest elevation in the park is 1,513 meters, in a "joint area of Thailand and Myanmar". The second highest mountain peak is Kao Panern Toong with an elevation of 1,207 m. Two main rivers originate within the park area, the Pranburi River and the Phetchaburi River. The Phetchaburi is blocked by the Kaeng Krachan Dam at the eastern border of the park. The dam creates a lake covering an area of 46.5 km2. The dam was built in 1966.
The park was created on 12 June 1981 as the 28th national park of Thailand. Originally covering an area of 2,478 km2, it was enlarged in December 1984 to include the boundary area between Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan Provinces.
The park has been included in the list of ASEAN Heritage Parks. Since 2011, Thailand has been trying to get Unesco to designate Kaeng Krachan Natural Park as a world heritage site. Myanmar claims that about one-third of the land included in Thailand's claim—almost 1,000 km2—is part of Myanmar's Tanintharyi Region and has opposed Thailand's effort.
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