Doi Suthep-Pui National Park

Doi Suthep-Pui National Park ; อุทยานแห่งชาติ ดอย สุ เทพ - ปุย
	View of the mountains of Doi Suthep-Doi Pui National Park
Location:	Chiang Mai , Thailand
Next city:	Chiang Mai
Surface:	261.06 km²
Founding:	April 14, 1981
	i3 i6

The Doi Suthep-Pui National Park ( Thai : อุทยานแห่งชาติ ดอย สุ เทพ - ปุย ) is a National Park in Chiang Mai province in northern Thailand .

history

Doi Suthep-Pui was previously called Doi Oi Chang and was later renamed after a hermit who lived there . The Royal Forest Department decided in 1973 that the Doi Suthep area should be designated as a national park, but only the healthy forests should be included in the national park and the inhabited areas should be left out.

In 1981 the Doi Suthep-Pui National Park was established as the country's 24th national park with an area of 161.06 square kilometers, and the following year another 100 square kilometers were added.

Location and topography

location

Doi Suthep-Pui National Park is located in the Doi Suthep (1676 meters high), Doi Pui (1685 meters high) and Doi Buakha mountains, about 15 kilometers west of Chiang Mai in the districts ( Amphoe ) Mae Rim , Mae Taeng , Hang Dong Chiang Mai Province . The total area of the park is 261.06 square kilometers .

topography

The national park is located in the southeastern foothills of the Himalayas . The three highest peaks are Doi Suthep, Doi Buakha and Doi Pui, with this being the highest point in the national park at 1685 meters.

climate

Because of the altitude of the national park, the climate is pleasantly cool, even in the hot season between February and May. Then the temperatures can drop to 6 ° C. The annual average temperature is 16 ° C.

fauna and Flora

Plant species

Deciduous forests spread out below the 1000 meter altitude , above which there is evergreen forest . In the driest areas thrive Dipterocarpus woods are and rivers thrives mixed forest . Typical species belong to the beech family and magnolia family .

Animal species

On smaller mammals , for example, the muntjac , the spotted musang and a wild boar , as well as several types of squirrels , porcupines and monkeys can be found.
Among the amphibians , the mandarin salamander ( Tylototriton shanjing ), which only lives in three other places in the country, is particularly mentioned.
More than 300 species of birds can be found here:
- Inhabitants of the evergreen rainforest : White-headed timalia ( Gampsorhynchus rufulus ), red-billed saber ( Pomatorhinus ochraceiceps ), dama thrush ( Zoothera citrina ) and rust-bellied pitta ( Pitta oatesi ).
- Other rare inhabitants of the rainforest include the purple snapper thrush ( Cochoa purpurea ), wedge-tailed green pigeon ( Treron sphenurus ), white-bellied terrestrial thrush ( Pellorneum albiventre ).
- Winter visitors are for example: blackbird ( Turdus boulboul ), spruce flycatcher ( Ficedula hodgsonii ), browcatcher ( Ficedula superciliaris ), golden- winged warbler ( Phylloscopus proregulus ) and tristram bunting ( Emberiza tristrami ).

Attractions

The most important sight is the famous temple Wat Phra That Doi Suthep on Doi Suthep mountain .

The Phu Phing Palace (Thai: ตำหนัก ภู พิงค์ ราช นิเวศน์ ) on Doi Buakha is a winter residence of the royal family.

The Khru Ba Si Wichai Monument (Thai: อนุสาวรีย์ ครูบา ศรี วิชัย ) is located near the Huai Kaeo Waterfall. It commemorates the Buddhist monk Khru Ba Si Wichai, under whose direction volunteers built the first road to Wat Doi Suthep in 1934.

Mae Sa waterfall

There are also numerous natural beauties:

Mae Sa Waterfall ( น้ำตก แม่ สา - Namtok Mae Sa )
Huai Kaeo waterfall (also written Huay Kaew , น้ำตก ห้วย แก้ว - Namtok Huay Kaeo )
Monthathan Waterfall ( น้ำตก มณฑา ธาร - Namtok Monthathan )
Mok Fa waterfall ( น้ำตก หมอก ฟ้า - Namtok Mok Fa )

literature

Denis Gray (inter alia): National Parks of Thailand . Communications Resources Ltd., Bangkok 1991, ISBN 974-88670-9-9
Vasa Sutthipibul (et al., Ed.): National parks in Thailand . National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Bangkok 2006, ISBN 974-286087-4

Web links

Doi Suthep-Pui National Park from the Thai Department of National Parks - description in English [last accessed on October 15, 2013]