Mu Ko Chang National Park

Mu Ko Chang National Park ; อุทยานแห่งชาติ หมู่ เกาะ ช้าง
	Koh Chang: View of the Ao Salak Phet Bay
Location:	Trat , Thailand
Next city:	Ko Chang
Surface:	651 km²
Founding:	December 31, 1982
	Map of the Gulf of Thailand
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The Mu Ko Chang National Park (in Thai : อุทยานแห่งชาติ หมู่ เกาะ ช้าง ) is a marine national park in the Gulf of Thailand in the far east of central Thailand . The park was declared a national park on December 31, 1982.

Location and topography

The park is located on the edge of the Sunda Plateau ( see: Sunda Trench ), it consists of a chain of more than 50 larger and smaller islands, about 8 km south of the coast of the Trat province . The park has an area of 651 km², of which only 192 km², i.e. about 30 percent of land.

The area is quite rainy, the average rainfall per year is 3200 mm. August is the wettest month with 690 mm, and December is the driest month with no precipitation. The hottest month of the year is April, with an average temperature of almost 34 ° C, the coolest months are December and January with an average temperature of 22 ° C.

The underwater view is generally good, but the water is increasingly cloudy in some places due to the intensive gemstone mining on the coast.

Flora and fauna

Ko Chang is the only national park in which an extraordinarily species-rich type of evergreen rainforest can be found, which is characteristic of southeast Thailand and southern Indochina . Therefore, the Royal Forestry Department is endeavoring to establish another park in the province of Trat on the Thai-Cambodian border, which has a similar forest type. However, this forest on the Cambodian side is threatened by deforestation by Thai traders.

The waters of the park show a great variety of hard corals as well as an abundance of colorful soft corals , gorgonians and killer clams (Tridacna gigas) . The abundance of fish is not as great as z. B. in the Andaman Sea or in the western Gulf of Thailand .

Due to the fact that around four generations ago many islands were settled by Thai-Chinese who practiced extensive agriculture, only a few wild animals can be observed today. However, wild bears are said to have been sighted on Ko Chang.

During an investigation in 1994 it was found that two species of sea turtles, the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and probably also the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) lay eggs on certain islands, but official data are not (yet) available (see web links).

In the park the following rare bird species to have been observed: Frühlingspapageichen ( Loriculus vernalis ) , Rotkopftrogon ( Harpactes erythrocephalus ) , the Malabarhornvogel ( Anthracoceros coronatus ) and the furrows hornbill ( Aceros undulatus ) , the Brown-throated Sunbird ( Anthreptes malacensis ) and two types of bulbul ( Hairbirds).

Main islands

The main island, after which the national park is named, Ko Chang ( เกาะ ช้าง ), is the third largest island in Thailand after Phuket and Koh Samui . It is 30 km long and 8 km wide. The residents traditionally lived from fishing or growing coconut palms and various fruits. Especially on the west coast there are long, fine sandy beaches, while the interior is mountainous. A mountain range with several peaks runs parallel to the coast along the island. The highest point is the Khao Yai with 743 m . Around 70 percent of the island was still covered with rainforest in 1990, which was largely safe from deforestation due to the steep terrain. There are several rivers here that are very clear due to the frequent rain and always carry water. The island's main rivers are Khlong Son, Khlong Mayom, Khlong Khangkhao, Khlong Bang Bao, Khlong Phrao, Khlong Nonsi, and Khlong Chaiyachet. Due to the high mountains and the many bodies of water there are also numerous waterfalls, e.g. B. Than Mayom, Khlong Phlu, Khlong Nonsi, Khiri Phet and Khlong Nung falls.

Ko Chang Noi ( เกาะ ช้างน้อย ) is located at the northwest tip of the park. The island consists mainly of rock, some coral reefs are at Laem Chang Noi (Chang Noi Cape).
Ko Lao Ya (also Ko Laoya - เกาะ เหลา ยา ), about two hours away by boat from Laem Ngop on the mainland, has several tourist resorts on beautiful sandy beaches with clear water. There are also some coral reefs.
Ko Wai ( เกาะ หวาย ), located just south of Ko Lao Ya, can be reached by the same ferry. The coast does not have large beaches, but mainly rocky shores. The main attraction is the large coral reef not far from the shore, which is said to have the most beautiful and largest corals in the area.
Ko Rang (also Ko Rung, actually Ko Rang Yai, หมู่ เกาะ รัง - หมู่ เกาะ รัง ใหญ่ ) is about 18 km south of the main island of the park. There are no hotels or bungalows here, but camping is possible. Edible swallow nests are collected annually in caves on the island.
Ko Khlum (Ko Kloom, Koh Kloom - เกาะ คลุ้ม )

Smaller islands

Ko Ma Pring ( เกาะ มะปริง ) - on the northwestern tip of Ko Chang
Ko Yuak ( เกาะ หยวก ) - just west of Ko Chang
Ko Salak Khok ( เกาะ สลัก คอก ) - just east of Ko Chang
Ko Ngam ( เกาะ งาม ) - in front of the southeast corner of Ko Chang
Ko Phrao Nai - in Ao Hat Chang Bay, southern tip of Ko Chang
Ko Mai Si Yai ( เกาะ ไม้ ซี้ ใหญ่ ) - southeast of Ko Chang
Ko Mai Si Lek ( เกาะ ไม้ ซี้ เล็ก ) - southeast of Ko Chang
Ko Bai Tang ( เกาะ ใบ ตัง ) - southeast of Ko Chang

Just outside the park

Strictly speaking, the following islands no longer belong to the park:

Ko Mak (also Ko Mark or Koh Maak, เกาะ หมาก ) is the next larger island south of Ko Chang. It is mainly made up of coconut tree groves. However, more and more land is being made available for resorts because of its convenient location - the most beautiful part of Ko Chang is in the north, and Ko Khut with the most beautiful beaches in the park is in the south. Ko Mak has a beach in the northwest and some corals.
Ko Kham ( เกาะ ขาม ) - northwest of Ko Maak
Ko Kra Dad (also Ko Kradad, เกาะ กระดาด ) is mostly flat and uninteresting. It is only visited for the beaches. Coral reefs lie around the island, which is why it can hardly be reached at low tide.
Ko Nok Nork ( เกาะ นก นอก ) - just north of Ko Kra Dad
Ko Nok Nai ( เกาะ นก ใน ) - just north of Ko Kra Dad
Ko Kut (Koh Kood - เกาะ กูด )
Ko Raet ( เกาะ แรด ) - just west of Ko Kut

literature

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

Web links

To the national park:

Mu Ko Chang National Park by the Thai Department of National Parks - description in English [last accessed October 15, 2013]

To sea turtles:

Nesting Populations of Sea Turtles in Thailand ( Marine Turtle Newsletter 68: 8-13, 1995 )