Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary
The Wildlife Sanctuary Umphang ( Thai : เขต รักษา พันธุ์ สัตว์ ป่า อุ้มผาง ) is a wildlife sanctuary in the district ( Amphoe ) Umphang ( อำเภอ อุ้มผาง ) of Tak Province ( ตาก ). The Tak Province is located in the northern region of Thailand .
location
Umphang is about 160 kilometers south of the city of Mae Sot on the border between Thailand and Burma . If you travel via this road, you get to know one of the most scenic areas of Thailand. It leads over around 1,100 curves, some of which are quite steep, into the wild mountain landscape of the south of the Tak province. The nature reserve is to the west of the village, in the direction of Burma.
For some areas of the nature reserve, a special permit from the police station in Umphang is required. This is for your own safety and should also contribute to ecologically clean tourism .
topography
The area of the Umphang wildlife reserve is characterized by steep mountain slopes, on which evergreen forests, mixed forests and wing fruit plants (Dipterocarp) predominate.
Umphang is around 700 meters above sea level and is surrounded by mountain ranges that rise up to 2000 meters.
fauna and Flora
Thanks to the long-term protected location, there is a great variety of flora and fauna here. One of the few intact jungle areas in Thailand can be found here.
In addition to the hornbill ( Aceros nepalensis ), one can also observe the large species of duck Cairina scutulala . From March you can admire numerous blooming orchid species .
Attractions
In the nature reserve is the highest waterfall in Thailand at almost 200 meters , the Namtok Thi Lo Su ( น้ำตก ที ล mit ซู ). The width of the fall is around 40 to 170 meters, depending on the season. It is embedded in an original jungle landscape.
For tourists rafting on the Mae Klong (Mae Klong River) popular.
Umphang itself does not offer any sights worth mentioning, but you can go on trekking tours and elephant tours from here .
climate
Because of the high altitude, it is cooler here than most of the rest of Thailand. In the cool season it can cool down to 5 ° C at night.
history
For a long time, the area was a restricted military area due to its border location with Burma. Numerous drug traffickers and communist militants who were able to take advantage of the extremely inaccessible location of the mountainous landscape lived and worked here until the 1980s . Today Umphang is predominantly inhabited by Karen .
The restricted area was not lifted until 1987, and the area around Umphang was finally declared a wildlife reserve in 1989 with the help of UNESCO .
Web links
- เขต รักษา พันธุ์ สัตว์ ป่า อุ้มผาง - Umphang nature reserve by the Thai Department of National Parks, description in Thai [last accessed on July 6, 2011]
- Map of the nature reserve and the surrounding area in English [last accessed on 6 July 2011]
Individual evidence
Coordinates: 15 ° 57 ′ 15.5 ″ N , 98 ° 47 ′ 9.8 ″ E