Phu Phan National Park

Phu Phan National Park
ภูพานอุทยานแห่งชาติ
IUCN category II (national park)
Park location in Thailand
Location	Sakon Nakhon and Kalasin provinces, Thailand
Nearest city	Sakon Nakhon
Coordinates
Area	664 km2 (256 sq mi)
Established	October 1982
Governing body	Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation

Phu Phan National Park (Thai: ภูพานอุทยานแห่งชาติ) is a national park in Sakon Nakhon and Kalasin provinces, Thailand. This isolated park covers a wide jungle area in the Phu Phan Mountains of Isan.

Geography

Phu Phan National Park is located 25 kilometres (16 mi) south west of Sakon Nakhon town and about 25 kilometres (16 mi) north of Kalasin. The park's area is 664 square kilometres (256 sq mi).

History

In the past, the isolation of the park's location led to its use for cover by some military groups. During World War II, the Seri Thai resistance fighters used the Tham Seri Thai cave for weapons storage. And in the 1970s the People's Liberation Army of Thailand (PLAT) used the area as a hideout.

Attractions

Viewpoints in the park include the west-facing Nang Mern Cliff and the Lan Sao Aee plateau.

The park has numerous waterfalls, including the multi-stage Kam Hom Waterfall, also Kreng Ka-arm and Pree-cha Suk-san waterfalls.

Some of the park's unusual rock formations include the grilled-snake-shaped Khong Ping Ngu and the 8 metres (26 ft) long Tang Pee Parn natural stone bridge.

File:Phu phek-frontansicht.jpg

Phra That Phu Pek

The park also contains the ruins of a Khmer temple, Phra That Phu Pek, accessed by ascending around 500 steps.

Flora and fauna

The park's forest is tropical evergreen forest; the largest component is dry dipterocarp forest. Other forest tree types here are dry evergreen and mixed deciduous.

Animal species include barking deer, monitor lizards and slow loris. Monkeys and elephants are also found in the park.