Phu Wiang National Park

Last updated
Phu Wiang National Park
อุทยานแห่งชาติภูเวียง
PWNP Dinosaur Site 3.JPG
PWNP Dinosaur Site 3
Thailand adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Thailand
Location Thailand
Nearest city Khon Kaen
Coordinates 16°40′42″N102°21′13″E / 16.67833°N 102.35361°E / 16.67833; 102.35361
Area325 km2 (125 sq mi)
Established1965
Visitors6,150(in 2019)
Governing body Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation

Phu Wiang National Park (PWNP) is in Khon Kaen Province, northeastern Thailand, covering the area of the Phu Wiang Mountains. [1] It is best known for its numerous dinosaur bone paleontological sites, [2] The park is one of the world's largest dinosaur graveyards. [3] In 1996, the remains of Siamotyrannus isanensis , a new family of carnivorous thunder lizards, were unearthed in the park.

Contents

The Phu Wiang Dinosaur Museum in the park displays many of the park's finds. The park, measuring 203,125 rai ~ 325 square kilometres (125 sq mi) in size, is approximately 85 kilometres (53 mi) [4] northwest of Khon Kaen. The area is characterized by a central plain and the low hills of the western Phu Phan Mountains. [3]

Topography

The general topography of the area is a mountain range, shaped as a hollow circle. In the center is a basin. It consists of mountains with moderate slopes to steep slopes. The outermost mountain range has a maximum peak of 844 meters above sea level. The highest peak of the mountain southwest of the area is 470 meters above sea level. The north of the inner mountain area is a source of dinosaur fossils. The lowest level of the foothills is 210 meters above sea level.

Phu Wiang National Park is located on the Khorat plateau. This is caused by the accumulation of sediments on the land that is more than 4,000 meters thick. The sedimentary layer is almost completely red is called the red sediment, or the Khorat stone, consisting of stone units, Khao Phra Wihan, stone pillars, Phu Phan stone and Khok gravel. The rocks were covered with sludge and quaternary clay. In the present day, there is also a survey of the uranium line in the area as well. Phu Wiang National Park is the upstream source of Huai Sai Khao, which flows into Nam Phong Huai Bang, leaving Huai Nam Lai, which will flow into Chern Huai Ruea, Huai Khum Poon, Huai Nam Bon, and Huai Maew, which will flow into Huai Bong, both Nam Phong, Hua Yong. And Chern River flows into Ubol Ratana Dam.

Fauna

Bird species include Black-crested bulbul, Lineated barbet, National bird of Thailand Siamese fireback, Eurasian jay, Common flameback, Green-billed malkoha, Rufescent prinia and Shikra. [5] :122–125

There are no large animals but there are small ones include Slow loris, Masked palm civet, Lesser mouse deer, barking deer, Himalayan porcupine, Fishing cat, Large Indian civet and Small Indian civet. [5] :124–125

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nakhon Ratchasima province</span> Province of Thailand

Nakhon Ratchasima is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (changwat) lies in lower northeastern Thailand also called Isan. It is the country's largest province by area, has a population of approximately 2.7 million, and generates about 250 billion baht in GDP, the highest in Isan. Neighbouring provinces are Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen, Buriram, Sa Kaeo, Prachinburi, Nakhon Nayok, Saraburi, and Lopburi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khon Kaen province</span> Province of Thailand

Khon Kaen is one of Thailand's 76 provinces (changwat). It is a triply-landlocked province in central northeastern Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Nong Bua Lamphu, Udon Thani, Kalasin, Maha Sarakham, Buriram, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum, Phetchabun, and Loei.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalasin province</span> Province of Thailand

Kalasin is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (changwat), located in upper northeastern Thailand, also called Isan. The province was established by the Act Establishing Changwat Kalasin, BE 2490 (1947), and it came into existence on 1 October 1947. Neighboring provinces are Sakon Nakhon, Mukdahan, Roi Et, Maha Sarakham, Khon Kaen, and Udon Thani.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chaiyaphum province</span> Province of Thailand

Chaiyaphum is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (changwat), located in central northeastern Thailand, also called Isan. Neighboring provinces are Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Lopburi, and Phetchabun.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phetchabun province</span> Province of Thailand

Phetchabun is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (changwat) lies in lower northern Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are Loei, Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, Lopburi, Nakhon Sawan, Phichit and Phitsanulok.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phu Phan Mountains</span> Mountain range in Thailand

The Phu Phan mountains are a range of hills dividing the Khorat Plateau of the Isan region of Thailand into two basins: the northern Sakhon Nakhon Basin, and the southern Khorat Basin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Si Chomphu district</span> District in Khon Kaen, Thailand

Si Chomphu is a district (amphoe) of Khon Kaen province, northeastern Thailand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ubolratana district</span> District in Khon Kaen, Thailand

Ubolratana is a district (amphoe) of Khon Kaen province, northeastern Thailand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phu Wiang Dinosaur Museum</span> Geological museum with fossil exhibits

Phu Wiang Dinosaur Museum is a geological museum mainly exhibiting fossils. It is under the administration of the Department of Mineral Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, of the Royal Thai Government, and situated in the Khok Sanambin public area in Tambon Nai Muang, Wiang Kao district, Khon Kaen province in the northeastern region of Thailand. The museum was constructed with a budget from the Tourism Authority of Thailand under the supervision of the Department of Mineral Resources and comprises an area of 40 acres (160,000 m2). It has been open to the public since 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phi Pan Nam Range</span> Mountain range in Thailand and Laos

The Phi Pan Nam Range, also Pee Pan Nam, is a 400 km (249 mi) long system of mountain ranges in the eastern half of the Thai highlands. The range lies mostly in Thailand, although a small section in the northeast is within Sainyabuli and Bokeo provinces of Laos.

Lam Nam Nan National Park is a national park in Thailand's Phrae and Uttaradit provinces. The national park covers an area of 999 square kilometres (386 sq mi) and was established in 1998, it is home to rugged mountains and the reservoir of the Sirikit Dam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nam Phong National Park</span> National park of Thailand

Nam Phong National Park is a national park in Thailand's Khon Kaen and Chaiyaphum provinces. This mountainous park, in two separate sections, encompasses part of the Ubol Ratana Dam reservoir and also features rock formations and cliff-top viewpoints. The park is named for the Nam Phong River, impounded by the dam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phu Kao–Phu Phan Kham National Park</span> National park of Thailand

Phu Kao–Phu Phan Kham National Park is a national park in Thailand's Khon Kaen and Nong Bua Lamphu provinces. This mountainous park, in two separate sections, encompasses part of the Ubol Ratana Dam reservoir and also features rock formations and waterfalls. The park is named for the Phu Kao and Phu Phan Kham mountain ranges of the Khorat Plateau.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phu Pha Man National Park</span> National park in Thailand

Phu Pha Man National Park is a national park in Thailand's Khon Kaen and Loei provinces. This forested park is home to caves, waterfalls and steep cliffs.

Paleontology began as a subject of academic interest in Thailand in the early twentieth century, mainly conducted by foreign researchers working with the Royal Department of Mines and Geology, the precursor of the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR). Most early paleontological research was the by-product of mineral exploration for the country's developing mining industry.

Phu Wiang is a short, relatively isolated mountain range in the Khorat Plateau of Northeastern Thailand, today within the area of Khon Kaen Province. It is best known as the site of the discovery of dinosaur fossils in Thailand, and is also home to ancient human settlements. The mountain, most of which is designated as Phu Wiang National Park, has two arms extending in a horseshoe shape, almost encircling a wide valley which is home to what used to be the old population centre of Phu Wiang District. In 2007, the valley area, which covers the old town as well as the paleontological digs and Phu Wiang Dinosaur Museum, was split off to form Wiang Kao District.

Nam Pat Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary in Ban Khok, Fak Tha and Nam Pat districts of Thailand's Uttaradit Province. The sanctuary covers an area of 508 square kilometres (196 sq mi) and was established in 2001.

Phu Pha Daeng Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary in Lom Sak District of Thailand's Phetchabun Province. The sanctuary covers an area of 235 square kilometres (91 sq mi) and was established in 1999.

References

  1. "Phu Wiang National Park". Department of National Parks (DNP). Archived from the original on 2010-01-23. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  2. Spooner, Andrew; Borrowman, Hana; Baldwin, William (February 1, 2007). Footprint Thailand. Footprint Travel Guides. pp. 704–. ISBN   978-1-904777-94-6 . Retrieved October 1, 2011.
  3. 1 2 Eliot, Joshua; Bickersteth, Jane (March 13, 2003). Thailand handbook. Footprint Travel Guides. pp. 330–. ISBN   978-1-903471-54-8 . Retrieved October 1, 2011.
  4. "ข้อมูลพื้นที่อุทยานแห่งชาติ ที่ประกาศในราชกิจจานุบกษา 133 แห่ง" [National Park Area Information published in the 133 Government Gazettes]. Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (in Thai). December 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2022, no 71{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  5. 1 2 Elliot, Stephan; Cubitt, Gerald (2001). THE NATIONAL PARKS and other Wild Places of Thailand. New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd. ISBN   9781859748862.