|
General Information
Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park has an area of 307 square kilometers. It lies in Dansai disteict of Loei province and Nakhon Thai district of Phitsanulok province. Phu Hin Rong Kla is blessed with natural beauty and historical significance. Unfortunately, the fighting there during communist years did priceless damage to the forest. The geologied features landscape and natural beauty in the area have been restored and protected after the communist insurgents
loss.
From 1968 to 1972, the mountains of Phu Hin Rong Kla were the major strongholds for the communists, who were threatening the political stability of the nation. In 1982, government forces began the battle in Phu Khang, and attempt to drive out the insurgents. Forces from the First, Second and Third Army of the Regional Army Commend joined together with the Aviation Divison, Special Force center, the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, and Civilian Thai Forces in trying vanquish the communists. The government forces were unsuccessful, primarily because of the unforgiving terrain, set high up in the mountains in mostly dense
forest.
The Army changed its battle plan after initial setbacks and eventually rousted the communests. The Third Army and various military forces, the police and Civilian Forces and the Civilian-Police Military 33, (P.T.T.33) led by Major Pairot Chanurai defeated the communists wihtout bloodshed. Villagers in the area. Mostly Hmong, who had initially sided with the communists, eventually decided to abandon their allies. The communists were forced to give up their territory. After that, the P.T.T.33 began to develop the area by building a road. The paperwork was also begun to establish a national park. The Third Army and the Royal Forest Department begun the discussion about turning the area to be
park.
In February 1983, the National Park Division sent officials to survey the area and concluded that it had fantastic natural beauty, served as an important watershed, and had many historical points such as Lan Hin Taek and Lan Hin Pum. It was deemed on agreement that Phu Hin Rong Kla had ability to be national park. The Royal Forest Department proposed the park and the assembly on March 15, 1983. A decree made areas of Nakhon Thai district in Phitsanulok as well as Dansai district of Loei into national park in 1984. Phu Hin Rong Kla officially became Thailands 48th national
park.
The general topography of the park is steeply mountainous. The northern part of the park in Chaiburi Dstrict borders Laos. The Southern part of the park runs into Phetchabun Province. The mountain range includes the peaks of Phu Phangma, Phu Lomlo, Phu Hin Rong Kla and Phu Man Khao, the tallest in the park at 1,820 meters above sea level. The second tallest is Phu Lomlo at 1,664 meters. The park is the headwaters of many streams, including Huai Mueat Don, and Huai Luang
Yai.
Climate
Phu Hin Rong Klas climate is similar to that of Phu Kra Dueng National Park and Phu Luang National Park. Because of its high altitude, the park is cool all year round, especially, of course, in the cool season, when temperature can occasionally drop to freezing point. Mist can cool and pleasant; the temperature does not rise much above 25 oC
Flora and Fauna
The park has mixed deciduous, dry dipterocarp, dry evergreen, and hill evergreen
forests.
Mixed Deciduous Forest tends to be spacious and open. The soil quality and moisture is low. Tree species commonly found include Dipterocarpus obtusifolius, Shorea obtusa, Shorea siamensis and Dipterocarpus
tuberculatus.
Dry Evergreen Forest has better and moister soil, particularly in higher elevations and along streams. Species include Dipterocarpus alatus, Hopea ferrea, Hopea oborata, Anisoptera cochinchinensis, Dalbergia oliveri, Chukrasia venlatina, bamboo, and Brahm among
others.
Hill Evergreen Forest is occurs in cool higher elevations of 1,000 meters and up. Species tend to be soft woods. Important species include Dacrydium elatum, Betula alnoides, Eugenia cumini, Anneslea fragrans Podocarpus imbricatus and Pinus merksii P.
kasiya.
The flat areas on ridge tops are sandy and support Sphagnum recuryum, algae and perennial plants such as Burmannia disticha and Osbeckia chinensis. In addition, may orchid species can be found in rocky areas, including Lycopodium phlegmaria and rhododendron. These flowers bloom between the rainy and cool
seasons.
In the past, Phu Hin Rong Kla was evergreen forest and had big diversity of wildlife. But later, when the communists and government began fighting, the area turned into a battlefield. Much of the forest was damaged and much of the wildlife was killed or fled to safer areas. Remaining wildlife includes tigers, leopards, Asiatic Black Bears, wild boar, fox, monkeys, leopard cats, wild hare and many bird species, such as boves barbets, common Flameback, Asian Barred Owlet, Brown Hawk-Owl, jungle fowl, bulbuls, and
swallows.
Historical
Political Military School
Political Military School is located 6 km away from park office, in the surroundings of crowded huge trees. In the past time, it used to be a place for communistic education. In this area, there are 31 small houses which settled systematically for specific purposes as Civil Sector, Quartermaster Sector and Communication Sector. Each house consisted of a litter, a table made roughly from wood and other stuffs scattered all over the floor. Some of houses are in ruins since they were left behind after all of this communism terrorists surrendered to the government. At the center of school, a fired tractor which communism terrorists seized from Pikkanetr Co., Ltd is still standing as a memorial of those past
time.
Communist Headquarters
Three kilometers from the park headquarters are located the old office buildings from which the communists government carried out their administrative functions. This was their town hall The trail to the communist headquarters is narrow and winds between boulders. After crossing a small stream, one will arrive at a cluster of buildings. There is a cafeteria, cloth shop, meeting place, jail, intelligence center.
Activities - Historical Sight Seeing - flowers admiring - Nature trail study
Villagers
Villagers lived in several villages, like Ban Dao Daeng and Dao Chai. Each village had 40 to 50 houses lining the path which was cleared from Lomsak district. The houses were small, with dirt floors and roofed with wooden tiles. Each house also had a dug out area used during air
raids.
Turbine
Its opposite to Political Military School. Mechanics of its hydropower will be use for turning axis of large mortar for pounding paddy to separate the grains from the chaffs (can be compared as a rice mill). Thousands of people lived at Phu Hin Rong Kla were under obligation of this turbine !
Hospital
Its located 2 km away from State Authority Office. Though it is a wild hospital, far and away up hill, but its quite perfect with medical supplies, medicines as well as compound medicine room, recuperate
rooms, etc.
Lan Hin Taek
300 meters to the west of the Thai army headquarters (Than Phatcharin) is Lan Hin Taek (Broken Rock Field). Along the path, growing in rock crevices are various plant species, including mosses, ferns and ground orchids. The crevices, arranged in rough rows. Seem to have come from the earth splitting. Peering into their depths can be eerie. Some crevices are narrow enough to jump across; other are wider. From several can be hard loud echoing of running water. The crevices were perhaps important to the communists, as they could have been used for
hiding.
Lan Hin Pum
About four kilometers from the park headquarters, near the cliffs, is a field of nodulated stone, Whose lumps are roughly equal in size. It is believed that this formation resulted from physical and chemical erosion. Patients from the hospital suffering from fever would used the area as a rest spot, as a cool breeze blows over the area almost
continuously.
Pha Chuthong Cliff or Flang-Ple Cliff
A steep cliff overlooking a magnificent view of the vally to the west. The communists used this cliff to fly their red flag after each victory over the government
forces.
Man Daeng Waterfall
It is about 22 Kilometers away from park headquaters, on the way to go for Lom Sak district. This waterfall has up to 32 levels in total and its headwaters arises from Phu Man Khao peak. This takes 3.5 km walk on the trial paralleled with dense forest. Park staff is necessary required to guide visitors for
trailing.
Romklao-Pharadon Waterfall Romklao-Pharadon Waterfall is about five kilometers from park the headquarters. As you approach the road to the School of Military Politics, the path to the waterfall is on the left and leads about one kilometer off the road to the waterfall. The forest in this area is in good condition, with many large trees. A side trail leads to Pharadon Waterfall, which is downstream of Romklao
Waterfall.
Siphatcharin Waterfall
This medium-sized waterfall is about 600 meters off the road, near Huai Namsai village. The trail leads past some fields of Hmong villagers and into a small valley. It then runs with a stream about 150 meters until reaching the falls. Sipatcharin Waterfall is the most accessible waterfall in the
park.
Phalat and Tatfa Waterfalls
At the foot of Phu Hin Rong Kla, Phalat is about two kilometers from Huai Namsai. At the base of the falls is a small hydro-electric generator. If you climb three or four kilometers further up the mountain, you will reach Tatfa Waterfall (also known as Dan Kosong Waterfall), an impressive, towering
waterfall.
Contact Address
Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park P.O. Box 3 Amphur Nakhon Thai Phitsanulok Thailand 65120 Tel. 0 5523 3527 Fax 0 5523 3527 E-mail
reserve@dnp.go.th
How to go?
By Car
From Phitsanulok, take a public bus 68 Kilometers towards Lomsak. At Ban Yang, take a left and travel 29 kilometers to Nakhon Thai District. From Nakhon Thai, take a song-taeo the remaining 31 kilometers to the park.
|