Chaloem Rattanakosin National Park


Kanchanaburi Province

General Information

Chaloem Rattanakosin National Park is the smallest park in Kanchanaburi Province. Its main features are fertile forests, steep limestone mountains, attractive waterfalls and mysterious caves. The park was designated in February 1980 as Thailand's 17th National Park and covers an area of 59km2. The forested, limestone mountains of the Park are the watershed of Mae Klong River. The highest peak in the Park is Kam Paeng Mountain, which reaches 1,260m.

Geography

Most of the area consists of complicated limestone mountains with the highest peak is Kam Pang Mountain Peak about 1,260 meters above sea level. The area is the source of Klong River area.

Climate

The weather in this area is quite sultry hot with 1,146 mm. of rain per year. The highest temperature is about 37-38 degrees Celsius from March to April, and the lowest temperature is about 17-18 degrees Celsius from December to January.

Flora and Fauna

The Park is mostly covered by dry evergreen forest, deciduous forest with some areas of bamboo forest. There are many kinds of animal in the Park, such as leopard, Banteng, Gaur, deer, white-handed gibbons and monkeys. Over 60 species of bird have been recorded from the Park, including Oriental Pied Hornbills, Francolin, Tickell's Blue and Red-Flydatchers and Coppersmith Barbets. A special type of animal is "water dog" or barking tree frog (Manam of Kiadwag in Thai), a rare frog with a croak that is remarkably similar to a dog's bark.