Thailand’s Andaman Sea Nature Reserves, covering national parks and mangroves in the southern provinces of Ranong, Phang-nga, and Phuket, have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Center’s tentative list.
Government Spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana stated that Prime Minister and Defense Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha was pleased to learn about this new report, saying that all agencies must emphasize natural resource protection for the benefit of local people.
Thailand submitted the Andaman Sea Nature Reserves for registration as a World Heritage Site at the UNESCO World Heritage Center in Paris on 18 December 2021.
The Andaman Sea Nature Reserves comprise a mangrove and inshore Islands ecoregion (Mu Ko Ranong National Park, Laem Son National Park, and Ranong Mangroves), an offshore islands ecoregion (Mu Ko Surin National Park and Mo Ko Similan National Park), and a beach and coastal gallery forest ecoregion (Khao Lampi – Hat Thai Mueang National Park and Sirinat National Park).
All these areas cover 290,800 hectares, 115,955 hectares of which are nominated areas and 174,845 hectares buffer zones.
The Prime Minister stressed that, when the Andaman Sea Nature Reserves are added in the World Heritage list, all relevant agencies must join hands in taking care of these areas on a continual basis in accordance with the set standards.
He believed that these areas would become one of the world’s major tourist destinations, which would contribute to the local economy and generate employment for local residents. It would also bring about natural resource conservation on a sustainable basis.
Source: The Government Public Relations Department