Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex

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Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex: A Biodiverse Haven Amidst Human Rights Concerns

The Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021, is a testament to the rich biodiversity found within the Tenasserim mountain range in Thailand. This expansive forest complex spans across the Thailand-Myanmar border, sharing boundaries with the Tanintharyi Nature Reserve. Its designation as a World Heritage Site underscores its significant role in preserving global biodiversity, yet it remains entangled in controversies surrounding human rights violations against the indigenous communities residing within its borders.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

The site is located along the Thailand side of the Tenasserim mountain range, part of a north-south granite and limestone mountain ridge running down the Malay Peninsula. Located at the cross-roads between the Himalayan, Indochina, and Sumatran faunal and floral realms, the property is home to rich biodiversity. It is dominated by semi-evergreen/dry evergreen and moist evergreen forest with some mixed deciduous forest, montane forest, and deciduous dipterocarp forest. A number of endemic and globally endangered plant and wildlife species have been reported in the property, which overlaps with two Important Bird Areas (IBAs) and is noted for its rich diversity of birdlife, including eight globally endangered fauna species. The property is home to the critically endangered Siamese Crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis), the endangered Asiatic Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus), Banteng (Bos javanicus), Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), Yellow/Elongated Tortoise (Indotestudo elongata), and the endangered Asian Giant Tortoise (Manouria emys), as well as several other vulnerable species of birds and mammals. Remarkably, it is also home to eight cat species: the endangered tiger (Panthera tigris) and Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus), the near-threatened Leopard (Panthera pardus) and Asian Golden Cat (Catopuma temminckii), the vulnerable Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosi) and Marbled Cat (Pardofelis marmorata), and the least concerned Jungle Cat (Felis chaus) and Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis).

UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site

Criterion (x): KKFC hosts a remarkable range of mammals, birds and reptiles from this region and is considered as one of the top 500 most irreplaceable protected areas in the world for the conservation of mammal, bird and amphibian species. The property is characterised by six forest types, dominated by semi-evergreen, dry evergreen and moist evergreen forests and complemented by mixed deciduous forest, montane forest, and deciduous dipterocarp forest. The property represents a meeting point of several zoogeographical realms and floristic provinces being the northernmost point for many species from the south and conversely the southernmost point for species from the north. In addition to this macro scale diversity, the diverse geological characteristics and highly variable topography contribute to an exceptionally high habitat diversity at the micro scale. The property’s rich biodiversity is demonstrated by the presence of at least 459 known wild animal species, as well as by 81 rare species, and 48 endemic species. The property is home to a large number of threatened and rare plant species, some of which are extinct elsewhere. Prunus kaengkrachanensis stands out as a rosaceous plant species discovered in 2015 and endemic to KKFC. Further critical species include Champi Doi (Magnolia gustavii), and Agarwood (Aquilaria malaccensis) and Kamettia chandeei of the dogbane family. The species Geostachys smitinandii of the ginger family is found only in the KKFC and the Dong Phayayen – Khao Yai Forest Complex Natural World Heritage site of Thailand. The property is also the world’s only home to the plant species Trichosanthes phonsenae from the cucumber family first discovered in 2003. KKFC also maintains healthy populations of globally important and threatened wildlife species. A complete suite of top carnivores has been identified in the area, including eight species of Felidae (cat species), including tiger (Panthera tigris). The property stands out as one of the last few places where the Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) is still present in the wild. It is home to the Sunda Pangolin (Manis javanica), Elongated Tortoise (Indotestudo elongata), Asian Giant Tortoise (Manouria emys) as well as Banteng (Bos javanicus), Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), Dhole (Cuon alpinus), Asian Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus), Malay tapir (Tapirus indicus), Mainland Serow (Capricornis sumatraensis), Gaur (Bos gaurus) and Stump-tailed Macaque (Macaca arctoides).

Encyclopedia Record: Kaeng Krachan National Park

Kaeng Krachan National Park is the largest national park of Thailand. It is on the border with Burma, contiguous with the Tanintharyi Nature Reserve. It is a popular park owing to its proximity to the tourist town of Hua Hin. It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 26 July 2021, despite concerns from the OHCHR around the human rights violations of the indigenous people that live in the park.

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IUCN World Heritage Outlook

The 2025 Conservation Outlook on Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex reports the following assessment:

Source: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) · View assessment