Khao Yai opens new trail
published : 20 Feb 2019 at 08:49
writer: Gary Boyle
ORIGINAL SOURCE/WRITER: Apinya Wipatayotin
NAKHON RATCHASIMA: The new "Thai-US Friendship Trail" at Khao Yai National Park will serve as a model learning centre, said the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP).
The trail, which commemorates 200 years of US-Thai diplomatic ties, spans 2.3 kilometres and takes roughly an hour to walk.
Visitors will soon be able to download the department's smartphone app, providing them with useful information at points along the trail via Bluetooth, officials said.
"This trail will serve as an important learning centre for people who are interested in knowing more about the age of the trees inside the park," park chief Kanchit Srinoppawan said at the opening ceremony for the trail on Feb 8.
"All the trees on the trail are relatively young, about 50 years of age. They show how the forest can regenerate itself, unless it is hit by fires or land over-usage," he added.
The new nature trail is in a part of the forest that served as a US Army base during the Laos crisis.
US troops were stationed in the forested area inside the park from 1959-61.
Remnants from the former US base can still be found in the park, including some of the footprints of the troops, a helipad that is now used by the Thai air force, and bottle brush trees -- which US troops brought over from Australia.
Khao Yai ranks as the nation's No.1 national park, affording lucky visitors glimpses of Asian elephants, gaurs, Indian muntjacs, Indochinese serows, wild boars and more.
Learn from listening
Vocabulary
- base: a place where an army, a navy, etc. operates from - ฐานทัพ, ฐานที่มั่น
- commemorate: to remember officially and give respect to a great person or event, especially by a public ceremony or by making a statue or special building - ฉลอง (เพื่อเป็นการระลึกถึง)
- crisis: an urgent, difficult or dangerous situation - วิกฤตการณ์
- helipad (n): a place where a helicopter can land and take off from -
- regenerate (v): to grow again -
- relatively: somewhat; in comparison with someone or something similar - ค่อนข้าง
- remnants: the remaining parts of something - ส่วนที่เหลืออยู่
- station: to cause, especially soldiers, to be in a particular place to do a job - ตั้งฐานปฎิบัติการ,ตั้งประจำ
- trail: a path through the countryside, often made or used for a particular purpose - ร่องรอย
- Keywords
- trail
- park
- learning centre
- national park