Thailand's Dong Phayayen-Khoyai Forest Complex is in danger of losing its World Heritage status because illegal logging is destroying the forest.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which earlier this year sent a team to inspect the forest, is proposing that the area be put on the "World Heritage in Danger" list at its annual meeting in Qatar in June.
The proposal is a result of ineffective management to prevent illegal logging of Siamese rosewood that was once abundant in the area.
Once on the heritage danger list, and if no effective measures are found to be in place to deal with threats, the World Heritage Committee can make a decision to delist the Dong Phayayen-Khoyai Forest as a World Heritage Site.
The forest complex straddles the borderline of Nakhon Ratchasima and Prachin Buri provinces.
The proposal was made after the visit from an IUCN team to the world heritage site in January this year. The mission found that the site's "Outstanding Universal Values" (OUV), were in danger due to increasing illegal logging of Siamese rosewood and a poor response from the highest national political level to support prevention.
“We recommend that the World Heritage Committee inscribe the property on the list of the World Heritage in Danger,” the team stated in its report about Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Complex.
They believe that putting the forest on the danger list would be a way to get international support to address the illicit rosewood trade.
Duangmal Sinthuvanich, director of the Cultural and Natural Environmental Management Bureau, expressed her concern over the issue, saying that Thai delegates to the IUCN meeting need confirmation as soon as possible whether the Dong Phayayen-Khoyai Forest Complex will indeed be placed on the danger list.
“If it is to be put on the danger list, we need to work hard to lobby and get it out off the list. A special round of talks will be needed to convince them [IUCN] that we have implemented all necessary measures to protect and preserve the world heritage site,” she said.
In addition to the issue of illegal logging of rosewood, the IUCN also wanted an explanation as to why a new dam is being proposed for construction at Huay Satong in the Ta Phraya National Park in Sakaew province.
The proposed dam site is located in the deep forest and presents a strong threat to the banteng habitat.
Ms Duangmal said that the Department of Royal Irrigation planned to construct the dam inside the park, which is a part of the Dong Phayayen-Khoyai Forest Complex. The dam site will cover 4,000 rai.
She said that there is a high possibility that construction of the dam will not go ahead as the site is deep in the forest, which is different from Kuay Samong dam, where there were effective mitigation plans to ensure it has minimal effect on the forest.