Ancient marine animal fossils dating back more than 250 million years have been found in Phetchabun, not far from Si Thep ancient town.
Apsorn Sardsud, director of the Geology Division Department of Mineral Resources Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, said a team of archaeologists found fossil remains in tambon Ban Phot, Nong Phai district which also indicated that the area where the ancient town of Si Thep is located was once connected to an ancient sea.
She said the fossils were from the Permian period, which dates from 298.9 million to 252.2 million years ago. The fossils show a mix of many types of marine life which shows that this area spanning 30,000 square kilometres was once a sea.
She said fossils of marine animals were found in large numbers and many are in good condition. The department plans to promote the site as a tourist destination, known as Phetchabun Geopark.
It plans to connect it with the well-known Si Thep ancient site to attract more visitors to the province.
The ancient town of Si Thep was listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2023, featuring inner and outer towns surrounded by moats, the massive Khao Klang Nok ancient monument, and the Khao Thamorrat Cave ancient monument. The ancient town showed the religious diversity of the Dvaravati Empire (6th-10th centuries).
To promote the discovery of the fossil, Phetchabun will organise "the Miracle of the Ancient Sea" fun run on Feb 10 with a distance of 11.5km to promote the value of natural resources and help stimulate the community economy. The route will link the ancient fossil site to the Si Thep ancient town, she said.