By the year 2025, Thailand intends to have the Andaman Sea Natural Reserves included on the list of World Heritage Sites maintained by UNESCO.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Protection (DNP) has successfully persuaded the World Heritage Committee to accept its candidacy, and the DNP intends to submit its entire report to the World Heritage Committee after getting cabinet approval for the proposal the following year.
The planned region has a total of 115,955 hectares and comprises six national parks and conservation zones along the Andaman coast in the provinces of Ranong, Phang-nga, and Phuket. The buffer zone that surrounds the proposed area measures 175,845 hectares. Also, in an effort to lessen potential tensions with neighboring towns, the DNP has shrunk the area that is being proposed for nomination.
Natural Reserves in the Andaman Sea are home to a wide variety of plant and animal species, some of which are critically endangered. These endangered species include the Sunda Pangolin and the Giant Manta Ray. The Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNP) is confident in its nomination of the Andaman Sea Natural Reserves as a candidate for inclusion on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites, and the DNP holds a firm belief that the reserves should receive this prestigious honor.
In the event that the nomination is accepted, Thailand will have reached an important new benchmark, which will contribute to the country’s growing reputation as a leading tourist destination in the region.
