Erawan National Park is a protected area in Western Thailand, in the Tenasserim Hills of Kanchanaburi Province. Founded in 1975, it was the 12th national park of Thailand.

History

The establishment of the national park was declared in the Royal Thai Government Gazette on 19 June 1975 and came into effect the following day. This park area was further modified in 1995. The park covers an area of 343750 rai in Sai Yok, Tha Sao and Lum Sum subdistricts in Sai Yok District; Nong Pet and Tha Kradan subdistricts in Si Sawat District, and Chong Sadao Subdistrict in Mueang Kanchanaburi District.

Features

The major attraction of the park is Erawan Falls, a waterfall named after Erawan, the three-headed white elephant of Hindu mythology. The seven-tiered falls are said to resemble Erawan. There are four caves in the park: Mi, Rua, Wang Badan, and Phrathat. Rising northeast of the waterfall area there is a breast-shaped hill named Khao Nom Nang.

Flora

Mixed deciduous forest accounts for 81% of the national park area. Deciduous dipterocarp forest accounts for 1.68% of the national park area. Dry evergreen forests account for 14.35% of the national park area.

Fauna

Mammals:• Asian elephant • Asian black bear • Serow • Muntjac • Sambar deer • Wild boar • Lar gibbon • Phayre's leaf monkey • Southern pig-tailed macaque • Slow loris • Leopard cat • Asian palm civet • Treeshrew Birds:• Black baza • Kalij pheasant • Red junglefowl • White-breasted waterhen • Common sandpiper • Spotted dove • Greater coucal • Indian roller • Grey-capped pygmy woodpecker • Ayeyarwady bulbul • Puff-throated babbler Reptiles:• King cobra • Banded krait • Burmese python • Ptyas korros • Calotes mystaceus • Eutropis multifasciata • Trionychidae Amphibians:• Asian common toad • Green puddle frog • Megophryidae • Limnonectes hascheanus • Wallace's flying frog Aquatic Animals:• Dwarf snakehead • Tor tambroides • Pristolepis fasciata • Java barb • Hampala dispar

Further reads