High on nature

Most accommodation in national parks is now fully booked for December and early January, the National Park Office said yesterday. The office has set overnight visitor limits at 10 national parks and dropped the entrance fee by 30 per cent on weekdays to prevent overcrowding during peak weekends.

The measure has been approved and should be in effect in time for the holiday weekend of December 5-7, said Office director Opas Phiensataporn.

Visitor limits at 10 parks

Opas said that most bungalows and campsites at parks were booked up from December 5 through to the New Year holidays. He urged anyone without a booking to check the accommodation |situation with the department at (02) 562 0760 or www.DNP.go.th before travelling. The 10 parks subject to visitor limits are Doi Inthanon, Huai Nam Dang, Doi Pha Hom Pok, Doi Suthep Pui, Khao |Yai, Kang Krajan, Phukradung, Erawan island, Surin |island and Similan island.

Nipon Chotibal, deputy chief of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, said that overcrowding at national parks during winter often disturbed wildlife and caused garbage problems and traffic jams. He said the overnight visitor limit had proved an effective solution to the increase in visitor numbers this year.

Khao Yai still favourite

Nipon reported that Khao Yai remains the country's most popular natural attraction with 723,742 visitors so far this year, followed by Jet Sao Noi Waterfall (currently applying for national park status) with 712,702 and Doi Suthep Pui at 686,271.

Announcing that the department had earned around Bt454 million this year, he said the money was spent on improving park facilities and infrastructure for tourists. He added that lowering the price of entrance between February and October had brought a 2.86 per cent hike in visitor numbers.

Alcohol ban lifted

 Department official Rattana Lakkhanaworakul said the complete ban on alcohol in the parks had been lifted at Khao Yai, where a zone for drinkers has been marked out and officials have been told to keep an eye out for drunken behaviour.