Asterism Travels & Tours - Myanmar | Travel in southern Thailand - Khao Sok national park |
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31 May to 2 June 2004 trip to southern Thailand's national park and a dam lake These photos are from a three days trip to Chew Lan lake (Ratchaprapa dam lake) of Khao Sok national park in southern Thailand's Surat Thani province. Buses, trains and air flights connect Bangkok and Surat Thani cities. From Surat Thani rent a bus or taxi to the dam lake. It is also possible to take multiple public buses and walk to the boats at the lake. We went by overnight train to Surat Thani and rented a truck to the dam. Boat ride and floating bamboo hut stay on the blue lake water among the vertical limestone karst were some highlights of our trip. The dam area including the hydro-electric power station are inside Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand. There are more experiences to gain if you have time. Hiking and camping in tropical rain forest will teach you lots of survial stuff and the relation between human and nature. The information about tropical jungle of limestone cliffs and sok river valley teaming with wildlife in the past, how the first human settlers had possibly arrived , the so-called Communist insergents camping in these forest and limestone caves in the 1970's, the daming of the river and creation of the lake, formation of Khao Sok national park, tourism; and the peoples & environment today make up very interesting stories. Some older peoples working in Khao Sok national park in the north of road 401 and Khlong Phanom national park in the south of the same road still can tell you about their past experiences. There are few books about the Khao Sok story and some websites on the Internet as well. Even though the tourism has been making a lot of changes in these areas there are farmers tending their fields and producing necessary food and other products for the population as well as the tourists. It is a good place for other Asian students to come and spend few weeks to learn. History, humanity, environment, development, farming, cultures, tourism, management, leisure and sports - whatever is your interest there are so many things to have your quality time there. |