Mangrove Park Opens in Cha-am

Border Patrol Police Bureau, Mrigadayavan Palace Foundation and Huay Sai Study Centre plan to open the Bt400 million Princess Sirindhom International Environment Park in Cha-Am next April. The Park will feature eco-tourism trips through mangroves to see rare birds and fish. Border Patrol Police Bureau officer, Somjet Imsopom, said the park was 80% completed. Construction, which began in 2004, is scheduled to be finished in time for HRH Princess Sirindhorn's birthday in 2007.

Visitors

Visitors will be Thai 70% and the balance foreigners. Last year, around 300,000 people visited Mrigadayavan Palace, which is considered good performance. The park will offer several activities highlighting enerdy conservation, such as an eight-station energy centre, to introduce alternative energy sources including solar, water and wind power. An environment camp brings in professors from science and technology schools to provide information on related issues. The park offers an electric car to visit Mrigadayavan Palace, buit by King Rama VI.

By Boat

Boats are provided for a 7-km sail and cycles for a 9-km ride through a coastal mangrove forest, where visitors can plant mangroves or rare trees. Due to damage from previous trespassers, authorities are planting more trees to restore the area. Mr Somjet said the trees have grown from one to five inches in diameter. Mr Somjet said Thailand's Department of Fisheries is helping to plant artificial coral about 6-km off the coast along a 2 -km stretch to give visitors a place to fish. The Harbour Department is also investing in a sea wall.