The Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex (Thai: กลุ่มป่าแก่งกระจาน) is the official name of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Thailand. It includes parts of Kaeng Krachan, Kui Buri, and Chaloem Phrakiat Thai Prachan national parks, as well as Mae Nam Phachi Wildlife Sanctuary. These areas are located in the provinces of Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, and Prachuap Khiri Khan in Western Thailand, near the border with Myanmar. The site was added to the World Heritage list in 2021.

Description

The site is located on the Thailand side of the Tenasserim mountain range, which is part of a north-south mountain range made of granite and limestone that stretches down the Malay Peninsula. This area is where three important regions meet: the Himalayan, Indochina, and Sumatran areas known for their unique plants and animals. The property has a lot of different plant and animal life. Most of the area is covered by forests that have trees that stay green most of the year and forests that have trees that lose their leaves seasonally. There are also forests with a mix of trees that lose their leaves, high mountain forests, and forests with large trees called dipterocarps. Many plants found only in this area and plants that are at risk of disappearing worldwide have been found here. The area overlaps with two Important Bird Areas and has a wide variety of birds, including eight types of birds that are in danger of becoming extinct. The area is home to the critically endangered Siamese Crocodile, the endangered Asiatic Wild Dog, Banteng, Asian Elephant, Yellow/Elongated Tortoise, and the endangered Asian Giant Tortoise, along with other vulnerable birds and mammals. The area is also home to eight types of cats, including the endangered tiger and Fishing Cat, the near-threatened Leopard and Asian Golden Cat, the vulnerable Clouded Leopard and Marbled Cat, as well as the Jungle Cat and Leopard Cat.

Human rights issues

The site was added to the World Heritage list in 2021 during the extended 44th session of the World Heritage Committee. This decision happened even though there were disagreements about the government's efforts to move the indigenous S'gaw Karen people of Bang Kloi from their village in Kaeng Krachan National Park. These efforts included the killing of activist Porlajee Rakchongcharoen in 2014. Before the site was added, a group of experts from the United Nations Human Rights Council asked the World Heritage Committee to delay the nomination because of ongoing human rights issues. However, the nomination was approved with the support of China, Russia, and other countries. The Thai government had previously tried to nominate the site twice, with the first attempt in 2016.