New forest trail to open in Phuket

PHUKET, Sept 15 (TNA) -- A new four-kilometer-long trail is set to open in the Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Sanctuary in November to remember a royal visit in 1996. Phuket governor Noraphat Plodthong said the trail at the Bang Pae waterfall in Pa Khlok sub-district of Thalang district would promote ecotourism on the Phuket island. He said the trail stretched through a beautiful natural surrounding from the Bang Pae waterfall to the Ton Sai waterfall and would encourage visitors to remember a visit by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn who walked from the Bang Pae waterfall to the Ton Sai waterfall on Dec 18, 1996. Along the trail, visitors can experience forest surroundings and many kinds of wild animals including junglefowls, boars, mousedeer and gibbons. According to the Phuket governor, the Phuket provincial administration organization will supervise tourist services there to allow local residents to general income. Routes to the wildlife sanctuary will be improved and a tourist information center with multimedia will be built to warmly welcome visitors. The governor said that tourists could enjoy the pristine environment of the wildlife sanctuary when it opened in November. Pongchart Chueahom, head of the Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Sanctuary, said there were rare wild animals and indigenous plants in the pristine forest including Phuket Pit Viper Bambusotter, waterfall crabs, wild mango and white backed palm. (TNA)