Tourists flock to Loei to see blossoming Himalayan cherry flowers
Reforestation in Loei which has resulted in the country's biggest "Thai sakura" field has been a big success.
Reforestation in Loei which has resulted in the country's biggest "Thai sakura" field has been a big success.
Please join us on our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/bangkokpostlearning
Peak tourism in the pink
Prinya Muangarkas
The country's biggest "Thai sakura" field and the pristine nature of a newly opened peak in the northeastern province of Loei demonstrate that when communities return forests and apply their know-how, the returns are bigger than expected.
The field of blossoming pink wild Himalayan cherry flowers, known as nang phaya sua khrong in Thai, is located on Phu Lom Lo in tambon Kok Sathon of Loei's Dan Sai district.
The pristine natural surroundings are on Phu Bak Dai in tambon Pla Ba of Loei's Phu Rua district.
About 1,600 metres above sea level, both sites are among the mountaintop attractions of Loei, a province famed for its alpine scenery, offering abundant ecotourism and adventure tour opportunities.
Decades ago they served as strongholds for communists, witnessing battles between the government and insurgents. Deforestation continued during the effort to flush out the communists and the mountains became treeless. Conservation initiatives were implemented soon afterwards.
Part of Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park, Phu Lom Lo had been encroached on by hill-tribe communities growing cabbage as a staple.
In 2008, then park chief Mano Manoonsaran encouraged locals to plant wild Himalayan cherry flowers on the mountain in exchange for a period of grace of several years before the mandatory end to their encroachment, said Yo Lampueng, secretary of the tourism promotion club of tambon Kok Sathon, which operates tourist services on Phu Lom Lo.
Yo Lampueng is in charge of tourism services on Phu Lom Lo.
The reforestation project began with about 100,000 wild Himalayan cherry plants from Chiang Mai province planted on 1,200 rai of Phu Lom Lo. They started to flower in 2010.
The plot became the country's largest field of "Thai sakura". Park officials and local people planted wild Himalayan cherry flowers on a further 800 rai and in three years the field should be the biggest in Southeast Asia, says Mr Yo.
Tourists put their gear on a shuttle pickup truck at the Pla Ba tourism promotion club, which is also the community leader's house providing homestay services.
With the pink beauty of "Thai sakura" attracting visitors, local people have become tourist service providers. Social media coverage resulted in the popularity of Phu Lom Lo from December to February. Problems arose as the locals had no idea how to handle the influx of visitors, leading to conflicts as they competed for clients, he says.
"It was too much already for local residents to provide charcoal for thousands of people camping on Phu Lom Lo each night," Mr Yo recalls of the initial opening of Phu Lom Lo to tourists. Camping was later prohibited to protect the environment.
A bungalow in tambon Kok Sathon.
The Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Dasta) came to the rescue in 2012. The agency advised the locals to form a legal body, the Kok Sathon tourism promotion club, to organise tourist services and local residents learned how to handle the influx of visitors.
During the high season, tourists are required to use locals' vehicles to climb to the peak of Phu Lom Lo to experience sunrise, the cooling windy mist and the "Thai sakura".
On a clear day, visitors can see well-known Phu Thap Boek and Phu Hin Rong Kla nearby.
A driver of a 'rot itaek' tractor transports visitors on Phu Bak Dai.
With the villagers operating 118 four-wheel-drive pickup trucks normally used to carry crops, the number of visitors boarding the vehicles to the mountaintop is thus limited and the tourist activities are eco-friendly.
Since private vehicles are not allowed, accidents are rare, there is no traffic congestion and little chance of visitors getting lost on the mountain. Meanwhile, the villagers' shuttle services generate substantial income for the Kok Sathon community as charges per trip that last 4-5 hours range from 1,500 to 2,000 baht, depending on the number of passengers, Mr Yo said.
You can read the full story here: http://www.bangkokpost.com/lifestyle/social-and-lifestyle/1188961/peak-tourism-in-the-pink
สามารถฝึกอ่านออกเสียงและดูคำแปลได้ที่ : http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-from-news/1189548/tourists-flock-to-loei-to-see-blossoming-himalayan-cherry-flowers
