Nam Nao National Park (Thai: อุทยานแห่งชาติน้ำหนาว, RTGS: Utthayan Haeng Chat Nam Nao) is a protected area in Phetchabun Province in northern Thailand. The park is a large forest filled with pineries, grasslands, and jungle. The park is home to approximately 360 species of birds and 340 species of butterflies. The average annual temperature is 25 degrees Celsius (77°F). Between December and January temperatures drop to as low as 2-5 degrees Celsius (36-41°F). Nam Nao National Park is part of a Level I "tiger conservation unit" (TCU). It encompasses 1,000 square kilometres (390 sq mi).

Geography

Nam Nao National Park with an area of 603,750 rai ~ 966 square kilometres (373 sq mi) is located in Lom Sak, Mueang Phetchabun and Nam Nao districts of Phetchabun province and Khon San district of Chaiyapum province. Most of the park consists of mountains covered with deciduous dipterocarp forest, hill evergreen forest, mixed deciduous forest, moist evergreen forest, pine forest and grasslands. High mountains in the Phetchabun Mountains include: Phu Kum Kao and Phu Pha Chit, also known as Phu Dan Eupong, the highest peak at 1,271 metres (4,170 ft) and form Isan's border with northern Thailand. The source of several rivers is in the park, which flows into the Chulabhorn reservoir.
The national park is neighbouring Phu Pha Man National Park and Phu Kradueng National Park to the north, abutting Pha Phueng Wildlife Sanctuary to the southeast and Phu Khiao Wildlife Sanctuary to the south, connected by Tat Mok National Park to the south and abutting Phu Pha Daeng Wildlife Sanctuary to the west.

History

On 12 January 1970 the National Park Board took a decision to designate a national park. On 3 May 1972 the Revolutionary Council announced: determination of the Nam Nao forest area in Mueang Phetchabun district, Lom Sak district, Nam Nao district, Phetchabun province and Khon San district, Chaiyaphum province to be a national park.
The boundaries of the national park include also the area of Pak Chong Subdistrict and Tha Ibun Subdistrict of Lom Sak District, but they are not mentioned in the publication in the Government Gazette. So a Royal Decree, which mentions the two omitted subdistricts, was published in the Royal Gazette on 26 September 1982. Since 2002 this national park has been managed by Protected Areas Regional Office 11 (Phitsanulok)

Flora

Plants in the park are:

Flowers at Nam Nao N.P. include:

A rare ground orchid is: Eulophia flava

Fauna

The number of sightings in the park are:
Fifteen families of mammals, represented by one or two mammal species:

The park has approximately 360 species of birds, of which some 210 species of passerines from 40 families, represented by one bird species:

of which some 150 species of non-passerines from 30 families, represented by one bird species:

Twelve families of reptiles, represented by one reptile species:

Four families of amphibians, represented by one amphibian species:

At least there are 340 species of butterflies, which include:

Places

• Namtok Haew Sai - a 20 metres (66 ft) high waterfall.
• Namtok Sai Thong - a 4 metres (13 ft) high waterfall.
• Namtok Tat Phranba - a 20 metres (66 ft) high waterfall.
• Pha Lom Pha Khong - a 1,134 metres (3,720 ft) high limestone mountain.
• Suanson Dong Paek - a pine forest.
• Suanson Phu Kum Kao - a pine forest at 880 m (2,890 ft) height.
• Tham Pha Hong - a 105 metres (344 ft) long cave.
• Tham Yai Nam Nao - a 9,817 metres (32,208 ft) long cave.

Location

Nam Nao National Park in overview PARO 11 (Phitsanulok)
National park     1 Khao Kho 2 Khwae Noi 3 Lam Nam Nan 4 Nam Nao 5 Namtok Chat Trakan 6 Phu Hin Rong Kla 7 Phu Soi Dao 8 Tat Mok 9 Thung Salaeng Luang 10 Ton Sak Yai               Wildlife sanctuary         11 Mae Charim 12 Nam Pat 13 Phu Khat 14 Phu Miang-Phu Thong 15 Phu Pha Daeng 16 Tabo-Huai Yai

See also

• List of national parks in Thailand
• List of Protected Areas Regional Offices of Thailand