Khorat national geopark has been awarded UNESCO world heritage
rating, making Nakhon Ratchasima the first province in Thailand to have
three UNESCO sites.
Two other sites are the Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex, which
was declared a Natural World Heritage Site in 2005, and the Sakaerat
Biosphere Reserve designated in 1976.
The Khorat UNESCO Global Geopark is a unique geological feature in
the middle to lower part of Lam Takhong River Basin where an abundance
of fossils range in age from 16 million to 10,000 years.
A large range of dinosaurs and other animal fossils like ancient
elephants have been found in Mueang District. This has prompted Khorat
UNESCO Global Geopark to consider itself the Paleontopolis (City of
Ancient Life) of the world.
Khorat is known for the Khorat language, people and music.
Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand,
said TAT is committed to help reduce the tourism impact on the
environment “with our ongoing meaningful travel direction towards more
sustainable, more inclusive and more environment-friendly tourism”.
Khorat Geopark’s mission is in line with the UNESCO geopark
guidelines for management with a holistic concept of conservation,
education and sustainable development, with significant involvement of
local communities in tourism activities related to geology or world
geography.
To celebrate the UNESCO honour, the Khorat Geopark committee is
organising the ‘Geopark and Fossil Festival 2023’ from 8-10 June at
Central Department Store in Nakhon Ratchasima.