Phu
Wiang National Park
Phu Wiang National Park This national park always
reminds tourists about dinosaurs. Indeed, nobody had formerly ever
though the Isan plateau was once home of dinosaurs. Until 1976 when
a uranium survey team discovered a piece of fossil, which was examined
by French specialists and declared that it was a left knee bone of
a dinosaur. After that, serious execration has never ended until now.
On the hill Pratu Ti Ma, which was the first site, geologists have
found fossils of a dinosaur, 15 metres high with a long neck and tail.
This is a kind of plant-eating dinosaur never found else where before,
so it was named Phuwiangosaurus Sirindhornae to honour H.R.H Princess
Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. In this site, over ten teeth of a meat-eating
dinosaur have also been found. So geologists’ scientists presumed
that the long-necked dinosaur was prey for these teeth’s owner. Among
these teeth, one is different. After a study, scientist found that
it belonged to a new species of dinosaur never found before. So it
was named ‘Siamosaurus Suteethorni’ after the discoverer, Mr. Warawuth
Suteethorn.
All the three sites are not far from the headquarters, and tourists
can also visit the second and third sites nearby.
Fossils of Siamotyrannus Isanensis found here are the oldest one,
dating back 120-130 million years. This indicates that tyrannosaurus
originated in Asia. These fossils are now displayed in the museum
of the Department of Mineral Resources.
At the 8th site, there are 68 footprints of dinosaurs, dating back
140 million years ago. Most of them belong to the world’s smallest
species of meat-eating dinosaur, which walked on two legs. Among such
footprints, there is one bigger footprint, assumed to belong to Carnosaurus.
These sites are 19 kilometres from the headquarters. It takes an hour
to get there by car and four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended. In
many sites, geologists found fossils of dinosaur babies, small crocodiles
and mussels dating back to 150 million years ago.
Besides fossils of dinosaurs, there are also traces of ancient civilizations
in this area including a high relief of the reclining Buddha on the
cliff, at the crest of Phu Wiang Mountain. The Buddha image was carved
in the 9th century, mirroring an influence from Indian art. Nearby
is Tham Famue Daeng, Dang, or Red Palm Cave, at Ban Hin Rong. The
cave wall houses prehistoric paintings of cave men’s hands from sprays
of red ochre.
Natural attractions in the park include waterfalls and field of wild
flowers. Namtok Thap phaya Suea is a small waterfall near to Tham
Famue Daeang. Namtok Tat Fa is a 15-metre high waterfall that can
be accessed by car. The waterfall is 18 kilometres from Amphoe Phu
Wiang. Some 5 kilometres from Namtok Tat Fa is Namtok Tat Klang which
is a 8-metre high waterfall. Savanna and rock plateaus are always
blanketed with wild flowers in full bloom by the end of the rainy
season.
Phu Wiang National Park acquires a total area of 380 square kilometres
in Amphoe Si Chomphu and Amphoe Chum Phae.
How to get there: from downtown Khon Kaen, visitors can get there
via Highway 12 and connect to Highway 2038, bound for Amphoe Phu Wiang.
From Amphoe Phu Wiang, talk the Phu Wiang-Ban Muaeng Mai Road, passing
the national park unit, Pak Chong Phu Wiang’ at kilometre 23. Turn
left at kilometre 30 at Ban Pho Reservoir and the national park’s
headquarters is 8 kilometres away. The headquarters features an exhibition
about the dinosaurs and fossils found in the area. For group tourists
requiring a guide, contact the headquarters in advance at Tel. 0 4324
9052. |
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