Decision 41 COM 7B.32

Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex (Thailand) (N 590rev)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/17/41.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 40 COM 7B.90, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
3. Commends the State Party for the leadership demonstrated in strengthening international cooperation to address illegal logging and trade of Siamese Rosewood and its efforts to halt illegal logging in the property, in collaboration with international partners, and encourages the State Party to continue its efforts to implement the Action Plan to Prevent and Suppress Illegal Logging and Trade of Siamese Rosewood in Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex 2014-2019 (hereafter “the Action Plan”) and further strengthen international cooperation, in particular on law enforcement and prosecution of cases;
4. Considers that, following the completion of the Action Plan in 2019, an improvement in the situation regarding illegal logging of Siamese Rosewood should be convincingly demonstrated by the Committee’s 44th session in 2020, and also considers that, if at any time there is evidence that the situation deteriorates or that other valuable species start to be targeted by logging or poaching, this would represent a potential danger to the property, in accordance with Paragraph 180 of the Operational Guidelines;
5. Noting with appreciation that no new cases of resort development have been recorded inside the property since December 2014, as well as the progress reported with ongoing cases and with the restoration of encroached land, requests the State Party to continue to implement the recommendations made by the 2014 Reactive Monitoring mission regarding encroachment and to report specifically on progress achieved;
6. Also notes with appreciation the State Party’s commitment and efforts to avoid any negative impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property from the ongoing expansion of Highway 304 and the construction of the Huay Samong Dam;
7. Notes with concern that the expansion of Highway 348 and the construction of the Huay Satone dam within the property are still being proposed, and also requests the State Party to assess alternatives to the expansion of Highway 348 that would avoid negative impacts on OUV, and to permanently cancel plans for any construction of dams with reservoirs inside the property’s boundaries, including the Huay Satone and the Lam Prayathan dam projects;
8. Further requests the State Party to fully implement all the recommendations of the 2016 Reactive Monitoring mission;
9. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2018, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for evaluation by the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, and if, in their opinion, progress is insufficient, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 42nd session in 2018;
10. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2019, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and on progress towards achieving the targets of the Action Plan, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020.