Decision 44 COM 7B.97

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

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7B.90 and 41 COM 7B.32, adopted at its 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and 41st (Krakow, 2017) sessions respectively,
3. Commends the State Party for its continued active leadership in enhancing international cooperation on illegal logging and trade of Siamese Rosewood;
4. Notes with satisfaction that the implementation of the Action Plan to Prevent and Suppress Illegal Logging and Trade of Siamese Rosewood in Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex 2014-2019 has reportedly resulted in a reduction of recorded cases relating to the illegal logging of Siamese Rosewood;
5. Requests the State Party to redefine the indicators for the Action Plan, ensuring adequate means of verification to accurately measure the effectiveness of its implementation, as per the recommendations of the 2016 Reactive Monitoring mission;
6. Appreciates the State Party’s commitment to develop a new joint Action Plan on Protected Areas and Transboundary Biodiversity Conservation Landscape Management (2019-2022) in cooperation with Cambodia and other international partners, and encourages the States Parties to ensure that the current cooperative efforts are sustained;
7. Also notes with satisfaction that no new case of resort development has been recorded inside the property, and that the process to amend the National Park Act and the Wildlife Protection and Reservation Act has been initiated to improve community participation in protected area management, and also requests the State Party to closely monitor how this new legislation may affect the integrity of the property and ensure that appropriate measures are taken to continue preventing any illegal encroachment within the property;
8. Further notes with satisfaction the State Party’s continued commitment and efforts to avoid any negative impact on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property from the ongoing expansion of Highway 304 and the construction of the Huay Samong Dam, and further requests the State Party to ensure that the mitigation measures and monitoring of impacts continue in the post-construction phase to mitigate any adverse impact on the property’s OUV;
9. Welcomes the Cabinet resolution to halt the further expansion of Highway 348 and seek alternative options to review the necessity and suitability of constructing dams and reservoirs inside the property and to cancel the Lam Prayathan dam project in view of potential negative impacts on the OUV of the property, but notes with utmost concern reports of the renewed development of several dam projects within and adjacent to the property, and reiterates its request to the State Party to permanently cancel plans for any construction of dams with reservoirs inside the property’s boundaries;
10. Requests furthermore the State Party to undertake a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the river basin, including the property, to inform management and future development proposals at the basin level, and that any proposals for dam projects around the property that may impact on its OUV be suspended until the SEA has been completed and reviewed by the World Heritage Centre and IUCN;
11. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 45th session.