Decision 47 COM 7B.14

Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex (Thailand)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/25/47.COM/7B.Add.2,
2. Recalling Decisions 41 COM 7B.32, 44 COM 7B.97 and 45 COM 7B.19 adopted at its 41st (Krakow, 2017), extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) and extended 45th (Riyadh, 2023) sessions respectively,
3. Notes the actions undertaken by the State Party to continue cooperation and knowledge exchange at the national, transnational (with the State Party of Cambodia) and regional level (under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and CITES frameworks) to combat illegal trade in flora and fauna, including of Siamese Rosewood, and encourages its continued efforts in this regard;
4. Welcomes the reported decline in illegal logging of Siamese Rosewood between 2014 and 2024 by 94% in identified cases and 98% in the confiscated volume of timber, which is a testament to the dedicated management efforts to addressing this persistent threat to the property, and requests the State Party to continue providing adequate and stable resources for the property as a whole, including for the protection of Siamese Rosewood in line with the five-year Action Plan (2023-2027), to ensure that a resurgence in these incidents does not occur;
5. Reiterates its concern regarding ongoing considerations for the potential reduction in size of the Thap Lan National Park (TLNP) component part of the property, and recalls that undertaking a boundary revision at the domestic level with the potential to have a significant impact on the extent of the property or affect its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) prior to developing and submitting a Significant Boundary Modification to the World Heritage Centre, in line with the Operational Guidelines, and its subsequent approval by the World Heritage Committee, may lead to the property being faced with major threats which could have deleterious effects on its inherent characteristics, in accordance with Paragraph180(b) of the Operational Guidelines, and that any creation of buffer zones should also be approved by the World Heritage Committee in accordance with Paragraph 107 of the Operational Guidelines;
6. Notes with appreciation the efforts underway to develop a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the property, involving independent SEA coaching provided by the Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment (NCEA), and also requests the State Party to proceed with the SEA according to the proposed timeline and project guidelines;
7. Also notes the State Party’s assurance that the construction of all dams proposed within and adjacent to the property remains suspended pending the completion of the SEA and its review by IUCN, and recalls again its previously stated position that dams with large reservoirs within property boundaries are not compatible with World Heritage status and should be permanently cancelled, in line with Decision 40 COM 7;
8. Notes with concern that a detailed study on the expansion of Highway 348, which crosses the Ta Phraya National Park and Dong Yai Wildlife Sanctuary component parts of the property, is being carried out with the intent to propose a design plan by November 2025, despite the request in Decision 41 COM 7B.32 and commitment by the State Party to consider alternatives to the proposed expansion to avoid potential negative impacts on the OUV of the property, and therefore urges the State Party to undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), in line with the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context prior to making any decision that would be difficult to reverse, and submit the EIA to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN;
9. Also notes with appreciation updated information on the increase in the tiger population in the country and implementation of the 1st Thailand Tiger Action Plan (2010-2022), and also encourages the State Party to continue its efforts through implementation of the 2nd Action Plan (2022-2034), particularly with regards to the three natural World Heritage properties in Thailand, given the endangered status of this species that is recognized as part of the OUV of all three properties;
10. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2026, 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 49th session.