Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries
Factors affecting the property in 1999*
- Fire (widlfires)
- Management systems/ management plan
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Fires affecting Thailand and other countries in the region
- Need for greater involvement of local people in the management of the site
International Assistance: requests for the property until 1999
Total amount approved : 20,000 USD
| 1998 | Reviewing fire management policy in the conservation of ... (Approved) | 20,000 USD |
Missions to the property until 1999**
Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 1999
Summary of previous deliberations: At its twenty-second extraordinary session (November 1998), the Bureau was informed of fires that had affected Thailand and other countries in the region. The Bureau learned that the Chairperson had approved a sum of US$ 20,000 for a project on research, training and raising awareness of local people on forest fire prevention and control in and around this site. The project foresees the implementation of joint activities by site staff and representatives of local communities in forest fire prevention and control during the dry season that would begin after November 1998. The Bureau requested the Centre, IUCN and the State Party to co-operate to ensure the timely implementation of the project to review and revise the forest fire management policy of this site and to elaborate a forest fire management policy that solicits the co-operation of local people. The Bureau invited the State Party to submit a report on the outcome of fire management practices that may be tested out during the forthcoming dry season for the consideration of the twenty-third session of the Bureau. At its twenty-second session (Kyoto, 1998), the Committee received a report from the Delegate of Thailand (included as Annex V of the Report of the Committee) which noted that the fires damaged only a small part of this site and are integral to the ecology of the dry dipterocarp forests within the site.
New information: A progress report on the fire control and prevention project, being implemented with the US$ 20,000 grant from the World Heritage Fund, is awaited.
Action Required
The Bureau may wish to review the contents of the report that may be available at the time of its session and take appropriate decisions thereupon.
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 1999
Previous deliberations:
Twenty-second session of the Committee – Chapter VII. 27
Twenty-third ordinary session of the Bureau – Chapter IV. 40
New information: At its twenty-third ordinary session in July 1999, the Delegate of Thailand indicated that he would report on the project to review the fire-management policy of the site at the time of the twenty-third extraordinary session of the Bureau in November 1999. IUCN has also informed the Centre that it will report on its implementation of an initiative on forestfire management at the time of the extraordinary session of the Bureau with a view to highlighting potantial applications of the initiative to this World Heritage property.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 1999
23 BUR IV.B.40
Thung Yai-Huay Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries (Thailand)
At its twenty-second extraordinary session, the Bureau was informed of fires that had affected Thailand and other countries in the region. The Bureau learned that the Chairperson had approved a sum of US$ 20,000 for a project on research, training and raising awareness of local people on forest fire prevention and control in and around this site. The project foresees the implementation of joint activities by site staff and representatives of local communities in forest fire prevention and control during the dry season that would begin after November 1998. The Bureau requested the Centre, IUCN and the State Party to co-operate to ensure the timely implementation of the project to review and revise the forest fire management policy of this site with a view to soliciting the co-operation of local people.
The Observer of Thailand pointed out an error in the working document, drawing attention to the fact that this site has never received emergency assistance from the Fund in the past and that the Thailand site that received such assistance was the cultural site of Ayutthaya. He continued by informing the Bureau that the beginning of the project to revise the fire management policy for the site was delayed due to late receipt of funds. Project implementation has been sub-contracted to Kaesetsart University of Thailand and a preliminary report describing the background and history of problems to be addressed by the project has been received by the National World Heritage Committee of Thailand. A second report on the progress in the implementation of the project is due in October 1999; the project is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year with the final report due by December 1999. A representative of IUCN informed the Bureau that IUCN’s Forestry Programme is launching a special initiative on forest fire management and that IUCN will explore opportunities to facilitate Thailand’s efforts to review fire management policy in this World Heritage site.
The Representative of Thailand informed the Bureau that he would report on the progress in project implementation at the twenty-third extraordinary session of the Bureau in November 1999.
The Bureau, based on new information due to be reported at the time of its twenty-third extraordinary session may take decisions and make recommendations as appropriate.
ThailandExports
* :
The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).
** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.
