March 11, 2023 at Supannika Room Rachawadee Resort and Hotel, Muang District, Khon Kaen – Asst. Prof. Araya Chaoruangrit, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Technology, Khon Kaen University; together with Asst. Prof. Kiattisak Sornpirom, Head of the Department of Geological Technology; Assoc. Prof. Rungrote Atwet, Ph.D.; and Asst. Prof. Wimonthip Singthuan, Ph.D.; lecturers from the Department of Geological Technology attended the seminar and workshop on the means for deployment of Khon Kaen Geological Park and for the Park to receive evaluation to become a NESCO’s Geological Park. The event was organized by Khon Kaen Provincial Administrative Organization, Khon Kaen Geological Park, and Office of Geological Resources Area 2, Khon Kaen and the provincial and national collaborating networks, both governmental and private, that are involved in the deployment of Khon Kaen Geological Park. The objective was to prepare the Park to be evaluated as a national Geological Park under UNESCO.
Mr. Tinnakorn Thathong, an inspector general of the Department of Geological Resources revealed that the good news came at the beginning of last week that Thailand has been confirmed by the UNESCO Committee, for Khon Kaen Geological Park to be an issue of the meeting of the World Geological Park Council. It is expected that at the middle of the year, there will be a meeting of the field evaluators before finalization and approval. If our Park is approved, a formal announcement will be made by the UNESCO Committee. Khon Kaen Geological Park is a site with collections of international valuable geological heritages. It is also linked with other natural, historical, and archaeological resources, and has been preserved and developed for appropriate usefulness and sustainability. The administration of the Park is of a participatory system by all involved sectors. The area measures 1,038 square kilometers covering Phu Wiang mountainous area. The outstanding feature is its dinosaur valley that is the initial place of geological tourism and the dinosaur tourism route of the region, which is under the Isan geological science tourism development zone that covers areas in Khon Kaen, Chayaphum, Nong Bualampoo and Kalasin.
Chumporn Para