Khwae Noi

Khwae Noi National Park covers about 198 km² of mountains in northern Phitsanulok Province, across Chat Trakan, Nakhon Thai, Wang Thong and Wat Bot districts. It was formerly called Kaeng Chet Khwae National Park^[1].

Mammals include Asian palm civet, langur, Malayan porcupine, barking deer, wild boar and macaques. Birds include the Indochinese roller and white-throated kingfisher, and Bengal monitor is among the reptiles^[1].

Forest types are mixed deciduous, dipterocarp, hill evergreen and dry evergreen. Trees include teak, Dipterocarpus alatus, Hopea odorata, Xylia xylocarpa and Pterocarpus macrocarpus^[1].

The terrain is long, complex mountain ranges with steep valleys and rocky, rugged ground^[1].

Northern Phitsanulok has hot, rainy and cool seasons, and the waterfalls run strongest in the rains.

The park lies in the upper Phitsanulok highlands, on the headwaters of the Khwae Noi River, where the Khwae Noi Bamrung Dan dam and reservoir were built^[1].

The park incorporates Kaeng Chet Khwae Forest Park and three national reserved forests: Khwae Noi in Wat Bot, Suan Miang in Chat Trakan and Khao Krayang in Nakhon Thai and Wang Thong. Since 2002 it has been managed by Region 11 (Phitsanulok) of the national parks department^[1].

Attractions include Kaeng Pu Ten, a nine-tiered waterfall, Kaeng Suea (five tiers), the hot waterfall Pu Daeng Ron, Sam Takhian Waterfall, the Kaeng Chet Khwae nature trail and the Khwae Noi Bamrung Dan reservoir^[1].

The park lies in Phitsanulok Province, and it recorded 5,692 visitors in fiscal year 2019^[1].

The park is an IUCN Category II area run by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, protecting mountain forest above the Khwae Noi reservoir^[1].