Umphang

Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary covers 2,590 km² in Umphang District of Tak Province on the Myanmar border, and is part of the Western Forest Complex. It is famous for Thi Lo Su, the largest waterfall in Thailand, and is an IUCN category Ia strict nature reserve^[1].

Mammals include clouded leopard, Malayan tapir, mainland serow, Indochinese tiger, Asian elephant, silvery lutung and northern pig-tailed macaque. Birds include wreathed and great hornbills, and reptiles include the impressed tortoise, Asian forest tortoise, elongated tortoise and Burmese and reticulated pythons. The endangered Blyth's river frog is also recorded^[1].

The sanctuary has tropical rain forest and deciduous forest^[1].

The terrain is mostly mountainous, from 80 to 2,152 m above sea level^[1]. The Mae Klong and Mae Chan rivers rise here and join in neighbouring Thung Yai Naresuan to form the upper Khwae Yai^[2].

The weather is rather cold, and becomes really cold from November to February. Thi Lo Su is most spectacular from July to November^[1].

Thi Lo Su is a Karen name meaning "black waterfall"^[1].

The area was announced as a wildlife sanctuary in 1989 and is managed by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation^[1].

Thi Lo Su has multiple falls, streams and pools, flows all year and lies about 3 km from the sanctuary office. Pi Tu Kro, described as heart-shaped and the highest waterfall in Thailand, and Thi Lo Re on the boundary with Thung Yai Naresuan are also in the sanctuary^[1].

The sanctuary office lies near Thi Lo Su, and the nearest city is Mae Sot^[1].

Umphang is a watershed for the Mae Klong and Khwae Yai rivers, which flow south through Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi and Samut Songkhram. It borders Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary and several national parks, and forms part of the Western Forest Complex^[1].