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After its beautiful and uplifting smartphone photos circulated on Thai social media, Ban Nam Rad watershed forest in Surat Thani's Khiri Rat Nikhom district has become a popular attraction in recent months, attracting at least 1,000 visitors a day.
The
clear-water pond, about the size of a standard swimming pool, is
supplied by a natural spring that the locals also believe to be holy.
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On behalf of the local community volunteers who oversee and take
care of the attraction, Tambon Ban Tamniab kamnan Sujin Nakbumrung said:
“We don't collect any fee from tourists but require them to sign a
daily registration book before entering, in order to assess the best way
to improve the forest conservation.
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“We also ask that tourists
adhere to regulations which include the ban on food, soap, shampoo and
alcohol drinks. Some areas of the forest are also restricted, so as to
keep this 2,000-rai forestland fertile and its wildlife and plants
protected.”
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He said they intended to make Ban Nam Rad watershed forest a model of conservation tourism.
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