Khao Yai Park Requires Permits for Forest Foraging
Khao Yai National Park now requires permits and training for all forest foragers due to safety risks from wildlife encounters and people getting lost in the vast terrain. The new rules ban nighttime foraging and mandate registration to prev
Nakhon Ratchasima's Khao Yai National Park has announced that all foragers must obtain permits before collecting forest products and mushrooms. Large groups of villagers have been continuously entering the park, raising safety concerns about people getting lost or encountering wild animals such as elephants and wild cattle found near village boundaries. The park is establishing proper authorization procedures for collecting mushrooms and forest products to ensure community safety.
Pravatsat Jantheep, director of Khao Yai National Park, explained that the new regulations must carefully address multiple concerns, including understanding terrain, proper forest conduct, sustainable harvesting practices, and limiting the number of foragers. Since collectors come from diverse areas including Nakhon Ratchasima, Buriram, Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, and Eastern provinces, enforcement is challenging. The park will implement awareness campaigns and develop long-term strategies over 2–3 years, such as promoting tree nurseries and mushroom cultivation in surrounding communities to reduce forest pressure.
Immediate measures include strict prohibitions: no foraging between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., no weapons or loud noises (which disturb wildlife and provoke elephants), no off-road vehicles, and mandatory registration before entry to prevent getting lost and enable rescues. All foragers must obtain a permit card through mandatory training at the park office, with registration opening August 13, 2025.
