New Year crowds surge at national parks, topping 500,000 in two days; Khao Yai ranks No.1
Thailand’s national parks welcomed more than 500,000 visitors on December 31, 2025 and January 1, 2026, with Khao Yai the most visited on New Year’s Day, the Department of National Parks reported.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) reported a lively tourism atmosphere across national parks nationwide during the New Year holiday period (December 31, 2025 to January 1, 2026), with large numbers of visitors heading outdoors.
The DNP said a total of 500,187 people visited natural attractions during the two-day period, comprising 229,326 visitors on New Year’s Eve and 270,861 on New Year’s Day.
Although Thai visitors and vehicles were granted free entry during the New Year festival (December 31, 2025 to January 4, 2026), the DNP said 107 national parks were still able to collect certain service fees, generating a combined 13,572,446 baht in circulating income—highlighting continued interest in conservation-focused tourism.
To ensure safety and convenience, 156 national parks nationwide stepped up monitoring and staff readiness. Over the past two days, officials handled 43 incidents involving accidents and medical emergencies, providing first aid on site and coordinating transfers to hospitals in a timely manner.
Top five most-visited national parks on January 1, 2026
- Khao Yai National Park – 60,235 visitors
- Doi Inthanon National Park – 21,042 visitors
- Khlong Lan National Park – 19,008 visitors
- Phu Lan Kha National Park – 15,714 visitors
- Erawan National Park – 14,647 visitors
The DNP thanked visitors for practising responsible tourism and urged those planning to visit to study travel routes in advance, follow officials’ instructions strictly, and inform staff of any underlying health conditions at service points before entering park areas, to help ensure a safe and enjoyable visit.
