Weighing up the balance: the Phu Kradueng cable car project
The government’s 28-million-baht project to construct an electric cable car at Phu Kradueng, a well-known tourist attraction in the mountains of Loei province, hit a snag on Monday after the Cabinet postponed the decision to greenlight the project pending further study.
The Phu Kradueng National Park is located in Loei’s Phu Kradueng district. It stretches over 348.13 square kilometres with several mountain peaks ranging from 400 to 1,300 metres in altitude.
The project to construct a cable car system to reach one of the peaks was first proposed in 1996 and has been studied several times since, but remains in limbo due to opposing views from several related parties.
The Nation will take you to explore the pros and cons of the project based on a study conducted in 2000 by the Royal Forest Department, the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, and private company Team Consulting Engineering and Management Ltd.
Pros of Phu Kradueng cable car
- Make the park more accessible to tourists of all ages and physical conditions
- Reduce the environmental impacts of hiking
- Help in the transport of injured persons or patients to ensure timely treatment
- Promote tourism and the local economy of communities around the park
- Help park officials’ patrols to enhance environmental protection and prevent encroachment
- The cable car could also be used for transporting garbage from mountaintops for proper disposal
Cons of Phu Kradueng cable car
- Affect the income of porters
- Prone to monopoly in services
- Potential negative impact on the park’s scenery and wildlife
- May put an end to trekking, an activity that makes Phu Kradueng a famous attraction
- May end up costing more than the budget for construction and maintenance
- Increase burden on park officials due to increased visitors
Obstacles to the construction of the cable car system
- The construction may violate the National Park Act and related regulations
- Parts of the park near the construction area are classified as water resource zones, thus necessitating cabinet approval and environmental studies before the work can begin
- The park itself still lacks the infrastructure necessary for users of a cable car
