Visitors return to Thanbok Khoranee as Krabi’s ecological treasure emerges from lockdown

“The national park has set up screening checkpoints to limit the visitors to a maximum 490 persons per round,” said Krabi Governor Kittibodi Prawit, after his safety inspection this week.
The reopening of the park and other local attractions is expected to boost Krabi’s economy, which is heavily reliant on foreign tourists and has been hit hard by the Covid-19 lockdown.
“Park staff were instructed to clean crowded areas every two hours and monitor visitors closely. No swimming, smoking or drinking alcohol is allowed in the park at the moment.”
Thanbok Khoranee National Park covers 120 square kilometres of limestone caves and evergreen and mangrove forest along Krabi’s coastline.

“During more than two months of the Covid-19 shutdown, the park’s nature and wildlife have begun to revive,” added the governor. “It is important to limit visitor numbers to ensure that the natural balance and wildlife are not disturbed. The park offers a small number of lodgings, while camping is allowed in specific areas only.”
Meanwhile, tourists are also back at Krabi’s popular Ao Nang beaches, which were unlocked from lockdown earlier this month. Local resident Navaporn Chuchaisong, 56, said most of the beachgoers were Thais, with foreigners still a rare sight. “Most of the [few foreigners] are stranded in Thailand due to the Covid-19 situation and unable to return home yet,” she added.