Khao Sok
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Khao Sok National Park | |
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IUCN Category II (National Park) | |
Location: | Thailand |
Nearest city: | Surat Thani |
Coordinates: | |
Area: | 739 km² |
Established: | December 22, 1980 |
Khao Sok national park (Thai: เขาสก) is located in Surat Thani province in Thailand. Its land area is 739 km², and it includes the Chiao Lan reservoir dammed by the Ratchaprapha dam. The park comprises the largest area of virgin forest in Southern Thailand and is a remnant of rainforest which is older and more diverse than the Amazon Rainforest.
It is perhaps most famous for the Bua Phut (Rafflesia kerrii) flower which grows within the park. In addition to its exotic flora, Khao Sok is inhabited by a wide variety of animals, including gibbons and barking deer.
The 94 m high Ratchaprapha dam was built in 1982 at the Khlong Saeng River, a tributary of the Phum Duang River.