Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation

The Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), Thai: กรมอุทยานแห่งชาติ สัตว์ป่า และพันธุ์พืช) is an agency of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. Its headquarters are in Chatuchak District, Bangkok.[1] Since February 2016 the director-general of the DNP has been Thanya Netithammakun.[2] In FY2018 DNP's budget is 11,574 million baht.[3]

Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation
กรมอุทยานแห่งชาติ สัตว์ป่า และพันธุ์พืช
Seal of the Forest Angel, holding a sword and a magnifying glass
Agency overview
Formed3 October 2002
JurisdictionGovernment of Thailand
HeadquartersBangkok, Thailand
Annual budget11,574 million baht (2018)
385 million USD
Agency executive
  • Thunya Netithamkul, Director-General
Parent departmentMinistry of Natural Resources and Environment
Websiteportal.dnp.go.th

History

The DNP was established in 2002,[2] assuming management of Thailand's national parks previously managed by the Royal Forest Department of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Financials

DNP income is derived from entrance fees at national parks. As of 2016, admission to national parks is 60 baht for Thais and 300 baht for foreigners. During the first 11 months of its 2016 fiscal year starting October 2015, DNP revenues totaled 1.82 billion baht, almost doubling as compared with 2015. Revenue in 2011 was 496 million baht. It declined to 366 million baht in 2012, a year of severe flooding in Thailand. The figure rose to 622 million baht in 2013, 696 million baht in 2014, and 896 million baht in 2015. Officials attribute the sharp increase in FY2016 to more visitors, especially Chinese tourists, and more staff assigned to collect entrance fees.[2]

Initiatives

In mid-2018, DNP launched a program to ban plastic bags, Styrofoam containers, plastic cutlery, and plastic straws in Thailand's 154 national parks. The initial goal is to reduce plastic waste by three million pieces. Park vendors may not use plastics and park visitors will be prohibited from bringing single-use plastic items into the parks.[4]

See also

List of national parks of Thailand

References
  1. "Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation [sic]". Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation [sic].
  2. Karnjanatawe, Karnjana (26 September 2016). "A lack of green" (Editorial). Bangkok Post. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  3. Thailand's Budget in Brief Fiscal Year 2018. Bangkok: Bureau of the Budget (Thailand). 27 December 2017. p. 87. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  4. "Department readies for purge of plastic waste". Bangkok Post. 7 August 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2018.


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