FULBRIGHT RESEARCH REPORT TROPICAL FOREST/NATIONAL PARK ADMINISTRATION AND TRAINING IN THAILAND

Abstract

From July 19, 1988 to March 31, 1989, the writer served as Senior Fulbright Research Scholar, South East Asia Region, where he did research on tropical forest administration and training in Thailand. Interviews with scores of park staff, forest monks, local residents, tourists and forestry scholars detailed a variety of concerns, among those being park security and protection from illegal encroachment. The author offers recommendations for national parks in the areas of administration and training, naturalist interpretive programs, nature tourism and Buddhist forest monasteries. (Note: Though the research included trips to Indonesia and Malaysia, this article will limit its scope to discussion of parks in Thailand.)