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Celebrating Earth Heritage

Satun UNESCO Global Geopark is located exclusively in the Satun province of southern Thailand. The Geopark covers four districts (i.e. Thungwa, La-ngu, Manang, and part of Mueang Satun) including two national parks and one wildlife sanctuary. Altitudes reach up to 732 m and temperatures range between 23°C and 34°C. Mountains and foothills characterize the eastern and northern areas, while beaches and coastal islands dominate the Andaman Sea part of the Geopark.

Famously referred to as the ‘Land of Palaeozoic fossils’, the area is renowned, in both Thailand and the whole of Southeast Asia, for its abundance and high diversity of fossil species as well as for the oldest succession of fossils including trilobites, brachiopods, stromatolites, conodonts, graptolites, tentaculites and nautiloids.

The Cambrian trilobite fossils of Tarutao Island are the oldest in the Thai-Malay Peninsula and the volcanic ash layers allow for absolute dating of the late Cambrian trilobite biostratigraphy.

One new genus and five species of Cambrian trilobites were discovered here, as well as the fascinating red stromatolites. A significant amount of evidence in the area supports the evolution theory of the Old-World Realm in which Shan-Thai formed as a part of peri-Gondwana terranes.

Prasat Hin Panyod is probably the most important geosite of the Geopark. The outstanding geological features of this site are characterised by a spectacular pinnacle karst landscape, including a stunning sea cave and hidden lagoon, which tourist can visit by kayak.

read more: http://www.unesco....and/satun/