Zai Thong National Park
Zai Thong National Park is Chaiyaphum’s another well known national park with highlands pilling up in alternation with forest hills creating an all season fine scenery. But in the rainy season, apart from the magnificent fresh and green forest, the Krachial flowers both in purplish pink and white will bloom all over the field. The local call this field Tung Dok Bua Sawan. Let’s come to experience the dawn atmosphere here and you will feel like you are in the dreamland.
Same as at Amphoe Thep Sathit’s Pa Hin Ngam, Chaiyaphum exists the land of Dok Krachial as a large field in Amphoe Nong Bua Rawheh. The Zai Thong National Park on the same Phu Pang Hoey Range and Dok Krachiao here will be blooming all over the field at the same time as at Pa Hin Ngam with equal beauty. But the difference between Zai Thong National Park and Pa Hin Ngam is that here you have to work for a distance of not less than 2 kilometers through the foggy jungle skirting by the cliff towards a number of flower fields Tung Dok Krachiao. In the foggy days you will experience the forest in whole white.
Zai Thong National Park with an area of 319 square kilometers covers Chaiyaphum’s at Amphoe Nhong Bua Rahweh, Thep Sathit, Pakdi Chumphon and Nhong Bua Daeng and connected with National Park of Pa Hin Ngam and Phu Land Kha. It is made up of forestland on the mountain ranges of Praya Phor and Pang Hoey that pile up forming the magnificent landscape. In the rainy season, the hill evergreen forest Teng Rang and thick forest will be wet and green making this place so beautiful with Krachiao flowers that bloom all over the field.
Zai Thong has natural sights and adventurous activities for tourists to choose with two places that can be reached by 4WD trucks, Tung Bua Swan or Tung Dok Krachiao all together four fields; three of which are of purplish pink and while four is of white.
Start at the morning setting is the most beautiful, taking about 2 to 3 hours walk to get through all fields. Then other is Pah Ham Hod in the same area of Tung Bua Sawan. This is a hill ridge at the highest point of Pang Hoey Range about 860 meters above average sea level with a protruding rock as far as 1 meter making it the most thrilling spot. A cliff roping activity is possible for a distance of 50 meters.
For those who love walking to study nature, Zai Thong National Park offers a 2.5 kilometers nature study route (Namtok Zai Thong to Namtok Chunchom) is not too difficult one for bird-watching and floral viewing under shady trees and shooting sound of falling water form two waterfalls, Namtok Zai Thong ideal for a swim in a large basin, and Namtok Chunchom is good for relaxing by the nature.
On the Highway number 225 from entrance to Zai Thong National Park towards Nakhon Sawan for about 15 kilometers is another attraction Panghoey Viewpoint, a top for the drive and a place to view the most beautiful sunset in Nhong Bua Rahweh.
Travel Details for Zai Thong National Park
Location: Amphoe Nhongbua Rahweh, Chaiyaphum.Good time to go: Rainy season’s late June to mid August.
How to get there: From Bangkok, go along Highway number 1 through Saraburi onto Baan Phu Khae and take a right turn onto Highway number 21 towards Amphoe Chaibadan, then take Highway number 205 passing Lamsonthi Sub-district. About 1 kilometer before Amphoe Thep Sathit, turn left onto Highway number 2354 past Pa Hin Ngam National Park onto Amphoe Na Yang Klak for about 63 kilometers and take another left turn at Amphoe Zub Monkol where Highway number 225 is found. Turn right and go further for about 13 kilometers to reach the entrance to Zai Thong National Park.
Where to stay: Zai Thong National Park:
Six big lodges for 8 to 9 persons each from 2,000 to 2,700 baht/night. Rental of tents with bedding set around 250 to 500 baht/night. And 30 baht/person for night service fee for own tents. For one seminar room for 100 persons is cost about 500 baht/night.
Khao Pan Hoey Viewpoint Lodges: Far away from Zai Thong National Park Headquarters about 30 kilometers. There are four-room bungalows for 6 persons at 500 baht/night; and 3 rooms, 2 bathrooms and big lodges at 1,700 baht/night.
