Thung Sam Roi Yod Wetlands:
Thung Sam Roi Yot Wetlands on the Gulf of
Thailand is internationally important because of its
combination of freshwater marsh and coastal wetlands, which
is rare in Thailand and in the Malayan Rainforest
biogeographic region. In addition, the Site supports the
largest area of marshland including Phragmites karka
reedbeds in Thailand. The freshwater marsh is a biodiversity
hotspot with at least 292 plants species in 233 genera, 92
families including 174 aquatic plant species. Moreover, the
marsh supports at least 113 wildlife species including at
least 41 freshwater fish species. Many of the species
recorded are included in the IUCN Red List, with globally
endangered species such as the Afzelia xylocarpa tree, the yellow-headed
tortoise Indotestudo
elongata and the fishing cat Prionailurus viverrinus.
The local people (about 5,000 households as of 2007) are
heavily dependent on the marsh for its freshwater fisheries,
seasonal wild food gathering, crop growing, grazing grounds
and water for livestock. Aquaculture is becoming
increasingly important, as is tourism given the wide variety
of natural attractions at the Site. To get a better view of
the wetlands, please take the virtual tour below
Virtual Reality Tour
for VR HeadsetsThere is also a version of this tour that works with VR headsets (such as Google Cardboard) and it runs on both iPhones and Android phones. It may be accessed by scanning the QR code to the left. If you are viewing this on a smartphone, you may access the tour by clicking on this link.
For iOS devices: scan QR code with device camera app, tap on prompt to open Safari, select "allow device motion" and on the next prompt "allow access to motion orientation." Turn device to landscape mode and a split screen will appear. When the screen turns white, swipe up for fullscreen and place device in headset. Here is a video of how to do this--it is simpler than it sounds! [Video opens in a separate window-close window to return to page]
For Android devices: use the phone's camera to scan the QR code, and then select the tour you want to visit. Wait for the tour to load. Tour will appear in a split screen, and tap on the "X" and the bottom menu to go fullscreen. Turn the phone to portrait mode, place in headset and enjoy the tour. Here is a video on how to do it--it is simpler than it sounds! [Video opens in a separate window-close window to return to page]
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