Hey everyone! As a local Thai runner, I’m always excited to see our trail running scene grow. Recently, I came across the promo for the Wild Race National Park Trail Series: Kaeng Krachan. At first glance, running through a UNESCO World Heritage forest sounded like an absolute dream, so I decided to dig into the race details and the route map.
However, after looking closely at where the course actually goes, I found some pretty serious issues regarding environmental impact and participant safety that concern our community.
The race takes place along the Ban Krang to Phanoen Thung route—the ecological heart of Kaeng Krachan. Between KM 15 and KM 18, the trail crosses several shallow streams and natural salt licks that wildlife rely on daily for essential nutrients.
- Habitat Damage: Splashing through stream crossings trample delicate micro-habitats, amphibians, and butterfly feeding grounds.
- Sensory Overload: Noise from footsteps, chatter, and cowbells combined with scents (sweat, repellent, sunscreen, gels) severely stress wildlife.
- Wildlife Displacement: Biologists warn this disturbance can permanently scare species like tapirs, dusky langurs, and leopards away from critical watering grounds.
On any normal day, this exact route is strictly regulated. Professional wildlife researchers must go through months of rigorous paperwork with the Department of National Parks just to study the area. Even when approved, they require close ranger escorts at all times to avoid disturbing habitats.
It presents a stark irony: trained scientists require extensive paperwork and escort supervision to step foot in the corridor, yet an event allows thousands of runners to navigate the same sensitive area simultaneously without direct oversight.
Trail races start early in the morning and extend into late afternoon—matching the prime foraging hours for large wildlife active in this territory, including wild elephants, gaur (wild bison), sun bears, and leopards.
Tourists driving this road are restricted to vehicles and prohibited from using horns near wildlife. A foot runner, exhausted at KM 20 rounding a blind corner, faces significant danger if startling a wild animal in dense jungle with no clear escape routes.
Putting Conservation First
We all love trail running because it connects us with nature, and nobody in our community wants to harm the wild places we cherish.
Because of how fragile this specific route is, I gently ask you to reconsider signing up for this event. If you have already registered, consider withdrawing or skipping the race (DNS) to demonstrate that the running community prioritizes conservation and safety over competition.
Thailand offers many incredible, sustainable trail races where we can challenge ourselves safely without endangering World Heritage ecosystems. 🙏🏃♀️✨