Hanoi (VNA) - Thailand plans to set up rescue centres in seven national parks throughout the country, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Surasak Kanchanarat said on December 26.
The planned rescue centers will be established in seven major national parks to provide emergency assistance and rescue missions for any visitors in trouble, either Thai or foreigners, Surasak said.
He assured that the planned centers will use modern rescue equipment, such as helicopters and ambulances, to ensure optimum safety of the visitors.
The benefited national parks include Khao Yai national park in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima, Doi Inthanon national park in the northern province of Chiang Mai and those on tourist islands in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand off the southern provinces of Krabi, Phang Nga and Surat Thani, among others. They are largely viewed as favorite tourist destinations by many foreign visitors.
About 20 million Thai and foreign people are expected to visit all 147 national parks throughout 2018, compared to about 18 million people this year.
More rescue centers will be set up in other national parks in the following years.
The national parks collect a combined 2.4 billion baht (about 72.7 million USD) in revenue from admission fees and other incomes a year.-VNA