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Trekking (hiking) guide |
Additional info on safety and jungle survival
The following information are taken from various publications and our own experiences for nature walking
in the forest of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos. Whenever
you are in a national park, visit the information room to check
for the rules and regulations plus curent weather and forest situations.
For park reservations or further information about Thailand's
national parks visitors should contact the followings:
Royal Forestry Department in Bangkok
Phone : +66-2-561 4292 / 3 Ext. 722
Chief of National Parks
Phone: +66-2-503 1516
Tips and rules
Remember if you walk a relatively long trail in a national park inform the office ahead.
For all overnight treks in the jungle you must inform the park office, and walk with a park's ranger.
If you walk pass the hilltribe villages always inform the head man when you arrive a
village. This is for your safety, and in the village the head man or his assistant will arrange the place for
you to sleep.
Weather
Textbooks generally say we have three seasons or climates:
Hot season from February to June
Rainy season from June to October/November
Cool months from November to February
The current weather conditions and forecast should be checked with the meterological department
and local people. The period of each season differ from region to region.
Flooding (2007) is now a normal occurance during the rainy season till the middle or
last week of October in several parts of the country. Jungle walking can be done any month of the year if
the place to trek and camp are selected carefully. Always consult the knowledgable local people.
Thailand Meterological Department (Call center 1182)
Dress
Even in the hot season, nights can be cool or even cold at higher
elevations. Thus a light sweater or jacket are in order along
with a sleeping bag. A thick jacket and heavy sweaters are advisable
in the cool season when temperatures in northern Thailand and
elsewhere may plummet to near freezing. For daytime wear, long
pants and a long sleeved cotton shirt are recommended to prevent
scratches and cuts from jungle foliage. So are a hat, good socks
and sun glasses. Sneakers are fine during the dry months but
in the monsoon season water proof boots are better, along with
some light rain gear.
Normally we would recommend to bring a pair of strong walking shoes with good gripping power
and a pair of sandals. During wet season nature trails can be muddy, and you will sometimes
have to wade through the streams and even walk up small waterfalls.
As well, village trails can be wet, muddy and slippery because of heavy use of cows, buffalos, and elephants
during the wet months.
A serious nature lover intent to trying to observe wild life
should wear colors which blend with the environment. For bird
watchers, a hat is essential since an uplifted face is highly
visible.
Equipment
Some parks have tents for rent; the greater
number do not and thus be brought along if camping is planned.
Other basic gear for campers and trekkers might include the following
: mat; a good back pack; first aid kit; basic
toiletries and toilet paper; small knife; compass; maps and whistle;
binoculars; canteen and plastic water container; flash light
and extra batteries; candles; matches; basic cooking
utensils; cups and dishes, spoons, can and
bottle opener, and detergent in a plastic container.
Several small rope lines and clips for hanging and drying clothes; and a larger stronger
20 meter length of rope if you go for a deep jungle trek will make the trip easier.
Proper packing of your stuff in the back pack is also important. Make sure each
item is in its own place that you remember, and easy for you to reach. During the
rainy season put the items into plastic bags before loading them into another larger plastic
bag in your rucksack.
Your tent may not be waterproof (even if it says so) under the heavy rain. Therefore
a sheet of light plastic or canvas cover is helpful. You may also need another sheet for
camp meals. If you go camping in the jungle
find dead wood on the ground for building fire. In this case you will need a trekking knife
which normally is carried by your guide.
Please note in the southern Thailand's rain forests you can always expect the rain all
year round.
Garbage and litter
Every visitor has the responsibility to ensure that plastic bags,
bottles, tin cans and other garbage are disposed of at provided
sites. If facilities are not available, visitors should take
waste with them to the nearest disposal areas. It is recommended
that visitors take a supply of large plastic bags to collect
and dispose of garbage.
Wash water and food waste
Waters of natural rivers and lakes must not be contaminated with wash or used water,
soaps, cosmetics and their plastic packages, food scraps, etc. Before you wash the dishes
pack out all food scraps properly to carry to a safe place. Clean the
dishes on the land, not in the river. Below is an example on how to wash them:
Prepare two new garbage bags. Half-fill one with soap water and the other with plain water. While one person is
holding a water bag (now a kitchen sink) another team member can clean the dishes. Remember to
pour the used water onto the ground at a
reasonable distance from natural water sources and the camp site.
Do not wash yourself in the rivers using soaps. Take a swim in the river; but wash your hands, mouth, teeth, etc.
on the land.
Disposal of human excrement (poo and pee)
Many camp sites in the national parks have public toilets and wash rooms. However if you are camping out
in the forest where there are no such facilities find a place with thick soil layer, 50 meters or more away from
natural waters.
If the land is not flat choose an area where it is sloping away from the rivers.
Dig a hole of about 8 inches (20 cm) deep using a trowel or any other stuff available. Use a stick to mix
your excrement with soil. Properly cover the hole with soil before you leave.
Do not bury the toilet papers and other hygiene products. Carry them in garbage bags (use double or triple bags)
or destroy properly in a camp fire.
Peeing should be done far from the camp site.
Fire
During the dry months, from November
to May, many forest become tinder dry and vulnerable to careless
use of matches, cooking fires and discarded cigarettes. Warning
are posted in some areas, but extra care must be taken to prevent
fires especially during these hot and dry months.
Weapons
Visitors are forbidden to bring firearms to all national parks. Rangers
will sometimes carry weapons.
Plants and flowers
It is strictly forbidden to remove plants and flowers or collect
butter flies, moths and other specimens from national parks.
This also apply to spearing fish and taking coral from marine
parks.
Vehicles
Special permission is needed to drive private vehicles into and within some parks.
Health and fitness
Most visitors come for a day, but those who intend to stay more
time exploring a park should be in reasonably good physical condition.
Walking in temperatures of 30ºC and more can take its toll. Trails
in some of the parks are also rugged and steep.
How difficult are the treks?
If you plan to walk into the jungle out of the marked trails for overnight trek please read this.
Our overnight jungle treks are usually into the rain forest, ever green or semi-ever green, and dry ever-green
forests. In Thailand altitudes are not great - the highest being just over 2500 meters above the sea.
However you may be walking through thick plants with thorns, going up and down the steep slopes
with little hand-holds, and bending yourselves very low under the bushes or going on all four.
The trek leader will
have to cut the thick plants to make way for walk. If you come from colder places of the world you may get
sweat heavier than local people, and thus lose energy quicker.
You may also walk pass many river streams with rocks and stones some of them may be slippery.
Sometimes you may even have to walk up a small waterfall on the rock. Being in the tropical zone
rain forest which is rich is eco-system,
our jungle have millions different kinds of plants and insects like ants, mosquitos, bees, leeches, tits, etc.
On the long distance multi days treks you will normally have to carry own back pack, water bottles, and
sleeping bag.
If you are not a good outdoor people having regular exercises, you will need to train yourselves
at least few weeks ahead of joining an overnight jungle trek and camping. You should be in good
shape without any serious health concerns.
Jungle camp sites are not flat grounds. We always try to find the best place closeby the stream. But it is
not usually possible to get a reasonably smooth place to pitch the tents. People will have to clear
un-wanted stuff on the ground before setting up tents. Due to long distance walk we may not bring
mats.
In some jungle (e.g., parts of Kaeng Krachan, Khao Yai) due to steep slopes and valleys
there is almost no good place to pitch tents; and thus we should sleep in hammocks. In these
landscape people have to scramble and or traverse. If you must sleep in tent, we will provide small
one-man tent and the ground need to be prepared using lot of energy.
Other difficult situations include having to build a raft or bridge (using bamboo) to cross a river,
passing over difficult rock formation using ropes, building fire for cooking under heavy rain in
very wet jungle.
There are montane or sub-montane (or hill evergreen) forests in higher hills (1000 to 2500 meters)
of Thailand; for example Doi Inthanon, Phu Kradung, Ramkhamhaeng, Nam Nao, Phu Rua,
Thung Salaeng Luang, Chiang Dao, and Phu Soi Dao.
In these national parks and wildlife sanctuaries most nature trails are wide and relatively easy to walk.
Nevertheless in every region or national park there are both easy and dificult trails.
Easy trails and trails that lead to (famous) mountain-top, a view point or a nice waterfall
tend to be more crowded especially during the holidays.
Malaria
Malaria is a tropical disease. It is caused by Plamodium carried by Genus Anopheles (a kind of mosquito).
There are two species of Anopheles: Anopheles Dirus and Anopheles Minimus.
Anopheles lives in the forest where there are clean water sources. Only the female carry malaria.
Malaria areas in Thailand include the forests in Tak, Surat Thani, Kanchanaburi, Yala, Chantaburi, Mae Hong Son, Nakon Sri Thammarat, Krabi, Prachuap Kirikhan and Sakaeo.
Four species of malaria are found in Thailand, namely Plamodium falciparum, Plamodium vivax, Plamodium ovalae, and Plamodium malariae.
Roughly 51% of all marlaia found in Thailand are Plamodium falciparum.
Plamodium falciparum could block the blood flow to the brain resulting in coma and death if not treated in time.
Plamodium vivax is responsible for about 48% of malaria cases in Thailand.
Plamodium vivax can hide in the liver for some time, and later it would run into the blood flow.
Therefore people with Plamodium vivax can have signs of malaria again after the treatment.
The symptoms of malaria could come within 9 to 17 days after the mosquito bite.
In the beginning you will have mild fever with headache and muscle pain.
Then you will have high fever, and feel chilly.
Therefore if you have fever one to two weeks after your jungle trip, you need to go to the hospital.
Checking your blood can tell if you have malaria.
The chance to find malaria is higher if you have your blood checked during high fever.
Proper and quick treatment using effective medicine can kill malaria.
People think that if they take anti-malaria drug before going to the forest, they are safe from malaria.
That is not true. Even if you take anti-malaria beforehand, you can get malaria.
Generally it is not recommended to take anti-malaria drugs.
It will make the disease more resistant to the drugs, and finding malaria in the blood sample becomes difficult.
It is also possible that the disease would be found when your condition is worse.
To know whether or not you may need a medicine, please see a doctor.
The best way to avoid malaria is to protect yourself from malaria carrying mosquito.
Do not wear black or dark clothes. Apply insect repellant on your skin.
Sleep in a good mosquito net or in the tent.
Malaria links
Mahidol University FAQ (English) |
Siam Health (Thai) |
Thai Clinic (Thai)
Upset stomach
Gesture-intestinal problems, which are not uncommon in Thailand,
can ruin a trip to the wilderness. Take anti-diarrhea medicines
like Lomotil or Immodium for immediate relief and consult a doctor
if problem persist. Eating clean food and drinking safe water
are the best preventatives.
Water
Cheap and good bottled water is available throughout Thailand.
If it is not, ensure your water is boiled for at least 20 minutes.
At times, you may be tempted to drink from a mountain stream
or river. The water from these is relatively safe unless it is
located near human habitation or domestic animals. Water from
such streams should not be drunk without boiling.
Dehydration
It is important to drink liquids continuously when undertaking
strenuous activity in the tropics. It is worth mixing electrolytes
into your water supply to help replace sodium and potassium loss
more rapidly.
Cuts, blisters and bites
Anyone who travels into the forest or scrambles around on coral
will sustain cuts and bruises. Ensure cuts are properly cleaned
and use antiseptics to prevent infections. Pharmacies can provide
you with a wide range of insect repellants and anti-histamine
preparations to counteract insect bites, including nasty ones
by ground-besting wasps. To avoid blisters wear well fitting
footwear and good socks.
Ticks and bees
Ticks are the blood suckers, resembling insects. Their favorite places are decaying logs
and grasslands. Beside feeding your blood they also give you a great itch. If you
are bitten by one don't pull it off right away. Instead apply some balm on the creature
so it will withdraw its fangs from your flesh. Then you can remove the tick without pain,
but with the itch. However never scratch the bite since it could lead to infection.
Bees are normally safe as long as you do nothing to them. If you try to wipe away a bee
on your body by sudden force, your action could stir the bee to sting. Be calm and
gently shake off the bee, or if possible do nothing. However never let a bee go inside
your clothes since a trapped bee is likely to sting in frustration.
Leeches
These snackers on human blood are found in most forested areas
close to or in water, particularly in the rainy season. They
are unsightly but mostly painless and can be removed by (hand or) application
of irritants such as salt, vinegar, alcohol, tobacco juice or a
lighted cigarette. An old jungle trick is to rub your socks with
a mixture of salt and tobacco before venturing into leech country.
In some national parks (for example Khao Yai) leech socks which are made of strong fabric that can not
be penetrated by leeches are available for sale.
Snake bite (updated August 2003)
Poisonous snakes abound in most parks of Thailand but are seldom
seen. The cobra and viper families are snakes most commonly encountered
for which anti-venom exists in all government hospitals.
Information from FDA
In case of snake bite wash the bite with soap and water. Immobilize the bitten area and keep it lower than the heart.
Get medical help as soon as possible. If a victim is unable to reach medical care within 30 minutes, a bandage,
wrapped two to four inches above the bite, may help slow venom. The bandage
must not cut off blood flow from a vein or artery.
A suction device may be placed over the bite to help draw venom out of the
wound without making cuts. Suction instruments often are included in
commercial snakebite kits.
When you see snakes leave them alone. Many people are bitten because they try to kill a
snake or get a closer look at it.
Keep hands and feet out of areas you can't see. Don't pick up rocks or
firewood unless you are out of a snake's striking distance.
Snakes sometimes come to the toilets and bathrooms in the campsite, to hunt frogs.
So be careful when going to such places. If you find a snake in the bathroom stay away
and immediately inform the forest workers.
Beware of hiding crawlies
During the wet season ground dweling creatures such as centipedes, scropions and some
snakes seek dry places to stay. Such dry places happen to be your boots or bags!
Therefore at night, before you rest, keep your things inside the tent or in plastic bags.
It is also advised to check your shoes throughly before you put them on.
Man and carnivore
Waterfalls are far more dangerous than tigers or any other wild
life found in parks. In Khao Yai, for example, there has been
no known attack on tourists by big cats but there have been a
number of deaths and injuries at waterfalls there and other parks.
Slippery rocks, strong currents and foolhardiness ( some attempt
to dive off ledges into pools below ) can be very hazardous.
By far the biggest killer in parks is man behind the wheel of
a vehicle. Elephants should, however , be treated with respect.
Medical kit
For a trip of one to three days, take an antiseptic, bandages, anti-diarrhea
medicines, a tube of anti-histamine cream, sun block for sensitive
skins and cotton wool, and packs of salt minerals (electrolytes) to
supplement for the losses in sweating.
First aid is available at park head quarters
while more serious conditions can be dealt with at the nearest
town.
Marine parks
Anchors should be dropped in sand and not in coral heads. The
forestry department has supplied buoys in some places which should
be used whenever possible. It is strictly forbidden to spear
fish in all marine parks.
According to the National Parks Act of 1961, the following activities are permitted: swimming, diving, sports,
picnicing, and camping. Tents are permitted provided you set them up yourself. Leave anything valuable with
park staff if you plan on being away from your camp for many hours. Please follow any warning or advice that
park staff may have.
Be sure to notify park staff when making a fire. Do not take branches off trees; instead
use the naturally fallen wood found on the ground, and put the fire out completely with water and sand before leaving.
Respect the local culture and religion; nude or topless sunbathing is forbidden. Do not disturb other guests
and wildlife. Stay on established trails and in some places it may be necessary to have a park's guide
(ranger) with you.
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