Surat Thani, The Department of National Parks is pushing for the establishment of the Hat Khanom-Mu Ko Thale Tai National Park to be completed after 34 years of preparation. It is expected to be announced within 2 years, hoping to promote the conservation of the "pink dolphin", a rare and endangered marine animal, as well as other wildlife and forest resources.Ms. Wimonmas Nuipakdee, Head of Khanom Beach-Mu Ko Thale Tai National Park (under preparation), said that she is pushing for the announcement of the establishment of Khanom Beach-Mu Ko Thale Tai National Park in Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat provinces. The establishment of this national park has been under preparation since 1990, spanning 34 years. At present, the overlapping areas with various agencies and the people's farmland have been cleared.When it was first prepared, it covered an area of ??197,614 rai. When the overlapping areas and the various objected areas were removed, it was found that 89,044 rai disappeared, leaving only 108,570 rai, of which 51,390 rai was land and 57,180 rai was sea.It is expected that the national park will be announced within 2 years, following the procedures in the announcement of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on the listening to opinions and participation of stakeholders, related communities, and the public in the determination of areas, expansion, and revocation of national parks, forest parks, botanical gardens, and arboretums, B.E. 2564, which must be open to listening to the opinions of stakeholders, communities, and the general public.Ms. Wimonmas said that one of the important highlights of Hat Khanom-Mu Ko Thale Tai National Park is that it is a habitat for pink dolphins, which are rare and endangered marine animals. Currently, pink dolphins, also known as white-gray dolphins/albino dolphins or humpback dolphins (Chinese white dolphin, Pacific humpback dolphin, Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphin), are a type of dolphin in the ocean dolphin family. They are in conservation status, cla ssified as at risk of extinction (NT), and are protected wildlife according to the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act B.E. 2562.The pink color of dolphins comes from the fact that as dolphins age, their color becomes lighter and pinker. This pink color does not come from pigment cells, but from the color of blood vessels that protect the body from excessively high temperatures. The sighting of pink dolphins indicates the abundance of Thai seas.Being a habitat for pink dolphins, this area is of interest to tourists. Tourism management is carried out by the community, which has good intentions in conservation. If the announcement of the establishment of the Hat Khanom-Mu Ko Thale Tai National Park area is successful, the Department of National Parks will be able to enhance its potential to conserve and protect pink dolphins and other marine animals, as well as to ensure sustainable use of the area in order to pass on valuable natural resources to the next generation.Source: Thai News Agency