Forest rangers gathered to commemorate the 36th anniversary of Sueb Nakhasathien’s passing, the former head of Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary who devoted his life to forest conservation. They pledged before his memorial to continue his mission to protect wildlife and forests.
On 1 Sep 2026 at the Sueb Nakhasathien Memorial inside Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, Uthai Thani province, Ms. Darika Saranket, Advisor to the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, presided over the wreath-laying ceremony commemorating the 36th anniversary of Sueb Nakhasathien's death. Sueb, the former head of the sanctuary, died by suicide on the night of 1 Sep 1990 at his residence to urge society to recognize the crisis facing Huai Kha Khaeng’s forests and wildlife, which were then under severe threat.
Sueb Nakhasathien’s passing ignited a major conservation movement in Thailand and brought widespread attention to the cause of protecting forests. This momentum contributed to Thung Yai Naresuan and Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries being declared UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites on 9 Dec 1991, just one year after Sueb’s death.
This year’s ceremony included representatives from natural resource agencies, the Governor of Uthai Thani, members of the Nakhasathien family, the chairman of the Sueb Nakhasathien Foundation, conservation organizations, the public, students, and university attendees.
The event also featured merit-making ceremonies, the awarding of the “Sueb Jetanarak Huai Kha Khaeng Forest Scholarship,” and an exhibition on natural resource conservation.
The previous evening included a candlelight vigil commemorating 36 years since Sueb Nakhasathien’s passing, along with educational activities on forest and wildlife conservation for youth, students, tourists, and interested participants.
A key moment was the forest rangers’ oath-taking before the Sueb Nakhasathien memorial, affirming their dedication to protecting the forests and wildlife, carrying forward the legacy of the man who became an iconic symbol of Thailand’s nature conservation.
