Doi Inthanon National Park has filed a complaint against over 10 tourists who violated barriers and left the Ang Ka Nature Trail, trampling the rare and highly fragile "Khao Tok Ruesi" plant, and has assigned staff to increase monitoring to prevent repeat incidents.
On 17 Sep 2026, the Office of Conservation Area Administration 16 (Chiang Mai), through Doi Inthanon National Park, lodged a complaint with the Chom Thong Police to prosecute a group of about 10 tourists who ignored warning signs and barriers, leaving the Ang Ka Nature Trail near the Khao Tok Ruesi moss field on 13 Sep 2026 at around 1:00 p.m. to take photos. This caused damage to the delicate protected plant species in the area. Officials collected evidence from photos and CCTV footage to support the complaint.
Mr. Jiraniti Cheungsat, head of Doi Inthanon National Park, said the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation prioritizes ecosystem protection. This act clearly violated the law. The park has gathered evidence to hand over to police for prosecution under the National Park Act B.E. 2562 (2019), with no exceptions, to set a precedent in safeguarding the country's natural heritage.
Officials' on-site inspection found multiple trampling marks at the Khao Tok Ruesi moss field, the largest moss area in Thailand. This rare plant only grows in pristine cloud forests with stable humidity at altitudes above 2,000 meters. The Khao Tok Ruesi moss is extremely fragile and grows slowly; a single trampling can take several years to recover or may kill the plant cluster permanently.
The prosecution follows strict legal procedures for violating official orders and conducting recreational activities outside authorized areas, according to the National Park Act B.E. 2562. The park will enhance patrols by assigning more frequent monitoring of vulnerable spots and improve barriers and warning signs to clearly prevent such incidents in the future.
Doi Inthanon National Park requests all tourists to strictly follow rules, regulations, and staff instructions by staying on designated trails, avoiding trampling any plants, and not entering areas marked with signs or barriers to collectively protect and preserve the natural heritage sustainably.
