Park officials have imposed a disciplinary fine of 10,000 baht on a tourist who drove a vehicle through World War II bomb craters in Kanchanaburi. They have strictly forbidden such behavior and ordered increased surveillance measures.
On 2 June 2026, a group of tourists drove vehicles into the area around Nithe Station, located within Khao Laem National Park in Sangkhla Buri District, Kanchanaburi Province. This site is historically significant as it contains bomb craters from World War II. Their actions were considered damaging to natural resources and the environment, as well as violating related laws and regulations.
Khao Laem National Park announced that the individuals involved were required to come forward to clarify facts and provide information for consideration within seven days, as previously reported.
In the latest development, Mr. Atthaphon Charoenchansa, Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, stated that strict legal action has been ordered without exception. He also instructed that restoration of the area to its original condition be expedited.
"I have directed the head of Khao Laem National Park to strictly enforce regulations and laws, imposing a disciplinary fine of up to 10,000 baht, and to proceed with all applicable charges. I have also issued a firm ban on such behavior; any future violations will face maximum penalties, including imprisonment and fines. Furthermore, I have urged all national parks to enhance surveillance measures to prevent similar incidents," Mr. Atthaphon said.
The Director-General added that protected forest areas hold historical value, and unauthorized vehicle entry clearly violates the Department of National Parks' laws and regulations. Such actions disrupt the peace of wildlife and natural resources.
"The Department is not taking this incident lightly. After identifying irregularities, we announced through park public relations channels for the involved parties to report themselves. We understand that the group has initially accepted responsibility and coordinated to meet and clarify facts today (2 June 2026). I have instructed officials to proceed transparently and fairly according to legal procedures to set a standard for protecting conservation areas nationwide. I also remind the public and tourists to strictly follow national park regulations. Any violations will be met with immediate strict enforcement," he added.
The area around Nithe Station is a tourist site of historical significance as part of the World War II-era historic railway route. Khao Laem National Park has installed clear signs about tourism guidelines and prohibitions for areas preserving historical traces. To prevent similar incidents, the park will install additional informational and announcement signs to raise awareness about appropriate tourism in historically valuable areas, restore affected sites promptly, and instruct staff to intensify supervision and control of tourism activities in the area.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has assigned the Protected Area Regional Office 3 (Ban Pong) to monitor the legal proceedings and provide ongoing progress reports to ensure accuracy and transparency for the public.