Park accommodations take on colour

In the past, what most parks had to offer were nothing more than run-down bungalows, almost all of them had squeaky windows and holes in the mosquito mesh, not to mention smelly, sometimes even itchy, bedding. Also, no matter where you went, the bungalows looked pretty much the same. The now-defunct Forestry Department which oversaw national parks in those days, it seems, didn't have much of a choice of designs for park lodgings.

Things have changed.

New accommodations are popping up at several parks. And they come in a variety of designs, both on the exterior and interior. Some of them are also equipped with air-conditioning and warm shower.

I know that not everybody is happy with these "resort-style" lodgings, preferring the old rustic types. Actually, I, too, was very sceptic when the former Minister of Agriculture Pongpol Adireksarn and former Forestry Department director general Plodprasop Suraswadi explained to me, in separate interviews a few years back, about their national park development plans. It's not that I agree with everything they said, but now I must admit that at least these new accommodations are a good idea.

Besides the nice look, the comforts they provide make it possible for a wider range of people to enjoy the Kingdom's national parks _ my frail mum, for one.

What you see in the photos that accompany today's column are just a few examples of the new lodgings. They're in Phu Hin Rong Kla, Khun Sathan, Nam Nao and Pha Taem national parks. Anyway, to tell you the truth, there was only once or twice that I really got to stay in these new lodgings. Usually when I visit a park on a working trip, I stay at the campground. There's no point paying 1,000-3,000 baht for such a nice shelter when you have to leave early in the morning.

By the way, making reservation is easier, too. These days, you can even do it online. Just click into the Web site of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department. For those who wish to go straight to the reservation pages, the direct URLs are:

- www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/reservation.asp?lg=1 , and

- www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/reservation.asp?lg=2 .

The first one is in Thai, the second English. The telephone number is (02) 562-0760.

Well, that's a positive development at national parks. I hope that one day I'll see big improvement in the living condition of park rangers and workers as well.