LHT's crazy trekking into the wild - ห้วยขาแข้ง

This time it's really a scary, crazy short trip -- into the jungle.
Wildlife Sanctuary at Huay Kha Khaeng forest reserve.

คลิกที่ภาพ เพื่อขยาย/อ่านภาษาไทย

The sanctuary is part of Thailand's greater Western Forest expanse. The trip happens one fine day's afternoon in the midst of a scorching sun.

Lan Sak is a district on the western side of Uthai Thani province. It has a tiny business enclave sitting on a country road which snakes through rolling hills to nowhere. Nobody would ever dream of messing around here except those who'd have something to do with forests or agricultural produce.
No other vehicles are in sight that afternoon and it's quite scary.

The sign says ''Beware of Elephants'' and that's more scary.

The LHT and rider make a stop at probably the wildlife sanctuary's perimeter. The boundary stone proclaims the forest's World Heritage status; that's something as a result of UNESCO's and Thai officials' mutual efforts.
Across the road from the stone, a sign reads: "Wild elephant tracks". That injects deep fear into our heads: No jumbos, please.
The lonely laterite road stretches ahead with nothing to be seen except hilly terrain including big and small trees. Some wildlife species - a few barking deer - dash swiftly in front of our path twice.
We arrive at the destination after almost 50km of cycling from the start. A suspension bridge leading to the sanctuary office spans a shallow creek that meanders through this part of the forest.
The well manicured green field and trees around the office premises.
Most visitors are here to have good time with natural surrounding and visit Sueb Nagasathiara foundation and memorial. Sueb was a forest official who sacrificed himself in the determination to protect Thailand's Western Forest from destruction by human's greedy activities as well as negligence allegedly on the part of officials in high places .
Sueb's memorial stands out at a corner of the area.
He faces west - as if to be watching permanently over his beloved Western Forest expanse and its wildlife.
The old house where he used to live and work; the place where he died.
The LHT mingles with a herd of barking deer coming down from the forest to graze amongst the sanctuary office's green grass field. This might be a secret of how the sanctuary office's huge lawn is always well manicured.
Some of those regular visitors are tagged with gadgets - maybe for data collection.
The stream running through the thick forest.
We depart the wildlife sanctuary late in the afternoon. A group of visitors leaves by a SUV.
The last stop of the day is at Thap Salao reservoir, a catchment of Huay Khakhaeng forest's runoff.


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