Petrified Wood Museum, Ancient Elephants, and Dinosaurs, Khao Yai

Located at Ban Krok Duean Ha, Mittraphap-Nong Pling Road, Suranari Subdistrict, is a remarkable site. It is Thailand’s first and one of only seven museums worldwide to showcase large petrified wood specimens, dating back approximately 800,000 to 320 million years. The museum offers an immersive experience, featuring a film on the Earth’s genesis and the evolution of life. Its petrified wood garden replicates the landscape of the Mun-Chi River Basin in the Isan region. The museum showcases eight genera of ancient elephants, from the 42 found globally, including the Four-tusked elephant, Petrified Wood Museum, Ancient Elephants, and Dinosaurs Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Ratchasima Shovel-tusked elephant, and Protanancus elephant (dating back approximately 16 to 5 million years). It also houses fossils of various species, such as giant turtles, crocodiles, and apes, the latter closely related to human evolutionary lines. The site serves as a learning hub for the beginnings of the Korat UNESCO Global Geopark. This park was considered during a UNESCO committee meeting in Paris, France, on 17 May 2023, where 18 global geoparks were evaluated, including the Korat Geopark, which is now a UNESCO Global Geopark.