Krabi Bay
Location:	7°59'-8°03'N, 98°51'-99°00'E; extending up to 5 km west and 10 km south of the town of Krabi, Krabi Province, on the west coast of Peninsular Thailand, between Khao Laem Nang and Ban Laem Hin.
Area:	c.1l,400 ha; 26 km of coastline.
Altitude:	Sea level.
Biogeographical Province:	4.5.1.
Wetland type:	02, 06 & 07.
Description of site:	An area of mangroves and mudflats extending from the rocky headland of Khao Laem Nang, east past the complex of rivers which open to the sea at Pak Nam Krabi, to the Khlong Yuan and Khlong Taling Chan, and south to Ban Laem Hin. The site encompasses some areas of steep wooded cliffs. The intertidal mudflats extend up to two km offshore at low tide. Klankamsorn et al. (1981) list the area of mangrove and mudflat as 10,212 ha and 1,200 ha respectively. A substantial amount of fresh water enters the system as run-off via the major rivers, especially during the wet season. The sea-bed shelves fairly steeply to two metres immediately offshore, and to 6-lOm in the mouths of the major rivers. The tidal amplitude at Ao Nang varies from 1.Om at neap tides to 3.Om at the highest springs tides.
Climatic conditions:	Tropical monsoonal climate with an average annual rainfall of 2,379.3 mm, most of which falls during the southwest monsoon, from May to October. The wettest month is usually September or October (361.0 and 348.6 mm of rainfall respectively) and the driest February (24.9 mm). The relative humidity ranges from 68% in February to 81% in October. The average annual daily temperature is 28.1°C (range 24.0-31.3°C). (Data from Phuket, 60 km to the west).
Principal vegetation:	Mangroves with a high preponderance of Rhizophora spp. The area has been logged, but some tall trees remain. Terrestrial habitats are mostly rubber plantations, coconut groves and jack fruit orchards with a few patches of secondary growth.
Land tenure:	The wetland is mainly state owned; surrounding areas are privately owned.
Conservation measures taken:	The sand beaches, rocky wooded hills, mangroves and Melaleuca woodland which line the shores of the bay of Ao Nang, to the west of the site east as far as Pak Nam Krabi, are included in the Hat Nopparat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. Areas of mangrove at the site are categorized as National Reserve Forest and can only be cut under legitimate concessions.
Conservation measures proposed:	The boundaries of Hat Nopparat Thara National Park could be extended along the coast to the east in order to encompass the important areas of mudflats and mangroves.
Land use:	Fishing and harvesting of crabs. Fruits of the Nypa palms are harvested for food, while the fronds are used for thatching. Mangroves are cut on a rotational basis and are used both for charcoal and as a source of polewood. There has been some development of aquaculture at the site, under the FAO Bay of Bengal Programme. A total of 210 fish cages divided amongst 45 owners had been established up to the end of 1985 (Drewes, 1986). The town of Krabi serves as a major fishing port and is also important as a point from which tourists are ferried to the islands of Ko Phi Phi and Ko Lanta. Adjacent areas are largely devoted to rubber and oil palm plantations. Tourism is expanding very rapidly; the Krabi Bay Resort, a complex of bungalows and a restaurant, has been established at Ao Nang.
Possible changes in land use:	None known at present, although there may be pressure to develop the site should the port of Krabi expand. Krabi has also been proposed as one of the possible sites for the development of a plant for the extraction of tantalum from tin slag. The water catchment area has been largely deforested within the past 10-20 years, and the last five years have seen a massive increase in the areas planted with oil palm.
Disturbances and threats:	Remaining mangroves at the site are under pressure from illegal encroachment, while industrialization and increased aquaculture may also pose threats in the future. There is probably some hunting of larger waterbirds.
Economic and social values:	The area has much recreational potential owing to its proximity to the town of Krabi. It is perhaps the most easily accessible area of species-rich mangrove for bird-watchers and naturalists in Thailand, and some boatmen already supplement their income through ferrying parties of bird-watchers.
Fauna:	The site is one of only four along the west coast of Thailand, identified during an aerial survey in October 1984, which supported a concentration of over 2,000 shorebirds. A roost of 2,200 shorebirds, including about 200 large shorebirds (either Limosa spp or Numenius spp), was located on a sand bank off the mouth of the Khlong Yuan-Khlong Taling Chan confluence during the survey (Parish & Wells, 1985). In subsequent visits, Pluvialis squatarola and Numenius phaeopus, together with over 100 Sterna albifrons and S. hirundo, were recorded on mudflats and sand banks. The mangroves support a relatively high density of Haliastur indus. Haliaeetus leucogaster, Heliopais personata, Pelargopsis amauroptera, Halcyon coromanda, Pitta megarhyncha and Trichastoma rostratum also occur. This is the only known site in Thailand for Cyornis rufigastra. Falco peregrinus (a bird showing the characteristics of an apparently resident form of the species) has been seen at Hat Nopparat Thara. The site should be checked for the presence of Ardea sumatrana and Leptoptilos javanicus.
Special floral values:	The site contains good, species-rich mangrove with many tall trees, and is one of the best areas of mangrove remaining on the entire west coast.
Research and facilities:	Accommodation is available at the headquarters of the Hat Nopparat Thara National Park or in Krabi Town.
References:	Drewes (1986); Klankamsorn et al. (1981); Parish & Wells (1985); Sarigabutr et al. (1982).
Criteria for inclusion:	1b, 2b.
Source:	Jira Jintanugool and Philip D. Round.