Palian-Langu
Location:	6°50'-7°15'N, 99°35'-99°45'E; on the west coast of Peninsular Thailand; shared between Palian District, Trang Province and Langu District, Satun Province.
Area:	31,200 ha of mangrove (in 1979); approximately 75 km of coastline.
Altitude:	Sea level.
Biogeographical Province:	4.7.1.
Wetland type:	02, 06 & 07.
Description of site:	Extensive areas of secondary mangroves and logged primary mangrove with a narrow fringe of tidal mudflats around the mouths of six rivers. The coastline is highly convoluted, with many large inlets and some sandy beaches. The tallest remaing mangrove lies on the seaward edge. At the time of the survey (October 1984), the mangroves were showing good regeneration and there were still few shrimp ponds in the area. There is a great seasonal variation in the amount of freshwater run-off; the turbidity increases and salinity decreases during the later part of the southwest monsoon, from July to November. There are extensive shallows offshore less than one metre deep at mean low water. The tidal amplitude ranges from 0.5m at neap tides to 3.0m at spring tides.
Climatic conditions:	Tropical monsoonal climate with an average annual rainfall of 2,379.9 mm, most of which falls during the southwest monsoon and the early part of the northeast monsoon, from May to November. The mean annual temperature is 27.4°C (range 22.7-32.3°C); the mean relative humidity, 80%. (Data from Trang, about 50 km to the north).
Principal vegetation:	Mangrove swamps. Chiefly cultivation in adjacent areas, with forest and secondary growth on steep mountains and headlands.
Land tenure:	The wetland is state owned; surrounding areas are partly private small-holdings and partly state owned.
Conservation measures taken:	The mangroves are administered as concession areas and in theory are therefore subject to control. Some replanting of mangroves is undertaken.
Conservation measures proposed:	Some areas of mangroves should be scheduled either as National Parks or Non-Hunting Areas.
Land use:	Fishing for fin-fish and crabs, and cutting of mangroves for charcoal and fence posts. There is some aquaculture, chiefly using cages for fin-fish such as sea-bass Lates calcarifer and grouper Epinephelus tauvina. This has been promoted under the FAO Bay of Bengal Programme; up to the end of 1985, there were 391 fish cages in Palian District alone, scattered among 123 owners (Drewes, 1986). Rubber plantations and coconut groves in surrounding areas.
Possible changes in land use:	There may be a trend towards increased aquaculture at the site.
Disturbances and threats:	The principal threat is the continued intensive cutting and removal of mangroves. Larger birds are frequently shot.
Economic and social values:	The mangroves will continue to provide a source of timber if exploited on a sustainable yield basis. In addition, they probably contribute to maintaining the yield of the offshore fishery. Fin-fish cage culture is very rewarding and can yield an estimated profit of Bht.l,444 per cage per year (Drewes, 1986). The beaches may have considerable recreational value.
Fauna:	An important staging and wintering area for migratory shorebirds; 2,450 shorebirds were recorded along eight km of shoreline between Laem Mangang (l7°04'N) and Khlong Wang Won (17°Ol'N) in October 1984 (Parish & Wells, 1985). The area may also be important for passage and wintering Egretta spp, breeding Reef Egret Egretta sacra and possibly Ardea sumatrana. There was a sighting of Leptoptilos javanicus at the site in February 1986. The area supports a high density of Haliastur indus and a few Haliaeetus leucogaster.
Special floral values:	None known.
Research and facilities:	The area is a test site of the Remote Sensing and Mangroves Project, 1984-87, of the National Research Council. Interwader carried out an aerial survey in October 1984.
References:	Drewes (1986); Klankamsorn et al. (1981); Parish & Wells (1985).
Criteria for inclusion:	1b, 2b.
Source:	Jira Jintanugool and Philip D. Round.