A Study of Fossil Evidences on Karst Topography for Promotion of Geotourism in Satun Province

Abstract

          The research titled “A Study of Fossil Evidences on Karst Topography for Promotion of Geotourism in Satun Province,” aimed to study the relative location of fossils and Karst topography, types of fossils found in Karst topography or other geologic time-rock layers in the geological park areas and to study opportunities for geotourism in Satun Province. The study applied the qualitative research methodology and the data were collected using the field survey in geological park areas in 4 districts of Satun Province, which included MueangSatun, La-ngu, Thungwa, and Manang. The data collection was conducted utilizing the observations, illustration photographs and selection of specimens, purposive key informants from areas with traces of fossils in Karst mountains and the mountains which were excavated where fossils from Cambrian to Permian periods were found at 9 sites. Additional informants included Chairman of ThungwaTambon Administrative Organization and 10 local scholars. The results of the study reveal that 1) relative location of Karst topography consists of Karst fossils of calcite and dolomite with alternative layers of shale, sandstone and chert in certain areas; 2) traces of fossils in Karst topography include nautiloid, ammonoid, stromatolite algae in Karst areas. In addition, traces of trilobite and Bivalves fossils are found in rock layers at Phuphapetch Cave, KhaoTokSamyod Hill, KhaoDaeng Hill, Ban Huay Rae Village, Ban KhlongKhud Village, Lestekodon Cave, KhaoTokNgai Hill, KhuanThang Hill and KhaoNoi Hill; 3) Opportunities for geotourism include the creation of learning resources sites for people at the local level to the global level, construction of geological museum and pa