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For
over 30 years since his youth, Khun Suan had made every effort to
collect natural objects that are valuable because of their rarity
or oddity, such as Thai-style trained trees that are more than 200
years old from the early Rattanakosin period, fossilized tree trunks
that are aged millions of years, and stratified rocks that are so
colourful, in the hope that one day he would be able to build a
tourist spot for people from far and near and those of future generations,
to view and admire together his collection of natural wonders and
to study and learn from the actual things instead of text books,
pictures and hearsay which would be then only choices if the actual
objects should be allowed to disappear.
From 1989 – 1992, Khun Suan dedicated himself to the construction
of the Park at its present site near Pattaya. He created the layout
of the Park entirely out of his imagination and experience without
the help of a model, with the various buildings designed by Assoc.
Prof. Dr. Phinyo Suwankhiri, a National Artist in the Visual Art
Division.
Finally, on 1 February 1992, the Million Years
Stone Park and Crocodile Farm was opened to tourists and the general
public for the first time. Since then, new decorations and things
of interest have been added to the Park continuously.
Furthermore,
amusing and thrilling performances have been held regularly, including
daily shows of man fighting with adult crocodiles bare-handed, making
the Park a famous tourist destination of Thailand, attracting thousands
upon thousands of visitors, both Thais and foreigners, every year.
Among them are VIPs and groups of student from all over the world
who are on field trips to make animal-life and geological studies.
In early 2003, when the World
Scout Jamboree was held in the nearly province of Chon Buri, The
Park was one of the host parties who had the pleasure to welcome
the scout groups from foreign countries.
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