P1. Introduction
Numerous fossils have been discovered in Thailand over the past fifty years, and especially during the last decade. Some of the earliest reports of fossils in Thailand trilobites The known fossil record in Thailand ranges from Cambrian Although these fossils are considered part of the national heritage, many of them face multitudinous threats. Numerous fossils have been damaged and the sites destroyed during the process of mining lignite, sand, limestone, and other economically important rocks. Additional fossils have ended up in private collections both locally and overseas. Some of the fossils have been used to make jewelry and other items. To protect these fossils and fossil sites and to increase awareness of fossils in the public, the Department of Mineral Resources with the collaboration of other organizations, such as the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, universities, local governments, public enterprises, and some private enterprises, have set up paleontological parks and museums in Thailand. In this paper, after a brief overview of the fossil record in Thailand, we will describe paleoparks, museums, and some prominent fossil sites examine their importance for paleontology and conservation, and discuss what the future may hold.