PHAYAO, 1 July 2015 – Administrative officials and academics in the northern province of Phayao have witnessed the delivery ceremony of fossils discovered at a local coal mine.
The ceremony was chaired by Payao provincial governor Chuachart Kilapang. Witnesses included Director-General of the Department of Mineral Resources Tossaporn Nuchanong and representatives of Tambon Sa District Administration.
The fossils were discovered by Banpu Public Company Limited during its coal mining at Chiang Muan district. The 65 pieces of petrified remains were dated to Miocene epoch, or about 13-15 million years ago. The company was granted a license to operate the Chiang Muan coal mine between 1996 and 2009.
The fossils will be under the care of Tambon Sa District Administration. The mine is no longer in operation and is being developed into an eco-tourism attraction and learning center. Banpu has donated its property on the site worth 2.7 million baht for community use as well.
