Universitas Gadjah Mada’s students joining nature enthusiast group (MAPAGAMA) prepared themselves to explore the caves in the Province of Satun in Thailand in a project named as UGM International Expedition (UIE) IV “Under The Sacred Land” in May 2017.
Chairman of the project, Naufal Ahmad Dwijadiputra, said this was the fourth international project of MAPAGAMA. Their first expedition was River of Gold in Nepal (2013), second Rock of Pyramid in China (2013), and third Peak of The Ancestor in India (2016).
In the next expedition, the MAPAGAMA team will explore karst areas of Satun, Thailand. The team will collect data on geomorphology, hydrology, and speleology as part of contribution to the development of Satun karst area as a geopark.
“We will send seven members of MAPAGAMA to the expedition in Thailand,” said Naufal on Monday (27/2) at UGM.
The team consists of Fahmi Arsyad, Dimas Dirham, Hajar Lutvia, Mohammad Anwar, Heni Ismawati, Farah Aida I.K.Al Umar, and Muhammad Ilham.
Training has been given to these members. They did try-out twice in the karst area of Gunungkidul and Pacitan.
Further to the exploration, they will do discussion and seminar on the role of speleology in geopark development. This is expected to give input to the progress of karst area development and geopark concept development. The project will further invite academics from Ratjabat Songkhla, University, Thailand, to UGM.
“Through the next expedition, hopefully MAPAGAMA can contribute additional information to the Satun National Park that is being recommended as a geopark,” he concluded.