What if.....

There's some land in my family that's in a very rural area of Henry County, and over the years it's been used for farming and raising cattle and what not.  It's pretty land.  In talking with certain siblings and cousins I laughingly said, "Wouldn't it be kinda cool if we found some dinosaur fossils?"  And I wondered what would come of this discovery, and perhaps how finding evidence of dinosaurs would "jive" with local religious beliefs, considering the conflict between science and fundamentalist religion, in particular.  Would bringing in archeologists from all over the world bring about excitement or more of an anxiety of some kind?  And what would come of this discovery ultimately?  Could it be turned into a source of economic growth for Henry County, spawning new enterprises?  I mentioned creative businesses that have sprung up and are now flourishing in Asheville after the development of a craft beer industry.  Something along that line.  So, after pondering the amusing thought of finding fossils in our Henry County land, sometime later I found some articles about recent dinosaur excavations in rural Northeast Thailand.  Let's see what's come of their digs. 

To view the photo source and to learn more of the history of dinosaur fossil remains in Northeast Thailand, click here.

Photo Source

Thailand’s most complete dinosaur fossils were discovered at Wiang Kao. Part of Phu Wiang National Park, Dinosaur Park was built to showcase nine excavation sites packed with a newly found species of dinosaur fossils dating back approximately 160 million years. The park also offers a wide range of attractions including waterfalls, wildflowers, Red Palm Cave, and a high relief of the reclining Buddha on the cliff.  - the town of Khon Kaen, Thailand, Top 10 Things to do

 

early stages of one of numerous digs. 

To learn more about the 60,000 sq. ft. museum, click here.
 

 
Above is a pretty incredible outdoor exhibit that is part of the museum.

To see how the discovery of dinosaur fossils is leading to more creative ideas for reaching tourists, see the renderings of the future Dino Water Park in Northeast Thailand.  Estimated cost of the park - $70 million US.

Here's what the main entrance could look like.