Tham Pha Khao [Cave of the White Mountain] [CH0036]
16.365454,101.504602
Location
Travelling south east from the Lam Chi Yai Sink a wide valley is entered. The trail at the start winds all over the place, but once in the valley it gets better. A kilometre further, on the right hand side, there is a narrow section with a climb up over limestone boulders and down the other side. A spire of rock is soon passed on the right hand side, then a huge white cliff. The cave is 200m past the cliff.
Description
The spectacular entrance, at the foot of a huge cliff, is 75m wide and 10m high. The entrance leads into a 40m wide mud floored passage that splits in two after 70m, to either side of a large boulder pile. The right hand passage, still about 45m wide, narrows behind large stalactites and ends in a chamber. The left hand passage slopes down to an 8m climb and two 15m pitches before becoming impassably low.
Topographie
CHECKLEY, DAVE; HURD, SHELIA; CHAPMAN, PHIL; JONES, HOWARD; WILLIS, DICK (n.d. [1989]) - BCRA Grade 5b
Documents
Bibliography 19/06/2019- CHECKLEY, DAVE; HURD, SHELIA; CHAPMAN, PHIL; JONES, HOWARD; WILLIS, DICK (n.d. [1989]) "Caves of the Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, North-East Thailand" Unpublished report DUNKLEY, JOHN ROBERT (1995) "The Caves of Thailand" Speleological Research Council, Sydney ISBN 0-9589253-9-9 124pp
History
The cave has been used by tudong monks for meditation. The first visit by speleologists was by the 1989 British expedition.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | Cave CH0046 [Grotte des Regrets ] [CH0046] | 50 | 20 |
| 0.8 | Tham Pha Sod [Broken Rock Cave] [CH0037] | 115 | 35 |
| 1.5 | Chi Dan Resurgence [Chee Dan Resuregence] [CH0038] | ||
| 1.6 | Tham Lam Chi - CH0033 | 300 | 10 |
| 1.6 | Tham Put Son - CH0039 | 10 | 5 |
| 1.7 | Tham Men [Porcupine Cave] [CH0035] | 150 | 40 |
| 1.7 | Put Son Sink - CH0095 | ||
| 1.9 | Lam Chi Resurgence - CH0040 | ||
| 1.9 | Lam Chi Yai Sink - CH0032 |