Tham Pha Khan - LA0028
17.864237,99.202532
Location
Tham Pha Khan is difficult to get to - the gest option is to ask for guides in Ban Mae Thot. From Ban Mae Thot, which is just off H1 to the north of Thoen, drive for about 10 km to the end of the track which heads out north of the village from the wat to a dam. The end of the track is at 47Q 521054 1971350. From here progress 4.3 km up the valley (by motorbike it is a 20 minute ride) across the fields and through the forest to the edge of a river. From the river it is a very steep walk (300 m of ascent in less than 1 km) up the valley, past a couple of other caves, to reach the entrance to Tham Pha Khan.
Description
The cave descends steeply with a couple of low sections which have been dug out to make it easier. Soon you reach a magnificent calcite floor flowing down the passage. From here a passage on up and to the left ascends steeply to a choke. Back at the junction with the calcite river the passage can be followed downhill, bypassing a climb via a small passage and a rift on the right. Below the pitch the passage got smaller and exploration stopped at the top of a 3 m gour climb. This has been descended and the way on below briefly explored with the passage descending through a couple of chambers without reaching an end. Local guides reported that there is an extensive cave below the gour. Tilley describes the cave as a 'huge labyrinth burrowing more than a kilometre into the heart of the mountain.'
Fauna
Orthriophis taeniurus (Cope 1861) (Chordata, Reptilia, Squamata, Colubridae) (Schulz 2010)
Documents
Bibliography 06/12/2019- +ANON. (1986) Camping Magazine No, 20 +CHAIYARAK, BAMPHEN (2011) pers. com. to M. Ellis +DUNKLEY, JOHN ROBERT (1995) "The Caves of Thailand" Speleological Research Council, Sydney ISBN 0-9589253-9-9 +ELLIS, MARTIN (2005) "Some Caves in Thailand Part 1" Shepton Mallet Caving Club Journal Series 11 No. 7 pp294-321 +ELLIS, MARTIN (2009) ôThailandÆs Top Twentyö Shepton Mallet Caving Club Journal Series 12 No. 4 pp140-232 +SCHULZ, KLAUS-DIETER (2010) "Ubersicht der Variationen des Orthriophis taeniurus Unterarten-Komplexes mt Anmerkungen zum Status von Coluber taeniurus pallidus Rendahl, 1937 und der Beschreibung einer neuen Unterart (Reptilia: Squamata: Serpentes: Colubridae)" Sauria Vol. 32 No. 2 pp3-26 +TILLEY, ROBERT (2004) "A Cave's Promise" The Nation 3 April 2004
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16.5 | Huai Mae Tham - LA0025 | ||
| 17.1 | Tham Sukkasem Sawan - LA0037 | 70 | 0 |
| 20.6 | Khao Pah Nam - LA0030 | ||
| 24.5 | Tham Luang Wieng Kaew - LP0026 | 250 | 0 |
| 24.5 | Tham Nu - LP0027 | 70 | 0 |
| 24.5 | Cave 03 [LP0028] [Cave 3] | ||
| 30.4 | Tham Paphai - LP0014 | 320 | 14 |
| 32.0 | Doi Tham - LP0007 | ||
| 38.9 | Tham Noi - LA0058 |