Tham Pha Phung - LO0080
17.326367,101.669172
Location
On the road from Phu Ruea to Wang Saphung the wat is signed in Thai to the south of the road. The dirt track leads to a small forest wat. From the wat 550 steps lead up the side of the hill. At the top of the steps there is a rough path with a couple of scrambles leading to another 100 steps to the entrance.
Description
Topographie
SMCC (2009) Grade UISv2 3-3-F. John Gosset (2011) Grade UISv2 1-1-A ELLIS (2013a)
The 15m wide by 5m high entrance has a very strong draught blowing out of it. Just inside the entrance there is a fence with an unlocked gate. The passage opens up into a chamber 50m across and 40m high. The way on is to the left where some rough steps lead up past a water tank to the top of a small rise.The passage then drops gently to a second entrance chamber, going through another fence and unlocked gate. This second chamber has some very large formations and a large Buddha. There is a skylight entrance at the back of this chamber. The large formation can be climbed on the left hand side to a continuation of the chamber that is 25m high and has another skylight. A further climb up can be seen, but has not been attempted. A nun at the temple reported that there is a way under the large formation to another decorated chamber and an exit.
Documents
[Topo] Tham Pha Phung 07/05/2019Bibliography 16/03/2020
- ELLIS, MARTIN (2013a) "Some Caves in Thailand Part 3" Shepton Mallet Caving Club Journal Series 12 No. 10 pp554-578 GOSSET, JOHN (2012) "Balades karstiques en Thailande : Province de Loei et NongBuaLamphu" l'Equipe SpÚlÚo de Bruxelles blog 8 January 2012 esbhotnews.blogspot.com/2012/01/balades-karstiques… LATINNE, ALICE; WAENGSOTHORN, SURACHIT; ROJANADILOK, PRATEEP; EIAMAMPAI, KRAIRAT; SRIBUAROD, KRIANGSAK; MICHAUX, JOHAN R. (2013) "Diversity and endemism of Murinae rodents in Thai limestone karsts" Systematics and Biodiversity Vol. 11 online 22pp Likhitrakarn, Natdanai; Golovatch, Sergei I.; Panha, Somsak (2016) " Review of the Southeast Asian millipede genus Antheromorpha Jeekel, 1968 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae)" ZooKeys Issue 571 pp21-57
History
Two hard fired, cord marked, pot sherds were recovered from fill removed from the cave suggesting the presence of an archaeological deposit inside. 2006-10-01 (M. Ellis) the first visit by cavers. 2007-10-18 (S. Panha, C. Sutcharit) 2009-02-23 (M. Ellis, P. Collett) 2011-11-14 (J. Gosset) climbed the large formation to another chamber with a skylight.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Tham Le Pa In - LO0017 | ||
| 1.9 | Pha Bao (Tham) [LO0150] | ||
| 2.1 | Pha Sao (Tham) [LO0156] | 489 | 21 |
| 5.9 | Tham Men - LO0029 | ||
| 12.6 | Tham Pha Bing - LO0026 | 20 | 0 |
| 12.9 | Tham Sua Lueang - LO0095 | ||
| 14.2 | Tham Pha Fang - LO0096 | ||
| 15.4 | Tham Phra - LO0129 | ||
| 15.6 | Tham Pha Mak Ho - LO0027 | 50 | 0 |