Tham Pha Kao - NA0053
19.061851,101.083906
Location
North of the H1081 about 6km from Ban Lak Lai heading towards Ban Bo Klua. The cave is difficult to access so it is best to ask a guide in the village of Ban Mao. From Nan take the road to Yod Loi for 60km eastward to the south of Doi Phuka. 3km after the village of Yod Loi, find the trailhead on the clay slopes bordering the H1081. Following the track after 2km the village of Ban Mao is reached where it is possible to find a guide to the cave. Following the path one reaches a small hill with a hunter's hut. Follow the path down which leads quickly to a small rocky limestone outcrop on the left. A path leads to the inconspicuous entrance porch of the cave. Start of the path from the H1081 19¦ 03.263 N / 101¦ 05.336 E / 939 m Waypoint 19¦ 03.297 N / 101¦05.317 E Waypoint 19¦ 03.612 N / 101¦ 05.138 E Waypoint 19¦ 03.654 N / 101¦ 05.106 E Hut 19¦ 03.707 N / 101¦ 05.041 E Entrance 19¦ 03.711 N / 101¦ 05.035 E
Description
The cave is a swallet with a spacious entrance descending down a drop of about 5m amongst the boulders (an easy climb that doesn't need a rope). Then there is a big chamber from which many passages lead. On the left by descending a bit into the chamber one finds a spacious meander which steeply ascends to the outside. If you do not take this gallery and always stay on the left in the chamber one arrives at an easy squeeze (2m) which leads into a small chamber which collects some small inlets. On the left there is a small passage of about 20m; on the right one can follow a passage which has a small stream (estimated to be less than 1 litre/second) which ends in a small chamber (a small drop of 2 or 3m; easy to bypass). From this chamber two passages return to the big chamber, there is also a small passage through a pillar. These passages are on the left. To the right one follows a passage in the form of a meander which collects water from the cave, but which is quickly blocked (narrow, boulders and branches). In the big chamber one finds on the right the two small passages which lead to the small chamber which is the start of the active vadose passage. A last dry passage is on the right was pushed for about 30m. The cave houses bats and is quite well decorated, with several large formations descending from the ceiling. Some clay banks in the lower parts are due to the stream.
Topographie
JARLAN, PHILIPPE; CARON-JARLAN, VIOLAINE, BELUCHE, ALEXANDRA; BELUCHE, FRANCOIS (2010)
Documents
[Topo] Tham Pha Kao 14/05/2019Bibliography 12/09/2020
- ELLIS, MARTIN (2005) "Some Caves in Thailand Part 1" Shepton Mallet Caving Club Journal Series 11 No. 7 pp294-321 Ellis, Martin (2015d) "Caves of Doi Phuka National Park" privately published, April 2015, 81pp FONTAINE, HENRI; SALYAPONGSE, SIROT; VACHARD, DAVID (2000) "Widespread Occurence of Triassic Limestones in Nan Region, Northern Thailand" Proc. Geol. Surv. Conf., 25-29 July 2000, Bangkok, p. 201 û 227 GOODDEN, CHRISTIAN (1999) "Around Lan-na" Jungle Books (Halesworth), England ISBN 0-9527383-1-7 434pp JARLAN, PHILIPPE; CARON-JARLAN, VIOLAINE, BELUCHE, ALEXANDRA; BELUCHE, FRANCOIS (2010) "Expedition NANTHAI 2008" SociÚtÚ SpÚlÚologique de l' AriÞge-Pays d'Olmes 55pp NATIONAL PARK OFFICE (2006) "National Parks in Thailand" National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Bangkok 280pp
History
Surveyed by Jarlan in 2008.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13.9 | Tham Pha Kong - NA0020 | ||
| 18.5 | Tham Phra Charon - NA0016 | ||
| 21.8 | Tham Nam Ook Ru [NA0054] | 91 | 2 |
| 22.3 | Tham Yok Wiman [NA0146] | 234 | 26 |
| 22.4 | Tham Sua Dao [NA0144] | 126 | 17 |
| 24.3 | Cave NA0052 | 150 | 8 |
| 24.7 | Tham Fak Thong [NA0077] | 482 | 22 |
| 25.0 | Tham Lom [NA0050] | 184 | 13 |
| 25.1 | Tham Nan [NA0051] | 340 | 37 |