Tham Phra That - KA0160
14.397491,99.078022
Location
High on a ridge to the west of Srinagarind dam, about 12 km from the Erawan National Park headquarters. The cave is 10 km north of the Erawan Falls along a dirt road that eventually leads to the Huai Mae Kamin waterfall. The cave is above KA0140 Tham Nam Phra That (Tham Nam). Walk 800 m across fields and up the mountain through an attractive stand of bamboo. The cave is well signposted and easy to find.
Description
The entrance is about 15 m wide and 8 to 10 m high. Beyond a curtain of columns at the back of the entrance chamber is an impressive chamber 90 m by 50 m by 40 m high, dominated by a large stalagmite boss 8 m high and 2 to 3 m thick with 10 m high flowstone on the east wall. Further in the passage is smaller with extensive flowstone and shawls, ending in a small chamber inhabited by bats.
Topographie
DEHARVENG, LOUIS ET AL. (1988) - UIS Grade 4 DUNKLEY, JOHN ROBERT (1995) - BCRA Grade 2a Dean Smart et al. (June 2002) - BCRA Grade 5d
Fauna
Alycaeus pratatensis Panha et Burch, 1997 (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Cyclophoroidea, Cyclophoridae) û type locality (Panha and Burch 1997) Mesocyclops thermocyclopoides Harada, 1931 (Arthropoda, Crustacea, Maxilliopoda, Cyclopoida, Cyclopidae) (Boonyanusith et al. 2013b) Thermocyclops crassus (Fischer, 1853) (Arthropoda, Crustacea, Maxilliopoda, Cyclopoida, Cyclopidae) (Boonyanusith et al. 2013b) Isoaedes cavaticus (Reinart, 1979) (Arthropoda, Insecta, Diptera, Culicidae) (Reinert 1979) Craseonycteris thonglongyai Hill, 1974 (Chordata, Mammalia, Chiroptera, Craseonycteridae) (Weeradet 2007)
Documents
[Topo] Tham Phra That 28/04/2019Bibliography 22/08/2019
- +Anon. (2015h) "Giant-faced bats died mysteriously en masse at Erawan park" Thai PBS English News 29 October 2015 +Anon. (2015i) "Bat deaths spur water use warning" Bangkok Post 2 November 2015 +Boonyanusith, Chaichat; Brancelj, Anton; Sanoamuang, La-orsri (2013b) "Species diversity of cave-dwelling Copepods in Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi Provinces" Proceedings of the Graduate Research Conference 2013, Khon Kaen University, Section SD01 pp33-42 +CAPSIZE KEN [PSEUD. KEN AARON] (2007) "A Business Trip Turned Muddy" Auckland Speleo Group Evening News Issue 453 June 2007 p3 +DEHARVENG, LOUIS ET AL. (1988) "ExpÚditions Tha´ 87-Tha´ 88" Association PyrÚnÚenne de SpÚlÚologie, Toulouse ISBN 2-906273-02-3 +DUNKLEY, JOHN ROBERT (1995) "The Caves of Thailand" Speleological Research Council, Sydney ISBN 0-9589253-9-9 +HAMILTON-SMITH, ELERY (1996) "Elery's Peregrinations - And then to Thailand" Australasian Cave and Karst Management Association Journal No. 22 March 1996 pp6-8 +HAMILTON-SMITH, ELERY (n.d.) "Re-Development of Tham Phra Tat, Erawan National Park, Thailand" unpublished report 6pp +HARRISON, B.A.; RATTANARITHIKUL, R.; PEYTON, E.L.; MONGKOLPANYA, K. (1990) "Taxonomic Changes, Revised Occurrence Records, and Notes on the Culicidae of Thailand and Neighbouring Countries" Mosquito Systematics Vol. 22 No. 3 pp196-227 +INGLES, MICHAEL (1990) "Prathat Cave Development Project. Project Statement" unpublished report 11pp +MUNIER, CHRISTOPHE (1998) "Sacred Rocks and Buddhist Caves in Thailand" White Lotus Co. Ltd, Bangkok ISBN 974-8434-19-2 266pp +NATIONAL PARK OFFICE (2006) "National Parks in Thailand" National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Bangkok 280pp +PANHA, SOMSAK; BURCH, JOHN B. (1997) ôA New Cave Dweller of the Genus Alycaeus in Thailand (Prosobranchia: Cyclophoracea: Cyclophoridae)ö Malacological Review Vol. 30 No. 2 pp119-122 Society for Experimental & Descriptive Malacology +PEARCE, K.N. (1990) "Proposals and Recommendations Relating to the Development of Prathat Cave, Erewan National Park, Kanchanaburi" unpublished +PRICE, LIZ (1985) "Travels in Thailand" Cerberus Spelaeological Society Journal Vol. 15 No. 6 November/December 1985 pp143-145 +Pumijumnong, Nathsuda (2017) ôíÊ+Ó-+È--+Úʺ+Ðí-+Ê¥¦Ïñ+Êí+Ò¦íÊ+-¦Ï+Ðí+ý-ÈÞºßæ+Ú-- ©++-¬ÊÁÈ-ЦñÃ+ñÞÊßíÞíÊ+-¦Ï+Ðí+ý++ðÓ+ÀÂÚË [Capacity building for cave conservation]ö Powerpoint slide pack, 12 December 2017, 72p +Rateau, Didier (2019) ôCaving expedition Khao Phu Thong Khao Tha Khanun 3 17 December 2018- 28 February 2019ö expedition report, 3pp +SHELTON, TROY (2000) "Karst Paradise. Caving in Thailand" The Maverick Bull, Fort Worth Maverick Grotto, Vol. 13 Issue 4 pp4-8 reprinted as "Caving in Paradise" The Texas Caver Vol. 45 No. 4 pp98-99 +Various (2016a) "[Guide to environmental quality standards for caves]" Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, Bangkok, ISBN 978-616-316-322-6, 106p +Various (2016b) "[Climate change preparedness and prevention program. The potential for ecological and environmental conservation based on cave type]" Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, Bangkok, ISBN 978-616-316-321-9 842p +VOGT, NILS B. (2013) "Temple Caves & Grottoes in Thailand: A Picture-Guide Book" Booksmango, Bangkok ISBN 978-616-222-160-6 214pp +WEERADET, THANIN (2007) ôFalls Trekö Bangkok Post 20 September 2007 +WHITEHEAD PAUL (n.d. b) "Buddhist Cave Shrines in Kanchanaburi" Wildlife Thailand blog www.wildlifethailand.com/blog/sitemap/79-buddhist-… (accessed September 2012)
History
Legend says that local people sheltered in the cave during the Burmese invasion leading to the sacking of Ayutthaya. 1981-12-29 John Dunkley - first recorded visit & sketch survey. 1990-01-18 NZSS expedition conducted a surface survey from Tham Nam Phra That to Tham Phra That 2007 - extensive work was being done to "upgrade" the tourist facilities in the cave which appears to have driven away the bat population.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.4 | Tham Nam Phra That - KA0140 | 1332 | 7 |
| 0.4 | Tham Nam Phra That Resurgence - KA0438 | 10 | 0 |
| 8.9 | Tham Phukung [KA0584] | ||
| 11.9 | Ban Na Tham - KA0239 | ||
| 12.1 | Tham Phu Toei [KA0524] | ||
| 12.5 | Cave KA0611 | ||
| 13.0 | Tham Kaet - KA0094 | 10 | 8 |
| 13.2 | Cave KA0093 - KA0093 | ||
| 13.4 | Tham Mai Phai - KA0089 | 45 | 0 |