Tham Pha Kouang

DREYBRODT JOERG informations

Frédéric Urien - 23/06/2024

History:>> transformed into a Buddhist temple by King Setthadhiraj (1534-1572) King of Lane Na and Lane Xang [5256] >>The cave has been known by locals for a long time. It was used during the Vietnam War by the Lao resistance as a shelter and for weapons storage. With precision bombing the Americans managed to drop a sizeable bomb through the entrance into the cave. The effect was disasterous: large rocks were blown out of the cave, and parts of the entrance are still charred from the blast. The cave has a religious function today. Buddha statuettes can be found in large numbers in the entrance chamber [5158] Explo history: --1999: recce by Laos Caving (voor)Expedition (NL) [3448] --25.-27.10.2000: explored and surveyed to 1.028m by Amis Laos Expedition 2000 (NL) [5128] --29.12.2000: fauna survey by L. Deharveng & A. bedos [6091] Cave description: Citation: Analysis: [3448]: huge opening in a limestone wall, seen from the road, small buddha altar at the entrance; UXO = unexploded ordonance, because of a mortar grenade found [5158]: Except for the large entrance chamber, the air quality in the entire cave is very bad and high caution is necessary. The low passage that continues from the entrance chamber has a high carbon dioxide concentration in the air. After about 90 metres one encounters a short squeeze and a subsequent low passage that has gold leaf decoration and some Buddha statues on the left side. The main passage continues from here as walking size. About 150 metres from the entrance a short gallery to the right leads to an upper chamber. 40 metres further the main passage abruptly turns to the right and descends into a chamber with a balcony at the opposite end. The air quality is extremely bad here. A passage to the right leads to several pitches, the longest of which is about 30 m deep. There are no continuations from the bottoms of the pitches. During the exploration of Tham Pha Kouang by the Dutch AMIS Laos expedition, an 8 metres long bamboo climbing pole and 45 m of dynamic rope were used to negotiate the climb to the balcony. An anchor point (spit) was placed just below the edge of the balcony, and two spits were placed in the balcony itself. From the balcony in the afore-mentioned chamber the main continuation of the main passage is reached. The character of the gallery changes and it descends into an enormous fossil canyon that heads straight into the distance. A 20 metres long handline is required for the descent. Following the main gallery for a while a climb up a large calcite waterfall is reached. Another 20 m of handline is advisable here which can be slung over stalagmites at the top of the climb. The passage continues to the north and leads to a huge chamber of 30 by 45 metres. A 25 m rope and SRT equipment is necessary to abseil down into this chamber, which provides many beautiful formations including flowstone discs. From the bottom of the chamber, a 50 metres deep pitch along a narrow, boulder-filled fissure can be free-climbed to a dead end. From the opposite side of the chamber the main passage continues for another 90 metres before it becomes impassably narrow. 35 metres before the final end is reached one has to squeeze through large flowstone draperies >> survey; >> shown in map [6415]: only shown in map [8525]: only fauna records [5128]: >> survey >> shown in map [5458]: shown in map [4848]: survey Equipment: Except for the large entrance chamber, the air quality in the entire cave is very bad and high caution is necessary. The low passage that continues from the entrance chamber has a high carbon dioxide concentration in the air. During the exploration of Tham Pha Kouang by the Dutch AMIS Laos expedition, an 8 metres long bamboo climbing pole and 45 m of dynamic rope were used to negotiate the climb to the balcony. An anchor point (spit) was placed just below the edge of the balcony, and two spits were placed in the balcony itself. From the balcony in the afore-mentioned chamber the main continuation of the main passage is reached. The character of the gallery changes and it descends into an enormous fossil canyon that heads straight into the distance. A 20 metres long handline is required for the descent. Following the main gallery for a while a climb up a large calcite waterfall is reached. Another 20 m of handline is advisable here which can be slung over stalagmites at the top of the climb. The passage continues to the north and leads to a huge chamber of 30 by 45 metres. A 25 m rope and SRT equipment is necessary to abseil down into this chamber, which provides many beautiful formations including flowstone discs. From the bottom of the chamber, a 50 metres deep pitch along a narrow, boulder-filled fissure can be free-climbed to a dead end [5158] Remarks:[4928] From map & table: "Tourist attractions of Louang Prabang Province" Position vermutlich falsch, der Berg Pha Kouang ist auf einer anderen Position, aber selbes Kartenblatt in Descript!!!: Bad Air!!! [5128] SUNV & Provincial Tourism Office Luang Prabang 2002: Ngoy district: Thampha Kuang cave is situated right next to the main road from Nambak, about 500 meters before Nong Khiaw. The cave was used during the Vietnam War by the resistance as a shelter and weapon storage. By means of precision bombing the Americans at one time managed to drop a bomb though the entrance in to the cave and part of the entrance is still charred from the blast. Nowadays the cave has a religious function, and Buddha images can be found in large numbers through out the entrance chamber. Sylavong et al. 2000 [4928]: From map & table: "Tourist attractions of Louang Prabang Province" Nr. 34 in map, Nr. 9 in table E-mail D. Eskes 15.04.2005: I assume that the cave called Tham UXO by my in an article, is probably Tham Pha Kouang, I found an old description so i attached it to this mail. [4983]: "Im karst des Pha Nangnon, 3 km westlich von Nong Kiao, befindet sich Tham Luang. Der Eingang ist von der Straße 1 aus an einem Unterstand zu erkennen. Der Weg wurde kürzlich von nicht-detonierten Sprengkörpern befreit. Die Höhle ist relativ schmal und führt etwa 300m in den Fels hinein. Eintritt frei. References: [3448]: Eskes, D 1999: Laos live report. Pierk 14 (4): 36-41. [4848]: Deharveng, L. & Bedos, A. 2000: Echos des profondeurs étranger: Asie: Laos. Reconnaissance dans le nord du Laos en décembre 1999. Spelunca 79: 11; Paris [4928]: Sylavong, L., Tsechalicha, X. & Watling, D. 2000: Louang Prabang Province environmental inventory. Ministry of Communication, Transport, Post and Construction, Lao PDR & IUCN - the World Conservation Union. 78 pp. [4983]: Düker, J. & Monreal, A. 2003: Stefan Loose Travel Handbuch Laos. Du Mont Reiseverlag. 400 pp. [5128]: Damen, F., Eskes, D., Burgers, J., Meijer, P. & Damen, F. sr. 2003: Amis Laos Caving Expedition 2000. Expedition Report of the first Dutch caving Expedition in Lao P.D.R. 104 pp, 4 maps. [5158]: Dreybrodt, J. & Laumanns, M. (eds.) 2005: The unknown North of Laos (Karst and Caves of the Provinces Luang Phrabang and Luang Nam Tha). Berliner Höhlenkundliche Berichte 16. 105 pp & Annex. [5256]: Saysanom, C.S. 2003: The reign of king Saysethadhiraj. URL: www.google.com/search?q=cache:UYewjPs9w88J:laohist… [5458]: Anon. : Luang Prabang Province. URL: www.ecotourismlaos.com/images/map/luangprabang/lpg… [5945]: Golovatch S. I., Geoffroy J.-J., Mauriès J.-P. & Van den Spiegel D. 2007: Review of the millipede genus Glyphiulus Gervais, 1847, with descriptions of new species from Southeast Asia (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Cambalopsidae). Part 1: the granulatus-group. - Zoosystema 29 (1) : 7-49. [6091]: Golovatch S. I., Geoffroy J.-J., Mauriès J.-P. & Van den Spiegel D. 2007: Review of the millipede genus Glyphiulus Gervais, 1847, with descriptions of new species from Southeast Asia (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Cambalopsidae). Part 2: the javanicus-group. - Zoosystema 29 (3) : 417-456. [6415]: Dreybrodt, J. & Laumanns, M. (eds.) 2008: The Unknown North of Laos. Part 2 - 2006-2008: Karst and Caves of the Provinces Luang Phrabang, Luang Nam Tha, Xieng Khouang, Houaphan and Vientiane. - Berliner Höhlenkundliche Berichte 32. 143 pp. [----]: www.showcaves.com/english/misc/showcaves/PhaKouang… [8525]: Dreybrodt, J. & Laumanns, M. (eds.) 2010: The Unknown North of Laos (Part 3 - 2009-2010: Karst and Caves of the Provinces Houaphan and Oudomxay). - Berliner Höhlenkundliche Berichte 38. 94 pp + Annex.