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Introduction
This is the first of a series of reports which will detail the results of over five months of cave exploration in Thailand. In these five months nearly eighteen kilometres of cave have been surveyed and many cave entrances logged in fourteen provinces. The report also notes the caves which were not found although efforts were made to locate them. This first part covers the northern provinces of Uttaradit, Phrae, Lampang, Nan, Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai.

The provinces (in Thai 'changwat') covered in this part were visited in December 2003 and March 2005.

All grid references given in this report are on the UTM grid based on the Indian 1954 (Thailand-Vietnam) datum and most were obtained by GPS. Topographic maps at a scale of 1:50,000 are available for certain areas, but are strictly controlled for the border areas. The best mapping available for the whole country is at a scale of 1:250,000. These topographic maps can be difficult to obtain, even from specialist map sellers. Some of the general  tourist maps are good and show many of the caves. However, be aware that some of the well known atlases (e.g. Michelin and Lonely Planet) have the caves marked up to 25 km from their true locations. The Tourist Authority of Thailand has kindly gone round the country putting up many blue road signs to tourist attractions, many of which are caves. However, most of these do not give distances and tend to run out before you reach your destination. In this report the road numbers are given using the format Hxxxx. An attempt has been made to group the caves by amphoe (second-order administrative unit, equivalent to 'district') to help distinguish the caves as many cave names, such as Tham Khang Khao (Bat Cave) and Tham Pha Daeng (Red Cliff Cave), are very common.

The cave surveys are to BCRA (1976) 3b or 3c standard and were carried out with a Silva Sightmaster combined compass and clinometer unit, a 30 m Fibron tape and occasionally a Leico Disto laser rangefinder (used for the passage dimensions). The UIS (1999) symbol set is used with the additional symbol 'B' to represent Buddha statues or shrines. The survey data was computed using the Walls cave survey program. The surveys were drawn with Adobe Illustrator CS using the SVG roundtripping facilities of Walls.

Many of the caves in this report are also listed in John Dunkley’s 1995 catalogue The Caves of Thailand. The code numbers for the caves given by John are listed to aid cross-referencing with this catalogue. These cross-references are formatted COT XX YY where XX is the two letter code for the province and YY is the cave number.

In all the provinces in Thailand a lot of basic speleological work remains to be done. Even on a non-caving holiday by recording the name, location (preferably with GPS co-ordinates) and a simple description of a cave can be invaluable as only a few areas have been extensively investigated and none could be described as being worked out. By just touring around it is possible to find extensive caves that were previously unknown to Western cavers. However, you are unlikely to find caves unknown to the local population. The ability to speak Thai is invaluable for asking farmers, monks and noodle stall owners whether there are any caves in the vicinity. Unfortunately Thai is a difficult language to learn, but an attempt should be made to record the written Thai name of any cave. This is because the transliteration of Thai into the Roman alphabet is not fixed so various spellings of the same name can occur and cause confusion. At the very least it is advised to learn to recognise the Thai word for cave which is ถ้ ำ.

References
Barlow, J.J. (n.d.) "Chaing Rai Guide – Caves" http://www.chiangraiprovince.com/guide/eng/15.htm [accessed July 2005]
Benedict, Bob (n.d. [1985?]) "Doi Ang Khang" unpublished notes on 1984 expedition to the Doi Ang Khang area, Chiang Mai
Clarac, A. & Pagau-Clarac, H. (1985) "Thailande: Guide Touristique" DK Book House, Bangkok ISBN 974-2104-174 508pp
Clark, Sandy (2004) "Speleology Made Easy Just Outside Chiang Mai" Chiang Mai Mail Vol. 3 No. 46 13-19 November 2004
Cummings, Joe (1999) "Thailand" 8th edition, Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd, Hawthorn, Victoria ISBN 0-86442-636-4 1032pp
Cummings, Joe (2002) "Chiang Mai & Northern Thailand" Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd, Footscray, Victoria ISBN 1-74059-064-3 400pp
Cummings, Joe, Bao, S., Martin, S. & Williams, C. (2003) "Thailand" 10th edition Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd., Footscray, Victoria ISBN 1-74059-356-1 808pp
Deharveng, Louis & Gouze, A. (1983) "Expédition en Thailande – Rapport Speleologique" Privately circulated report
Deharveng, Louis, et. al. (1986) "Expédition Thaï-Maros 85" Association Pyrénéenne de Spéléologie, Toulouse ISBN 2-906273-00-7
Deharveng, Louis, et. al. (1988) "Expédition Thaï-Maros 86" Association Pyrénéenne de Spéléologie, Toulouse ISBN 2-906273-01-5
Deharveng, Louis, et. al. (1988) "Expéditions Thaï 87-Thaï 88" Association Pyrénéenne de Spéléologie, Toulouse ISBN 2-906273-02-3
Dunkley, John R. (1995) "The Caves of Thailand" Speleological Research Council, Sydney ISBN 0-9589253-9-9 124pp
Dunkley, John R. (1997) "The Caves of Thailand – Addendum 1995-97" Speleological Research Council, Sydney
Ellis, Martin (2004) "SAM in Siam" Shepton Mallet Caving Club Newsletter Vol. 40 No. 6 pp140-146
Farrant, Andy, Flower, Simon & Lee, Simon (2001) "UBSS Expedition to Northern Thailand" University of Bristol Spelaeological Society Proceedings Vol. 22 No. 2 pp125-156
Goodden, Christian (2000) "Trek It Yourself in Northern Thailand" Jungle Books (Halesworth), England ISBN 0-9527383-2-5 414pp
Goodden, Christian (2002) "Three Pagodas" 2nd revised & expanded edition, Jungle Books (Halesworth), England ISBN 0-9527393-4-1 448 pp
Hallett, H.S. (1890) "A Thousand Miles on an Elephant in the Shan States" William Blackwood & Sons, London. Reprinted (1988) White Lotus Co. Ltd., Bangkok ISBN 974-8495-27-2 484pp
Janchitfah, S. (2003) "No Peace On The Mountain" Bangkok Post 27 April 2003
Kimmins, B. (2003) "Phrae's Answer" The Nation 10 May 2003
Khuenkaew, S. (2003) "Big Smugglers' Cave found" Bangkok Post 20 Oct 2003
Locke, Tim, Clutterbuck, Martin & Wilson, Dick (1998) "Explorer Thailand" AA Publishing, Basingstoke ISBN0-7495-1581-3 288pp + map
Munier, Christophe (1998) "Sacred Rocks and Buddhist Caves in Thailand" White Lotus Co. Ltd, Bangkok ISBN 974-8434-19-2 266p
Nicholl, C. (1988) "Borderlines: A Journey in Thailand and Burma" Viking, New York ISBN 0-670-82816-5 238pp
Smart, Dean, Gardner, Simon & Pindar Sidisunthorn (in press) – unpublished guidebook to the caves of Northern Thailand
Smith, Samantha L. & Telling, Jon P. (2004) "UBSS Expedition to Northern Thailand 2003" University of Bristol Spelaeological Society Proceedings Vol. 23 No. 2 pp87-96
Swearer, Donald K., Premchit, Sommai, Dokbuakaew, P. (2004) "Sacred Mountains of Northern Thailand and Their Legends" Silkworm Books, Chiang Mai ISBN 974-9575-48-2 104pp
Thikakhayano, Maha Sathith (n.d.) "History and Guidebook to Chiang Dao Caves" Tarathong Printing, Chiang Mai 60pp
Tilley, Robert (2004) "A Cave's Promise" The Nation 3 April 2004
Vogt, Marion (2003) "A Journey Through Pha Thai Cave" Chiangmai Mail Vol. 2 No. 14 5-13 April 2003
White, Tony (1988) "Zen and The Art of Umbrella Pointing" Caves & Caving No. 40 pp14-17
Wongruang, Piyaporn (2004) "Life Hard for Grieving Family" Bangkok Post 13 September 2004

Maps
Royal Thai Survey Department 1:250,000 series topographical maps:
NE47-2 Amphoe Chiang Dao
NE47-3 Changwat Chiang Rai
NE47-4 Muang Xaignabouri
NE47-7 Changwat Lampang
NE47-8 Changwat Nan
NE47-11 Changwat Uttaradit
This is the only series to cover the whole of Thailand. However, we have not seen the six maps listed above that cover the areas described in this report. They can be difficult to get hold of, even from specialist map sellers. These maps have not been seen for sale in Thailand, but are reportedly available if you visit the Royal Thai Survey Department in Bangkok.
 
Tourist Maps
There seems to be a lot plagarism when it comes to publishing tourist maps in Thailand. All the maps appear to have been based on the same source as they have the same errors. A good check as to whether a map is likely to be simply a copy of another map is the presence of the Nam Chon Reservoir to the south of Umphang in Tak province. The dam to create this reservoir was planned, but never built due to environmental protests. However the reservoir appears on the Rough Guide map and in the Lonely Planet atlas.
Berndtson & Berndtson Northern Thailand (2000) 1:750,000. A very good touring map with accurate depiction of the roads and many caves marked.
The Rough Guide Map Thailand (n.d.) 1:1,200,000. An average tourist map.
Lonely Planet Thailand, Vietnam, Laos & Cambodia Road Atlas (2000) !;1,000,000. Another very average map using the same source as the Rough Guide map.
Michelin Tourist & Motoring Atlas (2001) 1:1,000,000. Not as detailed as it could be, but all place names are also spelt in Thai and it doesn't have the 'Nam Chon Reservoir' .

Acknowledgements
Ivan Hollis for his enthusiasm for poking about in little temple caves over the ten weeks we have spent touring Thailand.
Dean Smart of Bangkok for his work as interpreter on the trip in March 2005. Dean also give us many hints on where to go and supplied a copy of Benedict’s notes on Doi Ang Khang.
Terry Bolger and Neil Anderson of the Canberra Speleological Society for allowing us to gate crash their expeditions to the Thung Salaeng Luang National Park and Northern Thailand in 2004 and 2005.
Sam Smith and Jon Telling of the University of Bristol Spelaeological Society for allowing us to join their expedition to Tham Tab Tao.
The park rangers at the various National and Forest Parks for allowing us to explore their caves.

Appendices

Appendix A: Cave Data

Appendix B: Thai Glossary

amphoe = second level administrative unit - 'district'
ban = village
changwat = first level administrative unit - 'province'
chiang = town with defensive wall (northern Thai)
daeng = red
doi = mountain (northern Thai)
huai = stream
khang khao = bat
khao = hill or mountain
mae nam = river
nam = water
pha = cliff or forest (depending on tone)
phueng = bee
rai = an unit of area equal to 0.16 hectares or 0.3954 acres
sawan = heaven
tambon = third level administrative unit
tham = cave
wat = temple, often with an associated monastery