Print-friendlyAmphoe Rong Kwang
Tham Pha Nong Khoi ถ้ ำผานางคอย
Main Entrance 47Q 0643426 2031309 Alt.: 260 m
Back Entrance 47Q 0643474 2031521 Alt.: 272 m
Length: 435 m VR: 14 m COT PA 1
This is a well know show cave that is sign posted to the west of the H101 about 40 kilometres north of Phrae town at kilometer 59. A set of concrete steps leads up to the large entrance where a woman was waiting to collect the 5 baht donation towards the cost of the electric lighting. The cave is simply a single large phreatic tunnel that goes through the hill to a second entrance and a large shrine. Near this back entrance there is a large stalagmite which is supposed to represent a mother and child which has given rise to a legend regarding the cave. In this ancient and famous legend a king's daughter is saved from drowning by a soldier and she then elopes with her saviour and has his child. The king, furious at their behaviour, sends men after them to ambush the soldier as he leaves the cave. Unaware of his death, the princess waits eternally for his return and the stalagmite is said to represent the princess and her child. An interesting trip and worth the short detour from the road.
Survey of Tham Pha Nong Khoi
Amphoe Long
Doi Pha Klong National Park
This new national park, formerly known as the Suan Hin Maharaj Park, is located to the south-west of Phrae town and is circled by the H101, H11 and H1023
Blue tourist signs to Tham Erawan were seen at the junction of H101 and H11 (47Q 0613193 1986696) and to the north of H11 at 47Q 0597997 1987034. The cave is close to the Mae Nam Nan river and a boat trip might be needed to reach it. The map of the park has a Tham Paak Long marked just to the north of the H1023 to the east of Amphoe Long at the Coral Mountain. The park literature also mentions a Tham Chan Pha in the Suan Hin Maharaj rock garden (to the south of the H1023 to the eats of Amphoe Long). Tham Chan Pha is described as being "a huge bat cave with lots of bat's dung" and it is located in the north of the stone garden.
Phrae References
Locke, Clutterbuck & Wilson (1998) [Tham Pha Nong Khoi]; Kimmins, B. (2003) [Tham Pha Nong Khoi]