Print-friendlyAmphoe Lan Sak
Tham Khao Kwang Thong ถ้ ำเขากวงทอง
47P 0581257 1728810 Alt.: 135 m
Length: 80 m VR : 20m
This small cave was found in an isolated limestone hill to the north-west of Uthai Thani town. This hill is 1.5 km long and reaches an altitude of 356 m. It is part of a north-south line of limestone hills which are of Triassic age. There is another north-south line of Triassic limestone hills to the east of Khao Kwang Tong.
Heading north-west from Uthai Thani town we were attempting to follow the blue tourist signs to caves and while driving west on H3456 a small, hand-painted sign was seen indicating the track to this cave. The cave is also marked on a Uthai Thai province tourist information map. The track led round the eastern side of the hill to a small monastery at bottom of the limestone hill. Many monkeys were in residence. Some rough steps led for 20 m up the side of the hill to the wide entrance.
The entrance has the usual Buddha. Round the back a rift passage leads to a junction. To the right a small crawling passage leads to two small entrances whilst to the left a passage climbs to reach a large rift – 8 m wide and 15 m high. This had another entrance to the right whilst to the left ascends to a choke.
Survey of Tham Khao Kwang Thong
The Caves of Thailand lists a Tham Nam Phu (UT 4) as being in Khao Kwang Thong which is described as being a small decorated cave. As we did not explore the hill, or even drive all the way round it, it is possible that there are other caves nearby. However, a Tham Nam Phu was sign posted 3 km from H3282 at 47P 0574938 1703583 which is 25 km to the south of Khao Kwang Thong.
Tham Khao Phraya Phai Rua ถ้ ำเขาพระยาพายเรือ
47P 0561275 1712447
Length: 1,500 m
This is another cave located in an isolated limestone hill surrounded by the alluvial plane. It is about 18 km to the west of the line of Triassic limestone hills and has been given a Permian age. However, a re-evaluation of this dating is needed as the recent work on the limestones to the east has shown they are of Triassic age rather than Permian.
The cave is sign posted in the village of Lan Sak from the H3438 just to the west of its junction with the H3473. The monastery with the cave is 4.5 km north of the H3438. It is located in a low, isolated, limestone hill and the length of the cave is a surprise considering its location. For a fee of 50 baht each the monks (accompanied by small boys) will guide you into the cave which has electric lighting in parts. It is a real labyrinth and we were grateful to have the guides. After one and a half hours we had to curtail our visit as we had to get back to where we were staying. However, the monks informed us that a complete tour would take in twelve "chambers", includes crawling and would take twelve hours! In July 2003 a French group surveyed the cave to a total length of 1.5 km. However, the monks claimed that the cave extended for 3 km.
Amphoe Ban Rai
Tham Khao Wong Forest Park
This forest park was created in December 2001 and covers an area of 1,300 hectares. Its key features are the Khao Chong Lom and Khao Roop Chang hills with the highest peak being 637 m above sea level. As well as Tham Phu Wai, which is described below, the park contains Tham Khao Wong Yai (to the east of Khao Chong Lom and with four chambers), Tham Khao Wong (to the west of Khao Chong Lom and about 100 m from the road with a dozen smaller caves nearby), Tham Pra U Bosod (a big cave to the south of Khao Roop Chang with one large chamber and several smaller ones) and Tham Tep Malee (to the west of Khao Chong Lom and about 50 m from Tham Phu Wai). To get to the park take the H3011 eastwards from Ban Rai for approximately 6 km to where a road on the left (with the cave sign posted) leads past the Wat Tham Khao Wong monastery and Khao Roop Chang and up the hill to the car park for Tham Phu Wai on Khao Chong Lom.
Tham Phu Wai ถ้ ำพุหวาย
47P 0547990 1659420 Alt.: 400 m
Length: ~200 m COT UT 2
Other names: Tham Phet
Tham Phu Wai is marked on most of the tourist information brochures and maps. This small cave is run as a show cave by the National park service. The fee is a bargain at only 10 baht each and includes a guide. The guide will show you the large chamber which is 200 m in diameter and has some big formations. The path winds between the formations before you exit from a second entrance. The path leads back to the car park via a couple of smaller collapse caves. In July 2003 the same French group that surveyed Tham Khao Phraya Phai Rua also surveyed Tham Pu Wai.
Other Caves
Uthai Thani province has many of the blue tourist signs for various caves and a few other caves are mentioned in the tourist brochures and maps.
Tham Khao Khong Chai ถ้ ำเขาฆ้องชัย COT UT 5 – the cave is signed at 47P 0563384 1707505 on the H3438 between its junctions with the H3473 and H3282 roads. A large monastery has been built at the entrance. There are some reports that access to the cave has been stopped to protect the large colony of bats. A 310 m long cave, Tham Phon Sawan COT UT 33, has been explored on the summit of Khao Khong Chai at a distance of 1.5 km from the monastery.
Tham Khao Tap Hap ถ้ ำเขาตะพาบ COT UT 6– this cave is signed along a turning off the H333 at 47P 0573411 1687408. This is a well known cave, reported to be full of bat guano with a large associated fauna.
Khao Pla Ra Forest Park เขาปลร้า COT UT 16 – the main entrance to the park is at 47P 0558860 1704196 on the H3438 between Lan Sak and Nong Chang. In the park there are prehistoric cave paintings are to be found in various small caves and rock shelters.
Tham Nam Pu – the cave is sign posted as being 3 km from the H3438 at 47P 0574616 1703784, approximately 6 km to the east of the Khao Pla Ra Forest Park. Nam Pu is marked as a hot spring on a tourist map. In The Caves of Thailand a Tham Nam Pu is described as being at Khao Kwang Thong (see the entry above for Tham Khao Kwang Thong).
Tham Ket Dao ถ้ ำเกร็ดดาว – this cave is shown on a tourist map as being to the south of the H3011 road which leads from Ban Rai to a checkpoint (47P 0541584 1671728) at the edge of the Huai Mae Dee National Park. The map indicates that the cave is along a footpath or dirt track on the left just past the junction with the road that heads north to the Paromyen waterfall. We had a quick look for the cave, including asking at the checkpoint, but did not find the cave.
Uthai Thani References:
References: Fontaine, H., et. al. (2000) [geology]; Jarlan, P. (2003) [Tham Khao Phraya Phai Rua & Tham Phu Wai]; Munier, C. (1998) [Tham Khao Tap Hap & Khao Pla Ra]
Map: 1:250,000 ND47-03 Changwat Nakhon Sawan