The Department of Mineral Resources have published "Caves and Karst of Thailand", a 920 page e-book, to celebrate the International Year of Caves & Karst".  It has 70 articles on all aspects of Thailand's caves and karst by numerous academics, cavers and civil servants. The e-book, as an online flipbook, can be seen HERE It is also available as a PDF download HERE ..read more

On Saturday 17 July 2021 Piyawee Tharasombat was killed by the high level of carbon dioxide in Tham Luuk. The cave is near Mu Si, Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima province. Local rescue services used breathing apparatus to recover the body of the 41-year old, which was found only 11 m from the bottom of the 5 m entrance ladder. The cave is known for its bad air. On a visit in September 2017 Chaiporn Siripornpibul was unable to descend more than 3 m down the entrance shaft, with a cigarette lighter not working at this point due to the high carbon dioxide. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v ..read more

Foreign cave exploration in Thailand Introduction Many of the early travelers to Thailand mentioned caves and limestone hills in their journals. John Crawfurd mentions caves on Ko Si Chang (Chonburi) in 1821 (Crawfurd 1828) while Captain James Low recorded a bird’s-nest cave at Hat Chao Mai in Trang in 1826 (Low 1833). Being close to Bangkok Tham Khao Luang in Phetchaburi was visited frequently by 19th century European travelers with one of the earliest visitors being Robert Schomburgk in May 1860  (Schomburgk 1861). Tham Tab Tao in Chiang Mai was already developed as a shrine when visite ..read more

On Sunday 4 April 2021, 46 year old monk Phra Ajarn Manas, on his annual pilgrimage from Nakhon Sawan province, entered Tham Phra Sai Ngam to meditate. This 3 km long cave is on the western edge of the Thung Salaeng Luang National Park, 6 km north of Noen Maprang in Phitsanulok province. While he was in the cave a heavy thunderstorm caused a seasonal sump, 400 m from the entrance, to close trapping him in the cave. As the monk was planning to spend a long time in the cave (he reportedly had some food with him) the alarm wasn’t raised until noon on Tuesday 6 April. The first responders were th ..read more

On the 18 June 2020 the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment signed a Cave Protection Code. This has 16 points which are to be followed when visiting caves. The original order, in Thai, can be found at the Department of Mineral Resources website https://drive.google.com/…/1Vi7S_sTNj2q_5PgCTvO1OYj2i…/view… Below is an unofficial translation. Please, direct any questions or comments to the Department of Mineral Resources. ********************************************************************************************************************************** Notification by the National Cave ..read more

In February 2020 a team of twenty-two cavers, mainly from the Shepton Mallet Caving Club and Chiang Mai Rock Climbing Adventures, explored and surveyed caves in the Doi Angkhang region of Chiang Mai province. This mountainous karst region is on the border with Myanmar and the area explored included parts of the Angkhang Royal Agricultural Station, Doi Phahom Pok National Park and Pha Daeng National Park. In two weeks a total of 5.4 km of passage was mapped in 14 caves. Tham Pha Daeng Currently the deepest known cave in Doi Angkhang. It had been explored by the Chiang Mai cavers and was ..read more

From the 7-23 January 2020 seven cavers from Germany, China, France and Russia explored and surveyed 9.1 km of passage in 29 caves. Expedition video No. Name Code Co-ordinates Length Amphoe 1 Tham Plup Pla Ta Yom ST0180 47P 559344 0997378 2,110 m Kanchanadit 2 Tham Bo Nam Thip ST0075 47P 564513 1013128 225 m Kanchanadit 3 Tham Thamma Uthai ST0051 47P 565609 1019488 59 m Kanchanadit 4 Tham Khuha ST0001 47P 551687 1011977 180 m Kanchanadit 5 Tham Thong Pra Roung ST0076 47P 572564 1012959 150 m Don Sak/td> 6 Tham Khiri Wong ST0127 47P 572732 1017499 80 m Don Sak 7 Tham Khao P ..read more

These two fine caves in the Lam Khlong Ngu National Park, Kanchanaburi, will be open to visitors between 29 February and 4 May 2020. Visitors must pre-book, should be between 15 and 60 years old, able to swim and physically fit. Bookings for groups of up to 10 will be taken between 13:00-15:00 hrs from 3 to 7 February 2020. The news report in English (https://www.asiaone.com/lifestyle/prime-chance-see-thailands-thrilling-kanchanaburi-caves) forgets to include the contact details, but in 2019 the registration phone number was 082 - 247 – 3352, while for enquiries contact 084 - 913 – 2381 or e-m ..read more

I've accepted the inevitable, and come to the conclusion that a Facebook group for Thai cavers might have a use for trip reports, finding caving partners, planning expeditions, etc. and allowing the wider caving world to find the active cavers in the country. This group, Thailand Caving, has been set up as a closed group. Please contact me, via the group on Facebook, for an invite to join ..read more

This basic timeline of the Tham Luang rescue is focused on the British involvement between 23 June and 11 July 2018. All times Thai time. Saturday 23 June 2018   At around 16:00 a group of 12 teenage boys and their football coach from the Wild Boars football team visited Tham Luang on a pre-planned trip following football practice. The thirteen were: Aekkapol Chanthawong                 25           Football coach Pornchai Kamluang    &nbs ..read more