ถ้ำอุไรทอง

Tham Urai Thong

Useful Information

Location:	Kamphaeng, La-ngu District, Satun 91110. (6.937487, 99.764489)
Open:
Fee:
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
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Address:	Tham Urai Thong, Kamphaeng, La-ngu District, Satun 91110, Tel: +66-74-710-725. Satun UNESCO Global Geopark, 206 Moo 8 416, Tambon Thung Wa, Thung Wa District, Satun Province 91120, Tel: +66-634654924. E-mail:
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History

Description

ถ้ำอุไรทอง (Tham Urai Thong, Uraithong Cave) is a through-cave located in the Satun UNESCO Global GeoPark, which was recently developed as a show cave. The cave is located in a 675 m long and 80 m wide, north-south oriented, elongated karst tower. The entrance is in the middle of a 40 m wide and 25 m high cliff face and originally required some climbing. During the development an elevated trail with railings made of stainless steel was installed. As the karst tower is only 50 m wide at this point, the cave is rather short. The cave is a single straight passage with an ellisoid profile, 10 m to 15 m wide and 4 m high.

In the same cliff there are two more cave entrances, which probably once belonged to the same cave system, but were separated by the erosion of the karst tower. The cliff face shows three ledges, which are thought to be the result of the transgression and regression of the sea. The surrounding plain is only 10 m above sea level, during times of higher sea level, during the warm interglacials of the Quaternary Ice Age, it was flooded and the waves created erosional forms. The shells of sea mollusks were found, for example Anadara spp., Polymesoda proxima, Nerita spp., and oysters. Also, the bones of ancient humans, rhinos, zebras, bovines, and boars were excavated in the cave entrances. As the animal bones are crushed into small pieces, the archaeologists think they are the remains of the human prey, which they brought into the cavern to eat them.