Thong Pha Phum

Introducing Thong Pha Phum

This little town wedged between shaggy karst mountains is an ideal spot to drop off the map for a spell. During the dry season, weekend Thai tourists pass through en route to nearby Kheuan Khao Laem (Khao Laem Dam; officially named Vachiralongkorn Dam), but otherwise the major comings and goings are shipments of produce and a few rickety buses. Many of the town’s inhabitants are ethnic Mon or Burmese who originally congregated here to work on the construction of the dam. During the rainy season, life becomes slower, albeit wetter – much wetter.

The town of Thong Pha Phum isn’t much, with all of its businesses (including one ATM) along one street. Mae Nam Khwae Noi runs along the east side of town.

If you arrive without transport, you can entertain yourself with a walk to the hill-top temple on the opposite side of the river. Follow the riverfront road in the direction of the main highway to a footbridge. On the opposite bank of the river, you can scale the steps to the hill top or wander the length of the road through forests and small villages.

South of Thong Pha Phum town is Hin Dat Hot Springs (admission 20B; 6am-10pm), a pleasant place to wrinkle your skin and turn a lobster’s shade of red. Protected by trees, two geothermal pools sit beside a fast-moving stream, creating three temperature options for contrasting soakers. Foreigners arrive hardly dressed, while Thai women come fully clothed. The bàw náam ráwn (hot springs) is accessible via the Sangkhlaburi–Kanchanaburi bus on Hwy 323 (Km 105 marker) and is about 1km from the main road.

On the same road as the hot springs is Nam Tok Pha That, a low-key waterfall. Every foreigner that finds it feels satisfied with their inherent intrepidness.

The southern entrance to Kheuan Khao Laem is about 10km northwest of town. Several rustic lakeside resorts, with thatched bungalows and raft houses, become a weekend home-away-from-dorm for Thai college students who pack the rooms with as many friends as they can SMS, and stay up all night for guitar and whiskey sessions. The lake is a huge draw for these students.

All of the places to stay in Thong Pha Phum town cater to Thai tourists. On the main street between the market and the highway, Som Jainuk Hotel (0 3459 982; 29/10 Mu 1; r 200-500B; ) has a range of options from basic boarding rooms to more comfortable air-con bungalows set around a shaded courtyard.

So Boonyong Hotel (0 3459 9441; 27 Mu 1; r 200-400B; ), just beyond the market, is a multistorey hotel with large modern rooms. The manager speaks English and can give you sightseeing advice.

Hardly a step above camping, the Kraton Koudin Resort (0 1362 8857; r 300-600B) is a collection of rustic, wooden bungalows (all with shared bathrooms), planted beside a cascading stream that slices the property in half so that guests can sleep to the sounds of rushing water. The owners can arrange transport from the main road as well as outings to nearby waterfalls and the hot springs. It’s south of Thong Pha Phum – to get here, take the Sangkhlaburi–Kanchanaburi bus to Baan Saphan Lao. The ‘resort’ is 7km from the Km 110 marker on Hwy 323.

In typical Mon style, vendors on the main street near the highway proffer curry in long rows of pots; instead of two or three curry choices more typical of Thai vendors, the Mon vendors lay out eight or more – all delicious. A small night market convenes near the centre of town each evening with the usual rice and noodle dishes.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009