ถ้ำขมิ้น

Tham Khamin - Khamin Cave


Useful Information

Location: Ban Na San, Surat Thani (8°49'47.7"N 99°22'44.1"E) (8.830682 N, 99.377036 E)
Open: All year daily 8-17.
[2020]
Fee: Park: Cave: free.
[2020]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:  
Guided tours: L=1,250 m,
Photography:  
Accessibility:  
Bibliography:  
Address: Tham Khamin, Ban Na San, Surat Thani 84120, Tel: +66-77-344633.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

31-DEC-1991 Tai Romyen National Park established.

Description

ถ้ำขมิ้น (Turmeric Cave) is also known under the name Tham Men (Bad-Smelling Cave). Turmeric is a yellow spice which is similar to ginger. It is bitter and used to color curry. We could not find out why it was named after this spice, but we guess it grows around the cave. Also the speleothems have the yellowish colour of turmeric. Much easier to understand is the second name of the cave, Tham Men. The cave is home to a large bat colony, and the bat guano was mined as a fertilizer until recently. On the tour an old Jeep and other remains of the saltpeter mining operation can be seen. The bad smell of bat guano, similar to ammonia, was obviously the reason for its second name.

The visit of the cave is included in the park entry fee. Guided tours are made for at least four visitors. There is a staircase leading uphill to the cave entrance and a well developed trail inside the cave. The cave is known for its fine speleothems.

It is located in the area of the Tai Rom Yen National Park. The park includes the northern end of the Nakhon Si Thammarat mountain range with its forests. This area was a stronghold of communist rebels in the 1980s. They assassinated Princess Vibhavadi Rangsit in 1977 and the vice-governor of Surat Thani. The rebellion ceased in the early 1990s due to an amnesty program called Tai Romyen (literally: cool shade in the south). The park was named after the amnesty program. Attractions in the park are two former camps of the communist party named Camp 180 and Camp 357 and the two waterfalls Muang Thuat and Than Thip.