Sangkhlaburi and Saam Ong (Three Pagodas Pass)
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The route to Sangkhlaburi, or ‘Sangkhla’, and Saam Ong (Three Pagodas Pass) from Kanchanaburi, a total of some 240 km, follows the valley of the Kwai. The scenery soon becomes increasingly rugged with the road passing through remnant forests and expanses of deep red tropical soils used to grow cassava, tamarind, mango and cotton. Roughly three hours from Kanchanaburi sits the market town of Thong Phra Phum and the eastern edge of the massive Khao Laem reservoir. From here, the road begins to wind through a steep hills and dense forest. Just before Sangkhlaburi the road skirts the reservoir; a strange landscapes of submerge (now dead) trees and what appear to be raft-houses. The upland area is also home to several different ethnic groups: Karen, Mon and Burmese.
Towards Sangkhlaburi
Thong Pha Phum is a small, lively market town situated in a beautiful position on the southern shores of the Khao Laem Reservoir, 74 km south of Sangkhlaburi. Many of the inhabitants of the town are Mon and Karen. There are regular bus connections with Kanchanaburi’s bus terminal (three hours) and onwards north to Sangkhlaburi. Around Thong Pha Phum are a small number of lakeside resort hotels and raft operations, mainly geared to Thai weekenders from Bangkok. Comparatively few farang tourists make it up here, which is evident in the Thai-only signage at the local hotels. The Khao Laem Reservoir was created in 1983 when the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand built the Khao Laem Dam and flooded the valley. About a dozen villages were inundated as a result and submerged tree-trunks still make navigation hazardous in the lake’s shallows. It’s possible to hire expensive long-tailed boats or go fishing and swimming. There are so numerous walks and trails to explore, and various waterfalls and caves.
Although the 1500-sq-km Khao Laem National Park has been heavily logged, parts of it still play host to small populations of leopard, gibbon and macaque, as well as lesser mammals such as civets and mongoose. The best habitats can be found towards the northeast and the small Thung Yai wildlife sanctuary which abuts the park. Park headquarters are close to the main road (Route 323) to Sangkhlaburi. Thong Pha Phum has regular bus connections with Kanchanaburi’s bus terminal (three hours) and onwards north to Sangkhlaburi.
