Pha Taem view point

Patihan Cave

Muet Cave

Wildflower Field

Kwang Ton Waterfall

Kit Waterfall

Khua Nang Ni Waterfall

Cha Pan Waterfall

Thung Na Mueang Waterfall

Soi Sawan Waterfall (Huai Sanom)

Sang Chan Waterfall (Namtok Long Ru)

Huai Phok Waterfall

Dong Na Tham Forest

Pha Cha Na Dai

Pha Moei

Prehistoric paintings,(Pha Kham)

Prehistoric paintings, (Pha Taem)

Prehistoric painting Pha Chek

Prehistoric Paintings,(Pha Mon)

Phu Samui

Phu Krabo

Sao Chaliang (Earth Pillars)

Sao Chaliang Khu (Twin Rock Pillar)

Sao Chaliang Ya

          Topography of Pha Taem National Park is generally plateaus alternating with steep hills throughout the area. The geological features of the entire area are caused by the separation of the earth's surface. It is part of the Phanom Dongrak Mountain range or Dong Rek, where the Preah Wihan temple is located. The Phu Phan formation and Khao Phra Wihan formation are sandstone mountains.  There are some plains along the creeks and the Mekong River. Each high plain has an area of 800-1300 rai (1.28-2.08 square kilometers), about 1-2 kilometers from the stream and is a cliff. The highest peak in Pha Taem National Park is the peak of Phu Chan Daeng. It has a height of about 461 meters above mean sea level and sloping towards the Mekong River. The average height of the area is about 200 meters above mean sea level. According to a 1: 500,000 scale geological map of the Department of Mineral Resources, Ministry of Industry, it was found that the general area has sandstone outcrops scattered throughout the area. The soil found in the lowlands is sandy loam, and clay along the river. There are a lot of sediments and humus. The important creeks such as Yai Creek, Soi Creek, La Loi Creek, Phok Creek, etc mostly flow into the Mekong River.

Characteristics of Stones

          1. Phu Phan Formation is sandstone, white, bright orange, and yellowish brown. There is a crossbedding separation in the rock belonging to the Cretaceous period (about 132 million years ago.

         2. Sao Khua Formationi is reddish-brown and gray sandstone and  siltstones which mostly are gray or brown, with mica contaminated. In some areas it is mixed with someconglomerates and purple-brown and brick red shale. This layer belong to the Jurassic period (1.8 million years ago) which is older than Phu Phan formation.

         3. Phra Wihan Formation is a white and pink sandstone with a horizontal layer on top of the sand pebble layer. Some is reddish-brown and gray shale.

Soil Feature

          Pha Taem National Park's soil characteristics: The majority of the area is covered with deciduous dipterocarp forest, according to the soil survey management plan of Ubon Ratchathani Province, scale 1: 250,000, prepared by the Soil Survey and Classification Division, Department of Land Development. While the small area is primarily used to cultivate . In general, this soil type is unsuitable for cultivation due to its insufficient water retention, low fertility, and severe soil erosion. Therefore, such problems must be solved first for cultivation. The Phon Pai Say Series is also the most common soil group in Thailand. It is classified as red yellow Podzolic by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the United States' (USDA). The soil is old and rich in nutrients, typically found in mountains and foothills, as well as on the old terrace or step-like plain formed by various types of soil parent materials,  mostly are acidic or neutral with good drainage. The texture of the soils can vary greatly, quite coarse, reddish yellow and yellow. The majority of the areas where this Phon Phisai soil can be found are also covered by deciduous dipterocarp forest and degraded forest or even a small grassland which is used for crop cultivation. Laterite is frequently found in the soil layer, beginning at a depth of 30 centimeters.

      Generally this kind of soil is suitable for high-altitude agriculture because severe erosion, low fertility and poor wear retention. It is therefore unsuitable for rice farming.

        The Slope Complex consists of at least two soil types and is found in the continuous landscape. This series of soils is complex, found in areas where soil erosion occurs on steep slopes. Parent material is sandstone, so, the soil is very coarse and well-drained, making it unsuitable for cultivation. There was also severe soil erosion in the area where it was found. Therefore, this soil group is an area of is a degraded forest or a dry  deciduous dipterocarp forest. Moreover, the soil fertility is extremely low.

         Recent Aulluvium is the soil formed by the deposition of gravels, rocks, soil, sand, and other things in any area caused by water on the river banks. Generally, the organic matter content is high, the soil color is dark, and the texture is loamy, suitable for a kind of cultivation that requires much water.

        Soil Type 2 is found in the areas that are slightly to moderately steep. The soil is deep, mixed of stones, quite coarse to moderately coarse-textured, well-drained, moderate fertility. It can be utilized for crop cultivation.

         Soil Type 3 is found in the areas that are slightly to highly steep. The soil is relatively shallow soil, mixed with gravels, stones, and laterites. The drainage ranges from good to quite poor. The soil fertility is low. It can be used by shrubs.

         Soil Type 4 is found in the medium to high slope. The soil is shallow, with outcrops or rocks. The soil fertility is very low. It can be used for forest.

         Khorat Series is also formed by sediments deposited by water. The topsoil is 0-60 cm deep, loamy or sandy loam. At depths above 60 cm, the soil texture is finer and can be classified as sandy loam or loam. In some areas, it may be clay loam. However, the sandy loam soil can be found in every layer. The topsoil is grayish brown, when wet, the color becomes darker, when dry, it will be light gray. The subsoil is brown or yellow-brown. Color spots are rarely visible in the subsoil and are more visible in the topsoil, but there will be some in the 4.5-5.5 pH sandy loam subsoil. The drainage is moderate to good. At a depth of 0-60 centimeters, laterite cannot be found.

          The hydrological resource in the Pha Taem National Park area is an important river, the Mekong River, which serves as the borderline between Thailand and the Lao People's Democratic Republic. It flows through the boundary line of Pha Taem National Park in the east and north for 63 kilometers. In the dry season, the water level is 15 meters, the highest water level is during the rainy season in August - September.

        The climate in Pha Taem National Park can be divided into three seasons: Summer starts around mid-February and ends around mid-May which is the transition period from the northeast monsoon to the southwest monsoon (or the transition from winter to the rainy season). It is the period when the North Pole faces the sun. Especially in April, Thailand will become a country where the sun's rays are perpendicular to the earth's surface, bathing it in sunlight.
        The rainy season starts around mid-May and ends around mid-October. This season begins with the southwest monsoon, which is a humid wind that covers Thailand. Low-pressure troughs (ditches that cause rainfall) are all over Thailand, driving widespread rain. This trough of low pressure usually crosses the southern region in April. Then it moves up to lie across the central region’s east, the north and northeast, in May and June, respectively. Around the end of June, it will move across the whole southern part of China; as a result, Thailand's rainfall is reduced for a period of time, referred to as the "dry period."

        Winter starts around mid-October to mid-February, when the northeast monsoon begins to prevail in Thailand around mid-October which will bring coldness to Thailand It is the time that the South Pole faces the sun. The position of the sun's beam is at right angles to the earth's surface at noon  in the Southern Hemisphere, causing the beam that hits the areas in Thailand to be diagonal all the time. The average temperature was 26.9 degrees Celsius; the average high temperature was 32.6 degrees Celsius; the average low temperature was 22.0 degrees Celsius. In 2011, the lowest temperature of the year was 8.5 degrees Celsius during January while   the highest temperature was 42 degrees Celsiusduring April, the average annual rainfall is 1581.4 mm. throughout the month of September.

          The forests are generally deciduous dipterocarp forests. On the forest floor there are rock outcrops. The forests are sparse, with small and medium-sized trees, but naturally beautitufl. The important plants are Burma Sal, Shorea siamensis, Hairy Keruing, Burma Padauk, and various Kaayams. Undergrowth plants include Wild Bamboo, multiple types of grass, Gardenia saxatilis Geddes, and a number of beautiful flowering plants that grow in stone niches such as Drosera, Doritis pulcherrima Var. Buyssoniana, Desmoscelis villosa (Aubl.) Naudin, Spathoglottis affinis de Vriese, Plains Blackfoot, Tang Kai (Decaschistia parviflora Kurz), and Mani Thewa (Eriocaulon smitinandii). The forest conditions will become dry evergreen forests in the plain areas along the streams or rivers due to those areas moderately humid throughout the year. In addition, there are two naturally growing Markus pine forests scattered throughout the plain areas on the mountains.

Wildlife
         Large mammals have not yet been discovered only smaller-sized are found. During the dry season, when the water level of the Mekong River is drastically reduced, wild animals such as Palm Civets, Foxes, Burmese Hares, Barking Deer, Civet Musks, Marmots, are commonly found.  Animals such as wild boars and serows can be seen swimming across from the Lao side.  Since part of territories is in the Mekong Stream, fershwater fish such as Mekong Giant Catfish, Red-Tailed Tinfoil, Indian Mackerel, Pangasius larnaudii, Naked Catfish, Anabas testudineus, Clown Knifefish, Devil Catfish are found. Various birds can be also found such as Common Hill Mynas, Peacocks, Eagles, Crows, Red-Billed Blue Magpies, Kingfishers, etc.