Koh Kai (Chicken Island) & Bamboo Island, KRABI

KOH KAI (CHICKEN ISLAND), KRABI, Thailand           

Koh Kai (Chicken Island), Krabi is an Island South    
about 8 kilometers from Ao Nang                                                                                                                                   

BAMBOO ISLAND
Koh Phai Bamboo Island

Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park

Ao Nang (Ao Phra Nang), Krabi,Thailand

Ao Nang (Ao Phra Nang), Krabi,Thailand                        

อ่าวนาง กระบี่    

Ao Nang Situated some 20 km. from town, Ao Nang’s white sandy beach stretches to the foot of a prominent limestone range. Beachfront accommodation is available and other facilities include diving shops, boats for rent and sightseeing by kayaking. From Ao Nang, tourists may hire boats to visit nearby attractions such as Hat Rai Le, Tham Phra Nang located on the land to the east of Ao Nang, as well as other offshore isles such as Ko Poda, Ko Kai, Ko Mo and Ko Thap.

credit :  www.tourismthailand.org

NOPPARAT THARA-MU KO PHI PHI, MAYA BAY

NOPPARAT THARA-MU KO PHI PHI           
MAYA BAY, KRABI, THAILAND                  

รักทะเล (SEA LETTUE)

Scaevo

Scaevola taccada (Gaertner.) Roxb.

Botanically

Habit :  Shrub

Leaf  :  Simple, whorled

Flower Inflorescence, tubular,white petal

Fruit Fleshy fruit, globular, white color when ripe

Medicinal Used Root :  Beriberi and Dysentery

Description :  Also known as beach cabbage, Flowering plant in the family

GOODENIACEAE, Found in coastal locations in the tropical areas of The Indo-Pacific

รักทะเล

ชื่ออื่น  :  โหรา (ตราด)

บ่งบง (ใต้)

Merambong (ภาษามาเลย์)

Naupakakahkai (ภาษาฮาวาย)

Ngahu (ภาษาตองกา)

เป็นไม้พุ่หรือไม้ยืนต้น

ขนาดกลางสูง 2-5 เมตร ใบดก หนา มันแวว มียางมาก 

แผ่นใบเกลี้ยง มีขนนุ่ม เหมือนกำมะหยี่ มีกลุ่มขนสีขาวตามง่ามใบ

ดอกสีขาวบานเป็นรูปพัดครึ่ง วงกลม ผลสดสีขาวขุ่น

สรรพคุณ

ราก  :  แก้บิด แก้เหน็บชา แก้พิษอาหารทะเล

ใบ  :  แก้ปวดบวม ใช้เป็นยาสูบ

The Big (Headed Ghost Cave) Part II

ถ้ำผีหัวโต หรือกระโหลกผี

ตั้งอยู่ในเขตหมู่ที่ 2 บ้านบ่อท่อ อำเภออ่าวลึก จังหวัดกระบี่ ชาวบ้านเรียกว่าถ้ำหัวกระโหลด เพราะว่า พบกระโหลกศรีษะมนุษย์ภายในถ้ำ เมื่อปี พ.ศ.2497

The Big - headed Ghost
The Big - headed Ghost or the Skull Cave is located in Moo 2, Ban Bo Tho, Krabi Province's Ao-luk District.  The villagers here call it the Skull Cave because in 2497 H.E. skulls were found in the cave.

ภายในถ้ำเป็นภูเขาหินปูน มีหินงอกหินย้อย บริเวณที่พบภาพเขียนสี ส่วนใหญ่จะอยู่ตามเพดานถ้ำ และผนังถ้ำ เป็นแหล่งที่พบภาพเขียนสีมากที่สุดในภาคใต้ ซึ่งแบ่งได้เป็น 3 ลักษณะ คือ 1.  รูปร่างคน  2.  ไม่เป็นรูปร่างคน  สัตว์  3.  ลักษณะพิเศษเป็นรูปมือเท้า  สีที่ใช้มีหลากสี ได้แก่ สีแดง ดำ เหลือง และน้ำตาล

It is a Iaimestone cave with stalagmites and stalactites, Cave paintings are also found on the roof and the walls of the cave.  Compared to other caves in the south of Thailand, this cave is believed to have the largest number of mural paintings.  The painted murals in the cave can be divided into three main categories.  Those in the shape of human beings and animals, nonhuman being and those shaped like a hand and foot, a variety of colours was used in painting such as red, black, yellow and brown.

ภาพเขียนสีเหล่านี้ เป็นหลักฐานสำคัญทางโบราณคดี  ที่แสดงให้เห็นว่าเมื่อประมาณ 3,000 ปีมาแล้ว แถบชายฝั่งทะเลอันดามัน มีชุมชนสมัยก่อนประวัติศาสตร์ ที่ว่าคงชีวิตอยู่ด้วยการอาศัยทรัพยากรตามชายฝั่ง และในทะเลเป็นแหล่งอาหารและที่อยู่อาศัย

Wat Tham Suea, Krabi

Wat Tham Suea, which literally means tiger cave temple, is located in the Khiriwong Valley amidst lush forests and mountains with large trees over a hundred years old approximately 9 kilometers northeast of Krabi Town. Aside from being the site of a meditation center, the compound is also a place of archaeological and historical interest as excavations have uncovered stone tools, pottery remains and Buddha footprint crafting molds. In addition, a cave in the compound has what appears to be tiger paw prints in the stone.

credit : tourismthailand.org

Laem Pho Mollusc Fossil, Krabi

Laem Pho Mollusc Fossil, Krabi

Mollusc fussil site are exposed at Laem Pho, Tambon Sai Thai, Muang District, Krabi Province, in the vicinity of Hat Noppharat Thara Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park.

Laem Pho site 1
Located West of visitor center, crops out as a rock beach and can be clearly seen during miximum low tide. The pan shaped outcrop is resulted from sinking of underlying claystone beds. The fossil bed consists of stubby shaped gastropods (Family Viviparidae) ranging in size 1-2 cm.

Laem Pho site 2
Located at visitor centre is exposed as a 1-2 m think limestone bed. This limestone bed contains millions of compacted gastropods and is underlain by 20-40 cm. thick lignite and claystone beds. These beds are easily eroded by wave actions resulting in collapsing of gastropod beds.

Laem Pho site 3
Located approximately 1,000 m. east of visitor centre. The site can be accessed along the track during low tide. Mollusc beds at this site are approximately 3 m. thick, consisting of gastropods and bivalves. However, gastropod fossils from this site range in size from 1-2 cm. with study and long shaped forms, respectively long shaped gastropods are found only at Laem Pho site 3
Credit : Department of Mineral Resources sign board

75 million years shell cemetery

Is a form of limestone layers measured at full tide about 200 meters long 50 meters wide. It is composed of dead shells known in geology as “Fossil”. Most of these dead shells are of the species of snails, round in shafe, about 2 cm. long. The shells have piled up on top of one another and were cemented together by silicic matter, which turned the pile into a structure of rock about 40 cm. thick. The layer of rock below it became a type of coal called Lignite, and is about 10 cm. thick. Below the Lignite is a layer of shale. The nature of the rock and its formation it is possible to calculate that it way formed about 75 million year ago. During that period the region of the Ban Laem Pho used to be swamp area, with a mass of dead foliage consolidated into a type of coal called lignite. In later periods many species of shells appeared and occupied the swamp, breeding into millions, it would appear that occupied the swamp, breeding into millions, it would appear that certain change occurred in this region later, and the swamp area was submerged in the sea water killing the shell population. Silicic matter form the sea water cemented them together forming a structure of rock. Another evolution developed on the earth pushing portions of this rock formation above the sea level, hence the present phenomenon occurred. Accouring to available information there are only three of this type of shell cemeteries in the world on in The State of Chicago, U.S.A., one in Japan and this one in Ban Laempomin, Thailand.

Strata at these three sites are interpreted as having been deposited in fresh water lakes during 35 million years ago. Depositional events are summarized as follows

1. Sediments were accumulated into the basins as clay mixed with plant remains and gastropod fragments. This indicates the presence of plants and animals in the lakes.

2. Plant remains were then accumulated upon clay layers and became peat and lignite.

3. In the final stage, clayey sediments were mixed with calcareous components and abundant shell fragments. This is due to huge population of gastropods living in fresh water lakes. Changes in paleoenvironments and fluctuations of water level resulted in increasing and decreaising numbers of gastropod population as recorded in fossil beds.

4. The presence of laterie, lateritic soil, river and beach sands. Overlying molluse beds indicates that fresh water lakes became a landmass prior to 200,000 years.
Credit : Laem Pho Molluse Fossil sign board

KRABI

Located approximately 814 kilometers from Bangkok is Krabi Province, one of most attractive destinations in southern Thailand. Encompassing an area of 4,708 square kilometers, the western border of Krabi is the Andaman Sea, the northern borders are Surat Thani and Phang-nga Provinces, the southern borders are Trang Province and the Andaman Sea and the eastern borders are Nakhon Si Thammarat and Trang Provinces. Krabi is an ideal getaway destination teeming with natural attractions including white sandy beaches, fascinating coral reefs, numerous large and small islands and verdant forests with caves and waterfalls.

Krabi's topography is mostly mountains and highlands separated by plains in some parts. Flowing through Krabi City to the Andaman Sea at Pak Nam Sub-district is Maenam Krabi which is 5 kilometers in length. In addition, there are several canals originating from the province's highest mountain range, Khao Phanom Bencha including Khlong Pakasai, Khlong Krabi Yai and Khlong Krabi Noi. Lush mangrove forests line the canals and the banks of Maenam Krabi particularly before it empties into the Andaman Sea. The provinces sandy soil conditions are suitable for growing various agricultural products, particularly rubber trees, palms, coconuts, cashew nuts and coffee.

Due to the influence of the tropical monsoon, there are only two seasons in Krabi; the hot season from January to April and the rainy season from May to December. Temperatures range between 17 C and 37 C.

Krabi is administratively divided into 8 Amphoes (Districts): Amphoe Mueang, Khao Phanom, Khlong Thom, Plai Phraya, Ko Lanta, Ao Luek, Lam Thap, and Nuea Khlong. The provinces jurisdiction covers not only in-land districts and sub-districts, but also extends to more than 130 large and small islands including the world famous Phi Phi Islands.
In addition, Krabi is the location of two world class beaches Ao Nang and Hat Rai Le which offer numerous diving trips, restaurants, shops etc. Additional attractions in the province are stunning limestone cliffs and rock formations which make it a heaven for rock climbers and a National Park located approximately 40 kilometers outside of town with lakes, caves and spectacular natural scenery.

History of Krabi
Some archeologists claim that Krabi City is one of the older settlements in the country as there is archaeological evidence indicating that this area had been home to homosapiens during the prehistoric times or between 25,000 - 35,000 B. C. The assumption has been strongly supported by the discovery of stone tools, ancient colored pictures, beads, pottery and skeletal remains in the provinces cliffs and caves.
In 1200 A.D., the area was known as Ban Thai Samo, one of 12 royal cities that had a monkey as the town symbol. During this period of time, Krabi was under the rule of the Kingdom of Ligor, a city better known today as Nakhon Si Thammarat.
During the reign of King Rama V (1868-1910), the community was known as Pakasai Sub-county and remained under the direct jurisdiction of Nakhon Si Thammarat province.
Around 1872, King Rama V elevated Pakasai Sub-county to Krabi Province with the provincial administration office situated at Krabi-yai Sub-county (currently, the office is located near the estuary at Pak Nam Sub-district) and in 1875, ordered the separation of Krabi Province from Nakhon Si Thammarat Province.

During the present reign, the corps of civil servants, merchants, and the people of Krabi and nearby provinces have collectively organized the construction of a royal residence at Laem Hang Nak Cape which is thirty kilometers west of Krabi Town on the Andaman coast to be presented to His Majesty the King.

Origin of the name Krabi
There are two legends concerning the origin of the name "Krabi". The first is that villagers presented a large ancient sword (or krabi) that was discovered by chance to the governor. Later when a smaller, on discovering a smaller one, it was also presented to the governor. Regarded as sacred and auspicious, the governor decided to keep them in the province. As the process for the establishment of the province was still in progress, the swords were placed crossing each other in Khao Khanap Nam cave. Since then, the crossed swords have remained a part of the provincial seal.

The second legend is that "Krabi" was derived from the name of a local tree known as "Lumphi". The Malay and Chinese merchants mispronunciation of the name to "Ka-lu-bi" or "Kho-lo-bi" finally resulted in "Krabi" (or sword).

Distances from Amphoe Mueang (Town) to Neighboring DistrictsAo Luek 43 kms.Plai Phraya 66 kms.Khao Phanom 39 kms.Khlong Thom 42 kms.Ko Lanta 103 kms.Lam Thap 67 kms.Nuea Khlong17 kms.
- Tourism Thailand