Khao Chang Phuak in Thong Pha Phum National Park

Khao Chang Phuak in Kanchanaburi

เขาช้างเผือก จังหวัดกาญจนบุรี

This mountain is open to public for two months each year (24nov2019 to 31jan2020). Only guided tours including one night in a tent. Maximum 60 people per day. 

14jan2020 Bangkok

Out of the three phone numbers I found on the internet, only 098-2520359 works. Ask for details (in Thai): doing the trip in one day is not possible, tents are available for rent. No free places this week, but 22-31jan.

15jan2020 Bangkok

Call again: no free places on 22jan.

16jan2020 Bangkok

Free place on 23jan. Book this place by phone and send my personal details and picture of passport (or ID card for Thai nationals) to thongphaphumoffice@gmail.com and receive confirmation email.

Thus, it took me three phone calls over three days to understand what is meant by “booking 7 days in advance”: if you call 8 days in advance, they will not accept a booking. If you call 7 days in advance, you might get a place (booking starts 8:30). If you call 6 days or less in advance, it will be booked out.

Tue21jan2020 Bangkok to Thong Pha Phum

While it is possible to go from Bangkok to E-Tong in one day, I prefer to stay a night in Thong Pha Phum ทองผาภูมิ. Bus from New Southern Bus Station to Kanchanaburi (aircon, 110 THB, 12:31-14:56, 113 km), then bus from Kanchanaburi to Thong Pha Phum (fan, 80 THB, 15:03-17:44, 144 km). There is a direct bus (Bangkok to Sankhlaburi, stops in Thong Pha Phum), but low frequency.

Wed22jan2020 Thong Pha Phum to E-Tong

Yellow songtheo 8280 (10:31-13:02, 69 km). The road has many curves, 399 according to signs in E-Tong อีต่อง (sometimes called Pilok ปิล็อก after the abandoned tin mine), and parts are in poor condition (and poor or no mobile reception). Songtheo stops at Thong Pha Phum National Park office (8 km before reaching E-Tong) 12:15-40 so everyone can register.

In my case: entry to NP 200 THB, 490 THB for guide + carrier + tent + sleeping bag rental, 30 THB camp site fee.

Songtheo schedule: Thong Pha Phum to E-Tong 10:30, 11:30, 12:30; E-Tong to Thong Pha Phum 6, 7, 8. 
Times from: https://th.readme.me/p/24263 
(and more details for public transport in Thai)
That means when you come down from the mountain and arrive in E-Tong around 10, there will be no more public transport for that day. update: found a picture I took in E-Tong:
dep E-Tong 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00
dep Thong Pha Phum 10:30, 11:00, 12:30, 13:30

One would have to leave Bangkok with the bus at 5 to get Thong Pha Phum and then to E-Tong in one day by public transport and climb the mountain the following day.

Visitors from Bangkok often leave around midnight by private car or organized tour by van to arrive in the morning in E-Tong.

Spend the rest of the day sightseeing in E-Tong. Buy food for the trip (lunch, dinner, breakfast, 6 liter of water per person recommended).

Despite being far away from major settlements, the sky is not clear and the mountain is visible in 6 km distance in a haze. What is the source of air pollution? Apart from E-Tong with a few hundred inhabitants and tourists, there is no human settlement anywhere near. The closest settlements with more than 1000 people would be in 25 km on either Thai or Myanmar side. On satellite image, all mountain and forest around:

Thu23jan2020 I-Tong to Khao Chang Phuak

Alarm 7:30. Breakfast and packing. My backpack 8.5 kg including 3.6 liter of water. My carrier 6 kg (tent, sleeping bag, 2.4 liter of water, at 50 THB / kg = 300 THB for the way up, each carrier can carry up to 30 kg). People are put in groups, my group departure 9:44.

I read that before (departure between 9 and 10) and wondered why not earlier. Judging by distance and looking at satellite pictures on google maps, it should be easily possible to do the trip in one day.

ChristianPFC at the starting point in town (during the trip, I would wear gloves and fully cover my face to protect my skin from sun). The signs are in English (The Mist Mining) and Thai (เขาช้างเผือก 8 กม. Khao Chang Phuak 8 km) in fonts that look like Burmese.

Stop at checkpoint (show ticket, take pictures) 10:08-19.

Signs with botanical and geographical information along the way:

A hiker resting with cramp (ตะคริว dtà-kriw) and getting leg massage and shade from ranger, later I pass another with cramp.

Rest 12:34-13:00. Not tired, but this is the last shady place. Consumed already 1.2 liters of water. Most of the trek is in grassland with no shade (my previous treks were mostly in shady forest). But that has a positive: you can see the entire track on google maps satellite view.

View of campsite and peak before descending to campsite:

Arrive at campsite 13:15 (3h29min including 7+19+7+26=59min rest and 11 min stop at gate for pictures; 6.9 km on googlemaps). Along the route poor or no mobile reception. But in camp good reception. My carrier puts up my rented tend:

Now the mystery why it takes two days is solved:

The last 740 m from campsite to peak is one-way-traffic. Up from 15, down from 17:30. If I were alone, I could easily do the entire trip in one day.

Hot in tent, but outside okay. No full shade and nowhere to sit and no table. Some smoking. Young crowd (average 30?) and good English several I talked to. They came by organized van tour from Bangkok; public transport from Ayutthaya; own car from Bangkok. 

My tent neighbors came by own car and have an empty seat and can take me back to Thong Pha Phum tomorrow.

Ascent 15:33-16:20 (740 m from campsite) with several traffic jams because others so slow. 

The following three pictures illustrate why this part is called สันคมมีด săn-kom mêet (blade of a knife):

Finally on top (1249 m above sea level and 320 m above E-Tong; the mountain in the back is at a lower level):

Down 17:07-50, again traffic jams.

At camping site first aid kit and thermometer on tree: 23 Celsius about 18:00. Sun disappears about 18:05 and it gets fresh.
Boiling water provided by rangers.

The Thais are used to sit on the floor, but I’m not and it quickly gets uncomfortable. There is no furniture! I want a chair and a table! Eat standing, and read on mobile while lying in sleeping bag uncomfortable. I remember the same problem from camping in the army 20 years ago.

This is the one of the furthest points I have been from civilization and I was looking forward for a clear dark sky with many stars. But it was a disappointment: sky not clear, haze during daytime limits visibility of stars at night. Even when walking a hundred meters from campsite to reduce man-made light, cannot compete with sky at night in Lao (stop on night bus from Vientiane to Vang Vieng) or Umphang in Tak province.

Nothing else to do, sleep 20:45.

Fri24jan2020 E-Tong to Thong Pha Phum

Poor or no sleep. Alarm 6, get up 6:27. Return tent and sleeping bag together 3 kg at 50 THB = 150 THB for my carrier to take down. (I wonder why they don't leave the tents for rent there.)

Descend 7:25-9:42 (2h18min, no stops). My 6 liters of water used up. Free shower in the place I stayed yesterday, change clothes and dry my sweaty clothes in sun (takes just one hour). Sudden power outage, luckily I had enough charge on my phone for the rest of the day. 

Wait for my tent neighbors (slow), then together to Chokkradin Waterfall (included in ticket), their idea. Awesome! I wanted to go anyway, but would not have been able to get there on my own, too far out. Pick up certificate at NP office and I get out in Thong Pha Phum town while they continue to Bangkok.

Total cost: 200 NP entry, 490 various (rent for tent and sleeping bag, guide), 30 fee for camping, 300 for carrier (6 kg up), 150 for carrier (3 kg down) = 1170 THB.

Hotels in Tong Pha Phum town and E-Tong town rather expensive, I paid 600 THB per night for a standard that would cost half in places that are not touristy (I saw only Thai tourists in this trip).

Summary:

A major breakthrough: Everything went smoothly. My first stay in a tent in 20 years (last was in 2000 when I was in the army). Paves the way for other multi-day trips (Phu Kradeung, Mokochu).

However this was not my most challenging hiking in Thailand, that price goes to Doi Nok at the border of Phayao and Lamphang province, taking 10 hours, distance 10 km horizontal and 1000 m vertical.

Further reading:
http://www.wheredowego.in.th/travel/khao-chang-puak/
(bilingual Thai and English)
https://wildlifethailand.com/kunena/23-national-parks-of-thailand/1876-chang-phuak-mountain-trek-thong-pha-phum-national-park
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thailand/attractions/thong-pha-phum-national-park/a/poi-sig/1244016/357592 
https://kanchanaburi.mots.go.th/news_view.php?nid=428 (in Thai)

Copyright 2020 ChristianPFC