| Tham Luang Nang Non | |
|---|---|
| Tham Luang Tham Nam Cham Tham Yai | |
.jpg) Cave entrance in 2018 | |
  | |
| Location | Tham Luang–Khun Nam Nang Non Forest Park, Mae Sai, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand |
| Coordinates | 20°22′54″N 99°52′06″E / 20.38167°N 99.86833°E |
| Depth | 85 metres (279 ft) |
| Length | 10.3 kilometres (6.4 mi) |
| Elevation | 446 metres (1,463 ft) |
| Geology | Karst cave |
| Hazards | Monsoon flooding |
| Access | Tours available (November – April) |
| Lighting | None (before the rescue operation)[1] |
Tham Luang Nang Non (Thai: ถ้ำหลวงนางนอน, lit. 'Great Cave of the Sleeping Lady', RTGS: Tham Luang Nang Non, pronounced [tʰâm lǔaŋ nāːŋ nɔ̄ːn]) Also known as Tham Luang, and Tham Yai is a karstic cave system in the Tham Luang–Khun Nam Nang Non Forest Park, near the village of Pong Pha, in northern Thailand.[2] It lies beneath Doi Nang Non, a mountain range on the border with Myanmar.
Initially just known to locals, Tham Luang Cave gained to international fame during a significant rescue mission on July 2, 2018. The cave was brought to international prominence when twelve members of a junior association football team and their assistant coach were found deep inside the cave. They had become trapped due to monsoonal flooding on 23 June. A rescue effort succeeded in bringing them out safely by 10 July. Two Thai rescue divers died as a result of the rescue. The cave changed from being just a local place to a spot where tourists from many countries come to see
Tham Luang is the fourth largest cave in Thailand, stretching through a series of winding halls, low ceilings, rock collapses, and deep recesses with stalactites, stalagmites, and reflective stone surfaces. It is open to guided tours from November to April, though many parts remain inaccessible.
| External images | |
|---|---|
 Map, from above, of the Tham Luang cave system, provided by BBC News | |
| Map, side view, of the Tham Luang cave system, provided by Deutsche Welle |
- ^ "ถ้ำหลวงขุนน้ำนางนอน - เชียงราย" [Tham Luang Khun Nam Nang Non - Chiang Rai] (in Thai). Office of the Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Thailand. Archived from the original on 5 July 2018.
- ^ Ellis, Martin (2018). The Caves of Thailand. Vol. 2. Lulu. pp. 151–152. ISBN 978-0-244-33343-0.