{{Short description|National park in Thailand}} {{Infobox protected area | name = Pha Taem National Park | alt_name =อุทยานแห่งชาติผาแต้ม | iucn_category = II | image = Pha taem figures1.JPG | image_caption = Rock art includes both humanoid and animal figures like the Giant Mekong Catfish | location = Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand | nearest_city = Ubon Ratchathani | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 6 | map_width = | coordinates = {{coord|15|24|N|105|31|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | area_km2 = 340 | established = 31 December 1991 | visitation_num = 180,155 | visitation_year = 2019 | governing_body = Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) }}
'''Pha Taem National Park''' (Thai:อุทยานแห่งชาติผาแต้ม) is a national park on the Mekong River in Ubon Ratchathani Province, northeast Thailand.<ref name=DNP>{{cite web|title=Pha Taem National Park|url=http://www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/asp/style1/default.asp?npid=19&lg=2|website=Department of National Parks (DNP) Thailand|access-date=16 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117033134/http://www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/asp/style1/default.asp?npid=19&lg=2|archive-date=17 November 2015}}</ref> Phou Xieng Thong National Protected Area in Laos is on the opposite side of the river.
It is notable for its Dipterocarp forest cover and for extensive rock art on cliffs above the Mekong. The art is estimated to be 3,000 years old. The park also has several examples of mushroom rocks<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thailandsworld.com/index.cfm?p=884#axzz1kiqexxVp |title=Pha Taem National Park - Thailand |access-date=2012-01-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028145519/http://www.thailandsworld.com/index.cfm?p=884#axzz1kiqexxVp |archive-date=2017-10-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref> as well as the largest flower field in Thailand.<ref>[http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thailand/ubon-ratchathani-province/pha-taem-national-park Pha Taem National Park - Lonely Planet]</ref>
Pha Taem National Park is a popular destination for the first sunshine of the New Year to fall on Thailand.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guideubon.com/2.0/go2ubon/2561/|title=อุบลฯ ชวนนักท่องเที่ยว "รับตะวันใหม่ก่อนใครในสยาม" ปี 2561 ที่ผาแต้ม|language=th|work=Guideubon}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|language=th|work=Matichon|url=https://www.matichon.co.th/news/399313|title=อุบลฯชวนนักท่องเที่ยวขึ้นผาแต้ม "รับตะวันใหม่ก่อนใครในสยาม" วันปีใหม่ปี 60|date=2017-12-19}}</ref>
Pha Taem National Park was declared a national park on 31 December 1991, with an area of 212,500 rai ~ {{convert|340|km2}}.<ref name="AREA NP">{{cite web |url=https://catalog.dnp.go.th/dataset/areaofnp/resource/3b372140-f2bf-4811-8819-bb8a8b1a100a |title=ข้อมูลพื้นที่อุทยานแห่งชาติ ที่ประกาศในราชกิจจานุบกษา 133 แห่ง |date=December 2020 |department=Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation |language=Thai |trans-title=National Park Area Information published in the 133 Government Gazettes |access-date=1 November 2022 |quote=, no 74 |archive-date=7 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220807195648/https://catalog.dnp.go.th/dataset/areaofnp/resource/3b372140-f2bf-4811-8819-bb8a8b1a100a |url-status=dead }}</ref>
== History == In the past, only a few local peasants from the surrounding region dared to access the Pha Taem area.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Yoda |first=Thekids |title=Ecocar {{!}} [อุทยานแห่งชาติผาแต้ม] ธรรมชาติสร้างสรรค์ของอุบลราชธานี |url=https://www.ecocar.co.th/blog/read/46 |access-date=2022-10-07 |website=www.ecocar.co.th |language=th}}</ref> Because it is believed that Pha Taem is a prohibited location, and the mountain is protected by the holy.<ref name=":0" /> Pha Taem is renowned as the "Mountain of Death", and anybody who trespasses risks becoming ill or, worse, dying.<ref name=":0" /> The Pha Taem region has been widely publicized.<ref name=":0" /> Following that, professors and students from Silpakorn University Department of Archaeology researched and uncovered prehistoric ancient paintings 3,000-4,000 years old at Pha Taem, Ban Kum, Huai Phai sub-district, Khong Chiam district, Ubon Ratchathani province.<ref name=":0" /> In the original dialect, "Taem" refers to a drawing, painting, stamping, or any other action that uses color to create images, marks, or symbols.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=ผาแต้ม รูปและสถานที่ท่องเที่ยวผาแต้ม เสาเฉลียง |url=http://www.oceansmile.com/E/Ubon/patam.htm |access-date=2022-10-07 |website=www.oceansmile.com}}</ref> It is the site of prehistoric paintings dating from 3,000 to 4,000 years old, divided into four groups, the longest of which is 180 meters long and contains over 300 images.<ref name=":1" /> Furthermore, Pha Taem is surrounded by densely packed trees.<ref name=":1" /> As a consequence, they began to draft a memorandum from the department dated May 26, 1981 and requested to the Royal Forest Department that the forest and mountain in the Pha Taem zone be designated as a national park.<ref name=":0" /> It was designated as the 74th national park of Thailand.<ref>{{Cite web |title=อุทยานแห่งชาติผาแต้ม ท่องเที่ยวผาแต้ม ภาพเขียนสี สถานที่ท่องเที่ยวผาแต้ม เสาเฉลียง |url=https://www.paiduaykan.com/76_province/Northeast/ubonratchathani/patam.html |access-date=2022-10-07 |website=www.paiduaykan.com}}</ref> Pha Taem National Park is approximately 340 square kilometers in size.<ref name=":1" /> The district of Khong Chiam encompasses the area. Ubon Ratchathani Province's Si Mueang Mai District and Pho Sai District have fertile forest conditions.<ref name=":0" /> a variety of wild animals There are numerous natural beauty features in the area, including Pha Chan, Soi Sawan Waterfall, Sao Chaliang, Tham Patihan, Phu Na Tham, and others.<ref name=":0" /> There have also been discoveries of ancient paintings.<ref name=":0" /> Prehistoric times, approximately 3,000-4,000 years old, in the Pha Kham, Pha Taem, Pha Chek, and Pha Moei areas, and currently a national park.<ref name=":0" /> It is designated as a national park with the Mekong River, which forms the border between Thailand and Laos, is the longest national park boundary in Thailand.<ref name=":0" /> allowing for a view of the forest on the Laos side.<ref name=":0" />
==Flora and fauna== The park is covered by Dipterocarp forest with ''Shorea obtusa'', ''Shorea siamensis'', and ''Dipterocarpus obtusifollus'' the dominant species. There are some dry evergreen forests near streams.<ref name=DNP />
The park is habitat for Siamese hares, barking deer, civets, and wild pigs and serow, which migrate from Laos in summer.<ref name=DNP /> In 2005, specimens of a new frog species, ''Fejervarya triora'', were discovered in the park.<ref name=Alytes> {{cite journal | last1 = Chuaynkern | first1 = Yodchaiy | last2 = Salangsingha | first2 = Nakorn | last3 = Makchai | first3 = Sunchai | last4 = Inthara | first4 = Chantip | last5 = Duengkae | first5 = Prateep | date = 2009 | title = ''Fejervarya triora'' (Amphibia, Ranidae): first description of the adult male and recent distribution records | url = https://www.academia.edu/4059487 | journal = Alytes | publisher = International Society for the Study and Conservation of Amphibians | volume = 27 | issue = 1 | pages = 13–24 | access-date = 13 June 2017}} </ref> The park's habitat also includes wild elephants that migrate to areas of Ubonrachathani Province from Laos during February and March in search of food, especially banana leaves and fruit. Source: Thai farmers located west of the Mekong River near Bunthalik (sic), Ubon Province.
== Geological and archaeological highlights == Pha Taem National Park not only preserves significant prehistoric rock art but is also a notable site for geological and ecological tourism. Visitors often embark on a scenic 4-kilometer hike along the cliffside, which offers panoramic views of the Mekong River and Laos across the border. Along this trail, tourists can observe multiple groups of the ancient pictographs featuring anthropomorphic figures, handprints, and depictions of animals such as the giant Mekong catfish, believed to be sacred creatures in local folklore. The park’s rock formations, including the striking mushroom rocks formed by differential erosion, contribute to its geological importance. Conservation efforts are ongoing to protect these delicate artworks from natural weathering and human impact, as the pigment and sandstone surfaces are vulnerable. The combination of cultural heritage, natural beauty, and biodiversity, including seasonal migration of wild elephants, makes Pha Taem a unique destination combining archaeology, ecology, and scenic attraction.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reinhard |date=2023-12-02 |title=The Complete Guide to Thailand's Pha Thaem National Park - Perchance to Roam |url=https://perchancetoroam.com/2023/12/02/the-ultimate-guide-to-thailands-pha-thaem-national-park/ |access-date=2025-10-13 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Singtuen |first=Vimoltip |last2=Won-In |first2=Krit |date=2019-12-01 |title=Geoheritage Sites and Geoconservation at Pha Chan - Sam Phan Bok Geopark, Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand |url=https://gcr.isfahan.iau.ir/article_664490.html |journal=Geoconservation Research |volume=2 |issue=1 |pages=11–25 |doi=10.30486/gcr.2019.664490 |issn=2645-4661}}</ref>
==Gallery== <gallery> File:SaoChaLiang 01.jpg|Mushroom-shaped rock pillars File:แสงแห่งผาชะนะได 01.jpg|Cha Na Dai Cliff, which receives the first sunshine of the year in Thailand, overlooking the Mekong River and Laos beyond File:อุทยานแห่งชาติผาแต้ม.jpg|Petroglyphs in Pha Taem National Park </gallery>
==Location== {|role="presentation" class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" |'''Pha Taem National Park in overview PARO 9 (Ubon Ratchathani)''' | |- |thumb|900px|{{resize|150%|''' 3) Pha Taem National Park in overview PARO 9 (Ubon Ratchathani)'''}} {| class= "wikitable" style= "width:30%; display:inline-table;" |- | style="width:3%; background:#00FF00;"| | style="width:27%;"|'''National park''' |- | 1 ||Kaeng Tana |- | 2 ||Khao Phra Wihan |- | 3 ||Pha Taem |- | 4 ||Phu Chong-Na Yoi |- | 5 ||Phu Pha Thoep |- | 6 ||Phu Sa Dok Bua |} {| class= "wikitable" style= "width:30%; display:inline-table;" |- | style="width:3%; background:#FFA400;"| | style="width:27%;"|'''Wildlife sanctuary''' |- | 7 ||Buntharik-Yot Mon |- | 8 ||Huai Sala |- | 9 ||Huai Thap Than-<br>Huai Samran |- |10 ||Phanom Dong Rak |- |11 ||Phu Si Than |- |12 ||Yot Dom |} {| class= "wikitable" style= "width:30%; display:inline-table;" |- | style="width:3%; background:#C65900;"| | style="width:27%;"|'''Forest park''' |- |13 ||Dong Bang Yi |- |14 ||Namtok Pha Luang |- |15 ||Pason Nong Khu |- |16 ||Phanom Sawai |- |17 ||Phu Sing-Phu Pha Phueng |- |} |} {{clear}}
==See also== *List of national parks of Thailand *List of Protected Areas Regional Offices of Thailand
==External links== * [http://www.travelfish.org/location/thailand/northeast_thailand/ubon_ratchathani/pha_taem_national_park Travelfish: Pha Taem National Park Attractions] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615101555/http://www.travelfish.org/location/thailand/northeast_thailand/ubon_ratchathani/pha_taem_national_park |date=2015-06-15 }} *[https://thailande-et-asie.com/en/une-journee-explorer-parc-national-pha-taem Thailande-et-Asie: Phae Taem National Park] * DNP - Pha Taem National Park<ref>{{cite web |url=https://portal.dnp.go.th/Content/nationalpark?contentId=957 |title=Pha Taem National Park |department=Department National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) |access-date=10 February 2026}}</ref> {{National and forest parks in Thailand}} {{Prehistoric caves}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
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Category:National parks of Thailand Category:Geography of Ubon Ratchathani province Category:Tourist attractions in Ubon Ratchathani province Category:Protected areas established in 1991 Category:1991 establishments in Thailand