Application for Grant Aid

Submitted on: 10 Feb 2017


Expedition details (GPF2017a-004)

Expedition Name (& Club): Thailand Krabi Family expedition (Grampian Speleological Society)
Destination country: Thailand
Region: Krabi
Lat: 8.1596 Long: 98.7599 Elevation: 247 m
MEF funding: none

Leader: Ms Imogen Furlong
Total cavers: 20
Cavers ≤25 yrs old: 18
Cavers 25-35 yrs old: 0
UK/nonUK cavers: 14/6
Eligible for grant aid: 0
Alex Pitcher nominations: 0
Expedition dates: 28th Dec 2017 - 14th Jan 2018
Duration (days): 18
Man-days in field: 200 Man-days travelling: 40
Brief Expedition objectives:

List a short summary of the main Expedition objectives.

The Expedition will consist of adults and children and is designed to be accommodating to the needs of caving families. We hope to replicate the community atmosphere from 2 years go. Whilst the exact team numbers are yet to be pinned down, we expect a good mix of men and women cavers from and around 20 adults + children (10). The man hours in the field, reflect the need for childcare and do not include kids time underground.

The caving objective is to continue exploration of KhaoThong the lump of tower karst that is approx 560m at its height. We found 2.5km of new cave passage here in a similar 2 week period in January 2015, including what is now the 2nd longest cave in the region. There are a number of surface holes that we spotted that need decending on the hillside above Tham Lek Lek. The secondary objective is to survey smaller caves found - large walk in caves that are suitable for children to also cave, so as to provide a fun caving experience for families to cave together.
How can the GPF support your Expedition?:

Please explain the aspects of the trip which make it eligible for Ghar Parau funding.

We know we will need to get some hardware for this expedition. We picked off on of the main drainage that is near edge of the karst cluster last time Tham Lek Lek, and had no vertical kit on that exped. In order to try and get into the stuff further into the cluster we will need to go up and drop down again. This expedition is in its infancy and so hasn't yet built up any kit store. The GPF funding would be used to help pay for the hardware we need.
Detailed description of objectives:

Give a more detailed account of the purpose of the trip, including any particular known caves you intend to visit, specific areas where you will explore for new cave, and scientific experiments you will attempt.

a) Find new caves: Days out prospecting with GPS. We have cave record system which will be adding to the database of known Krabi caves, held by Martin Ellis, Caves of Krabi author. We have some topographical maps. We also have several recorded (2016)entrances requiring rope to drop.

b) Survey known from 2016 but unsurveyed caves:
ThamMoo, Tham KangKow, DragonJaw, Tham Ngar

c) Push some known underground leads in the region and survey them too.
• KR0178 Tham Thewada – in Phanom Bencha Mountain Resort. Survey the northern inlet (low) and check for side passages/inlets
• KR0062 Tham Khlang –Survey the high level passage to through route and stream passage to boat entrance.
• KR0157 Tham Khao Nui – 47P 477657 0890838 Ao Nang. Unvisited. Used for caving trips by local tour company.
• KR0162 Cave KR0162 – 47P 482628 0929707 Ao Luk. Two small flooded caves (December 2007).
• KR0188 Resurgence – 47P 470915 0925253 Ao Luk. Possible resurgence – not found.
• KR0194 Tham Nam Bang Na – 47P 482584 937996 Plai Phraya. Water resurges from rock shelter. May gain access in dry season.
• KR0006 Tham Wiman – 47P 482416 0935418 Plai Phraya. 200 m long unsurveyed stream.
• KR0174 Cave KR0174 – 47P 464643 0929290 Ao Luk. 260 m long unsurveyed stream.
• KR0179 Tham Thep Nimit – 47P 466368 0928031 Ao Luk. 225 m long unsurveyed stream with upper caves.
• KR0125 Tham Prasat Nalakhring – 47P 484692 0946028 Plai Phraya. 200 m long unsurveyed. Cave dries out after flooding in wet season.
• KR0091 Khao Phueng – another 100m long cave above Tham Khao Phueng.


Previous work in this area:

Give details of any previous work in this area by your own and other teams. Include references to reports and articles published on the area, and the names of any local cavers or academics with whom you have discussed the Expedition.

Caves of Krabi - Martin Ellis
We added 35 new cave entrances to the database in 2016 and explored several with the rest as ongoing leads
Line of caves explored by our exped in 2016 as attachment (profile)
Topographical map with plan view overlaid as attachment



Expedition Finances

Travel

Travel plans:
Flights from UK destinations to Bangkok, change planes and onward travel to Krabi airport, Hired vehicles picked up here and onward travel to final destination a 40min drive.
Personnel and costs are listed as the adults only, costs of bringing children will be additional


# from UK: 14 Travel costs breakdown (for personnel leaving from the UK):
Total costs from UK: £7,700 Return flights are approx 500rtn pp (adults)
Vehicle hire x2 vehicles £1000 = £50pp

# from outside UK: 6 Travel costs breakdown (for personnel leaving from the UK):
Total costs from outside UK: £2,900 Return flights are approx 500rtn pp (adults)
1 x thailand living (£100 internal flight )
Vehicle hire x2 vehicles £1000 = £50pp

Travel total: £10,600 Travel p.p. from UK: £550
Travel p.p. from outside UK: £483

Subsistence

Total: £4,000 Comments:
Subsistence p.p.: £200 Food £1000
Accomodation £3000

Gear

Total: £740 Comments:
Gear p.p.: £37 Costs of gear are difficult to calculate and breakdown because a lot of personal kit will be brought

We expect to purchase
Rope 300m =£300
Printer
Hangers=£150
Bolts= £100
Maillons=£100
Tubular tape = £50

Special 1

Total: £100 Comments:
Special 1 p.p.: £5 kayak hire = £100
Exped Total: £15,440 Exped cost p.p. travelling from UK: £792
Exped cost p.p. travelling from outside UK: £725
Mean Exped cost per person: £772

Other Funding

Total: £0 Comments:
Only personal
Total shortfall: £15,440 Mean shortfall per person: £772

Referees and Report

Please give the names, addresses and phone numbers of two suitably qualified people whom the Committee can contact. You should ensure that they are aware of the objectives of your trip, and that you have their permission for the Committee to contact them.

Referee 1: Mr Martin Ellis
Affiliation: Shepton Mallett CC

Reason: Martin author of the book Caves of Krabi and we have been contributing to his database

Permission obtained?: Yes
Referee 2: Mr Simon Brooks
Affiliation: Orpheus Caving Club

Reason: Simon has also caved in the area and led several expeditions including the long running Meghalaya expedition

Permission obtained?: Yes

Expedition report author: Imogen Furlong