Rachaburi - Khao Krajom

Khao Krajom as most road-signs say (or is it Khao Khrachom as some signs say?) is a mountain top near the border to Myanmar. It is located in Suan Pheung district in Ratchaburi. One the summit, there are camping sites, basic facilities, good views, and a quiet calm as one truly feels far away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Map on sign near creek crossing

To reach the peak at over 1,000 meters above sea level is a challenge many Thai 4WD enthusiasts take on with gusto. During the dry season, it is not much of a challenge. However, the use of 4WD is recommended as one needs to secure grip on a “loose” surface.

Now track is dry and hard, but appears to be soft and slippery during rainy season.

The road from “civilization” to the peak is roughly 8 kilometers, which during the dry season can covered in around 30 minutes. During the rainy season, it takes 40-50 minutes. The first third of the 8 km is paved. During the dry season, the second half gets bumpy and dusty, but is not particularly challenging except for 2-3 spots that require a little bit “extra”.

River or rather creek to be crossed

One spot is a river crossing where people have to overcome mental blocks they may have that prevent them from driving through water. Water depth is unknown and potholes or obstacles can be hidden in the muddy water. I took the optimistic perspective that plenty of other vehicles had crossed before me. So, although alone in the wilderness at the time, I assumed that if those vehicles could cross, so could my vehicle.

To prove it could be done, I crossed back and forth six times. Despite water reaching ten inches up my doors, thus submerging my exhaust pipe in water for over a minute, the engine didn’t stall and no water entered the cabin. However, each time on the way back across the river, the tires would lose grip on the slippery pebbles on the river bed. Each time this happened, it sent some “what-if” thoughts racing through my mind.

The other trouble spots were some steep ascents – most notably the last 300 meters to the peak – where lose rocks and/or soft sand on top of a hard lateritic road surface made wheel spin inevitable. The only way to overcome this was to use the 4WD low range and climb slowly but methodically.

Top of Khao Krajom is within reach, but a final steep ascent awaits.

Except for these steep ascents, the rest of the road can easily be handled in 4WD high range by powering through in second gear and controlling wheel spins on sandy surfaces as / when they happen. Or one can make the journey at a more leisurely pace to potentially sight some wildlife – all I saw was some pheasant hens and a long dark grey snake crossing the road.

I look forward to trying to reach Khao Krajom during the rainy season where I expect the road surface will be slippery due to mud.