Khao Kho, often dubbed ‘Little Switzerland’ for its relatively cool climate, is located in the hills 37kms north of Phetchabun.
It is actually a district of Phetchabun Province, situated upon a mountain top plateau.
Most of the sights on the plateau are related to battles between the Thai Army and the PLAT (Peoples Liberation Army of Thailand) as this was a communist stronghold during the long running war of the 1970s.
The main sight is the old army base, which has been turned into a small weapons museum, and just a little further up on the highest point of the plateau is a war monument that honors the Thai soldiers who died during the war with the communists. When open, you can climb up inside the tower to a small viewing window for slightly better views of the surrounding area.
Near these war memorial sites, and right next to the road, is the enormous, white-washed and bell-shaped Phra Boromathat Chedi, which contains hundreds of gleaming Buddha images, along with an incongruous display of clocks and watches.
Another sight is the fairly plain royal palace where the king and queen stay whenever they are in this neck of the woods; it’s located on top of a steep hill. There are also several waterfalls signposted off the main route through the area, Highway2196.
The high plateau gets very cold in winter, with the temperature dropping close to freezing, so any visits from mid-November to mid-February will require appropriate clothing.
There is lots of accommodation in Khao Kho, but most places cater only to Thais, as is evident from the fact that few resorts display their names in English. However, there are a couple of places that receive foreign guests regularly, which we have listed under accommodation options in Petchabun.
Getting There
With rented transport, follow Highway 21 north of Petchabun for around 20km, then turn left on to H2258 When this road meets H2196, turn right to head along the top of the Khao Kho plateau. The nearest airport is in Phitsanulok. From there, head east on Highway 12, then south on Highway 2196.
It’s also possible (though not as much fun) to get to the plateau by songtheaw, which leave irregularly from the market in Phetchabun and take about one hour for the uphill trip.
Need to Know
- What is it? A cool mountainous plateau that was a communist base during political struggles from 1968 to 1982.
- Opening hours: 24 hours.
- Entrance fees: Free
- Address: Highway 2196
- Where: a mountain range about 37km northwest of Phetchabun.