The full name of this little known, surprisingly-good attraction is Phu Han Phu Rangam Forest Park.

About Phu Han Phu Rangam Forest Park

Phu Han Phu Rangam Forest Park is a 10 square kilometre protected area, created only in 2021. A Forest Park is a protected area too small to be declared a  national park.

Entry is free. It offers way more for visitors than many National Parks charging up to ฿500 to go inside. Phu Han has good facilities and is easily accessible – although a little difficult to actually locate. See it now before the ‘Farang Tax’ kicks in as it gets more popular.

It is a great Day Trip from Khon Kaen, Chumphae, Korat, Chaiyaphum, Maha Sarakham and numerous other surrounding cities.

A visit to the Park falls naturally into two parts – the Nature Trail and the Rock Art Tour. Both are worthwhile. As at early 2025 the Nature Trail is free. The Rock Art Tour is excellent value at ฿150.

On arrival at the nondescript carpark the visitor is presented with a vista that is totally unprepossessing, even a little confusing. Is it really a carpark? Where’s the entry? What is the jumble of buildings, shelters, seats and other constructions? What is this place?

A red and white barrier in the lowered position prevents further access into the complex. The carpark is unkempt, lacks any semblance of order, and overall is pretty rough. No surprise if you’ve seen even a little bit of Thailand.

From the carpark the complex look barren and windswept, the ground totally devoid of anything green – at the time of our visit. No doubt it transforms after rains.

Visitor Centre

A modern Visitor Centre attracts visitors away from the circuit the managers have planned but that is of little import as the ‘manmade’ attractions (lake, platforms, tables, shelters) pale against the natural features and wonders awaiting the curious. We actually did the Nature Trail backwards – not that it really matters.

Holy Well That Never Runs Dry

Nature Trail

Once oriented, visitors can take a 500 metre track up a slight slope where aeolian and fluvial processes have shaped massive sandstone rocks into unusual and interesting forms.

The Pha Rak Diaw Nature Trail is an easily-followed track that weaves in and out of fantastically-shaped, naturally-sculpted rocks.

For Thailand National Parks/Forest Parks, the Pha Rak Diaw Nature Trail is a high-quality experience.

Signage is adequate and reasonably unobtrusive and, for the most part, is rendered in both Thai and English.

Roots Over Rocks

Many roots of trees are exposed and spread over the rocks. This survival technique for trees, allowing for greater adhesion, is known as ‘phytoturbation’ and is often seen at ancient ruins where tree roots have grown up, through and over the derelict construction.

At Phu Han the roots use the eroded rocks for purchase and support. It is a common dichotomy in nature.

Spectacularly Weathered Rocks

Keung Kham Rock Art Tour

For the average city punter the Kueng Kham Rock Art Tour provides a rare experience. Rough bush tracks suitable only for high-clearance vehicles; hidden, unusual and interesting rock formations not often seen elsewhere; and ancient rock art are the highlights.  The Rock Art Tour requires leaving the Visitor Centre area, and is about five kilometres in length – although the sites are only about two kilometres from the Visitor Centre (direct line).

There are four sites in Keung Kham

Koeng Ya Ma

Neolithic Rock Art

Koeng Chang

More Neolithic Art

This Rock Art Tour is not meeting its potential. It needs to be re-badged/promoted as a Mini Adventure Tour or a Tour of Significant Archeological Sites. The antiquity of the rock art has been assessed by the Fine Arts Department archeologists as being 2500-5000 years old.

If the oldest age (5000 BP) is accepted as accurate it places these drawings in the late Neolithic Period. The claimed range of 2500 years makes Kueng Kham contemporaneous with Ban Chiang and other Neolithic settlements in current-day Thailand

This evidence of early civilisation at Phu Han Phu Pangam is highly significant, and although sites have been found in other parts of Thailand that may be twice as old, Phu Han Phu Pangam is being undersold. It is a readily-accessible, easy-to-showcase examplar of New Stone Age (certainly pre-Thai) civilisation on the Khorat Plareau.

It is to be hoped that the track is kept rough, unknown and inaccessible to the public – making a Park-managed Tour necessary. Kueng Kham has so much potential.

Our Tour Vehicle had lots of potential, too. No suspension, no aircon, no speedo, no tacho, no first gear, squeaky brakes (metal on metal), shaky bonnet (hood) – totally unroadworthy. Government logo on doors. But it got us there and back. A budget consideration I suspect.

Great Day Trip Location

Phu Han Phu Rangam Forest Park is strategically located to many Isaan towns, representing a great value Day Trip:

Khon Kaen – 158 kilometres return (about 2½ hours return, plus time spent exploring the Park).
Chum Phae – 204 kilometres return (about 2½ hours return, plus time spent exploring the Park).
Chaiyaphum – 222 kilometres return (about 3½ hours return, plus time spent exploring the Park).
Korat – 320 kilometres return (about 5 hours return, plus time spent exploring the Park).
Maha Sarakham – 208 kilometres return (about 3 hours return, plus time spent exploring the Park).

More photographs.

Do not conflate the positiveness of this record of my visit to Phu Han Forest Park with anything received from the Park’s operators (other than good service). It is just heartening to see a Thai National Park/Forest Park that:

• • actually has numerous things worthwhile to look at (unlike many over-hyped National Parks in Thailand – for context, I’ve toured 73 of the 77 Provinces and have visited lots of NPs)
  • is free to see the Nature Trail (hopefully no future Farang Tax)
  • provides a very reasonably-priced Rock Art Tour.

Note: Phu Han Phu Rangam Forest Park is difficult to find on Google Maps/Waze. Try วนอุทยานภูหัน – ภูระงำ or use these coordinates – 16° 1′ 3.47″ N 102° 29′ 36.53″ E.

Download a GPX file of the route from Khon Kaen. Note that the return journey includes a good, no-damage dirt road that connects with a paved road after a kilometre or so.

To see 15 other Day Trips and Weekend Trips ex Khon Kaen that are ‘way different’ from your usual Wat and Food Tour, follow this link.