Nature's Weapons!

Thailand is explicitly known for all its magnificent temples, but there is one in particular that will amaze anyone. The Prasat Hin Phanom Rung temple sits on the rim of a volcano, but don't worry the volcano is extinct.  Extinct volcanoes are scientifically considered to not erupt again because they do not have lava supply. You might ask yourself: Well what's the difference between a dormant and extinct volcano? Are they not the same? A dormant volcano is an active volcano (has erupted at least once in the past 10,000 years) that is not currently erupting but potentially can. An extinct volcano has not erupted, not even once, in the past 10,000 years. The only volcanoes that exist in Thailand are both extinct. Phanom Rung and Doi Pha Khok Hin Fu are the two extinct volcanoes in Thailand. There is not much information about these two volcanoes other than their elevation, but it is still interesting to know that at one point the temple of Phanom Rung was a deadly site for the living organisms near the area.



This is a satellite overview of the Phanom Rung volcano and it is obviously scary big but it is pleasing to know that it is extinct.

Just for fun! The Phanom Rung temple sits on the rim of the volcano and it is absolutely stunning. 

Although the volcanoes of Thailand are not a threat to its citizens, there are several faults that are responsible for earthquakes. The Mae Chan Fault is responsible for the 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Chiang Rai on May 16, 2007. This fault is considered "the most potentially damaging one in the country" (http://www.cicc.chula.ac.th/en/2012-04-26-04-31-26/203-likelihood-of-earthquakes-in-thailand.html) The Mae Chan Fault is a strike-slip fault, in other words a side-by-side fault or transform fault. Since this fault has been active recently, it is unsafe for new construction plans to take place. According to Wikipedia.org, the Mae Chan Fault has been ""more active" since the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake." Faults may just seem like snaps of rocks, but a massive fault like the Mae Chan are unavoidably dangerous.



This picture maps the faults in Thailand. They are obviously taken into consideration for potential earthquakes. Most of the faults are located in the west of the country which concerns the people of the vicinity.



References:
Wikipedia.org
(http://www.cicc.chula.ac.th/en/2012-04-26-04-31-26/203-likelihood-of-earthquakes-in-thailand.html

 http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcanoes/faq/active_erupting.html

Thailand Rocks!

Apart from attracting numerous tourists, limestone caves in Thailand are an important feature of its physical geography, more specifically its sedimentary structures. To appreciate the wondrous view of the Tham Lot cave (cave in northern Thailand), we must understand the features of such cave first. A cave like Tham Lot has stalactites and stalagmites, also known as dripstones. Stalacites resemble huge drips that hang from the ceiling, and stalagmites are somewhat similar to stalacites but rise from the ground. All of these features of a limestone cave are due to chemical reactions of sedimentary rocks.



This is a picture of Tham Lot cave

This diagram shows how a limestone cave forms

Something unique about Thailand is that it contains rocks ranging from as old as from the Precambrian to the Quaternary. That is 4.6 billion years ago to 2.5 million years ago! The Precambrian rocks are primarily distributed along the northwestern side of Thailand, but they can also be found in some Eastern and Southern parts. Thailand also contains rocks from the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic (Tertiary and Quaternary) times. Moreover, the most common group of igneous rocks in Thailand are granites.  The distribution of the granites in Thailand appear to age from east to west, Lower Triassic (252.2 million years ago) to Late Cretaceous (100.5 million years ago) respectively. It is quite amazing how we in 2014 can appreciate a rock from millions of years ago! The diversity of the ages of these granites are thought to be caused by “metamorphism, tectonic deformation, hydrothermal activities and simple cooling processes.” Although they are not so common, mafic and volcanic rocks are also exposed in some parts of Thailand. Although igneous rocks in Thailand are proven to be extremely old, the limestone caves can easily steal anyone’s attention. However, learning about the sedimentary and igneous rocks of Thailand can enhance one’s gratitude towards the entire physical geography of the country.

 

 

References:

 

http://www.dmr.go.th/main.php?filename=GeoThai_En

http://www.jenolancaves.org.au/about/geology-of-limestone-caves/cave-formations-speleothems/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tham_Lot_cave

 



 

 

Introduction

Hello fellow humans! My name is Nora Sepulveda, and I am a Biology major at CU Denver. I have lived in Denver, Colorado my whole entire life giving me a great desire to travel the world and visit all the extravagant places. One of my points of interest is the beautiful country located in Southeast Asia: Thailand! I chose Thailand mainly because of its culture and amazing monuments. However, studying the physical geography of Thailand will benefit my knowledge before I visit. Thailand attracts numerous tourists all year-round, but studying the geographical traits will make me a smarter tourist. Its natural beauty will capture anyone's interest, and that is my goal for everyone who reads this blog.



This is a picture from Google images of Railay Beach, located in a small peninsula in Thailand.