Huai Kum Dam

Huai Kum Dam is a rock-and-earthfill dam with a clay core — not concrete — standing 35.5 metres high with a crest 282 metres long and 8 metres wide, built at Ban Pak Huai Kum in Nong Phon Ngam subdistrict, Kaset Sombun district. Its job is straightforward: catch and hold the water released from Chulabhorn Dam upstream so it can be released steadily for irrigation downstream, rather than in one uncontrolled surge. That practical purpose is also why it’s underdeveloped for tourism — there’s no visitor center, boat rental, or restaurant row, just the dam wall and the stream below it.

The real draw is the stretch of river directly below the dam, where the outflow from Chulabhorn forms shallow pools and slow-moving channels that locals and visiting families wade and swim in, especially on weekends. A network of hiking trails runs along the reservoir’s forested edge, and camping is possible on the grounds near the dam — bring your own gear, as there’s nothing to rent on site. The reservoir itself, upstream of the wall, is broad and mostly used by local fishers rather than tour boats; it’s not set up for recreational cruising.

Watch out: There’s minimal shade along the dam crest and the trails, and no shops nearby for water refills once you’re past the entrance road — bring more than you think you’ll need, especially March to May when Isan daytime highs regularly clear 35°C.

Getting here means a car or motorbike from Kaset Sombun district town (about 32km) or Chaiyaphum’s provincial capital (about 102km) — there’s no direct public bus to the dam itself, so a rented vehicle or a pre-arranged songthaew is the only realistic option. November to February brings cooler air and clearer views for the drive; rainy season (June-October) fills the reservoir higher but also swells the stream below the dam, so check conditions before wading in.