Kwai Noi Bum Rung Dan Dams

Kwai Noi Bum Rung Dan is actually three connected dam structures, not one — Chong Khao Tam, an earthen closure dam 16 metres tall and 640 metres long; the main Khwae Noi Bamrung Dan dam, concrete-faced rockfill, 75 metres tall and 681 metres long; and San Takian, a clay-core rockfill dam 80 metres tall and 1,270 metres long — built across the Khwae Noi River in Wat Bot district, Phitsanulok. Together they hold up to 1,080 million cubic metres of water. Entry is free, and the site is open daily 06:00–18:00.

The project followed a 1982 royal initiative to manage seasonal flooding on the Khwae Noi River and expand irrigation for farmland across Wat Bot and neighbouring districts; the main structures became operational around 2011. What you see today is less an industrial dam than a countryside recreation area — the reservoir surface stretches out against the hills of the western Phitsanulok highlands, with rice paddies and small farms filling the land below the dam wall.

Three named viewpoints anchor a visit: Pha Nakarat, a naga-shaped rock outcrop overlooking the dam itself; Erawan Beach downstream, a seasonal swim and play area open roughly March to May when water is released from the reservoir; and San Maya, a low hill with a wide view across the reservoir. Fishing and boating are the main activities on the water — local vendors rent bamboo rafts, inner tubes, and life jackets, and simple restaurants along the shore serve grilled fish and standard Thai lakeside food. Birdlife is active early and late in the day around the reservoir margins.

Insider Tip: The downstream play area (Erawan Beach) only runs during the release season, roughly March–May — outside those months you’re visiting for the viewpoints and fishing, not a swim, so check timing before planning a water-focused day.

Watch out: This is a working irrigation reservoir, not a managed swimming pool — depths and currents near the dam outlet change with water release, so stick to the designated shallow play areas rather than swimming freely.

Getting there requires your own transport — it’s a rural site between Phitsanulok and Sukhothai with no public bus route to the dam gate. Early morning or late afternoon avoid both the midday heat and the busiest weekend crowds.