Discovering boh yai mines
One of the most exciting projects I’ve been involved in with Bottomline Projects is the discovery and continued exploration of the Boh Yai mine complex in Kanchanaburi, Thailand. The initial discovery dive was back in November of 2022 and we had no idea of the magnitude of our discovery. Since then, Boh Yai has grown into one of our most significant exploration and training sites, reaching depths of 120m and with more than 5km of line currently laid. The site remains under active exploration and offers incredible opportunities for deep diving, technical training and advanced mapping.
The depths of the system are yet to be fully discovered. Plans are underway for a follow up expedition in April of 26, to push deeper into the underground.
Boh Yai stands as a testament to what curiosity, teamwork, and technical skill can uncover beneath the surface.
Diver: Patrick Widmann
Photo: Mikko Paasi
Watch the Dive Saga miniseries on Boh Yai mines:
The longest diveable cave in thailand
Deep in the heart of the Khao Phrayabangsa moutain, in the Satun region of Southern Thailand, lies a cave system that captured the curiosity of not only the Bottomline Projects crew, but also the local community. In November 2023 a team of divers from Bottomline Projects exploring Toh Wang cave for the first time. With an average depth of 7m and with more than a kilometer of explored passage so far, the system became recognised as the longest freshwater, diveable cave in Thailand. The cave remains an active and evolving exploration project.
What makes this site truly special, however, isn’t just it’s geological beauty - but the story that surrounds it. The local community spoke of a lost tribe that once lived in the mountains who mysteriously vanished. One of the villagers and local caving expert Folk Kamponsak Sassadee, who’s grandfather was said to be among them, believed that the tribe’s secret lay hidden beneath the earth. He invited Bottomline Projects founder and expedition leader Mikko Paasi to explore the underwater passages, hoping that the team may uncover traces of their existence.
With the current end of line a 3 hour round trip on a DPV (diver propulsion vehicle), further exploration now requires more advanced planning. But each dive reveals more of this vast, submegerd world, carrying with it the mystery of those who once walked through the mountains long before us.
Diver: Naomi Allen
Photo: Mikko Paasi
Bottomline Projects “Filthy Few” team, May 2024
Left to Right: Anand Chandra Sekaran, Mika Lindstrom, Naomi Allen, Pasi Laihanen, Mikko Paasi, Folk Kamponsak Sassadee, Maxime Cheminade
All projects have been as part of the “filthy few” Bottomline Projects team, lead by Koh Tao Divers owner Mikko Paasi. For more information visit the websites below.