The name Pilok probably derives from the Thai term phi lok, a reference to the area's hostile conditions as well as violent early history, when clashes between Thai authorities and Burmese workers left many dead. The village name of I-tong comes from နတ်အိမ်တောင်, meaning "mountain of spirits".
History
The exact discovery of Pilok's tin and tungsten deposits have not been documented, but the earliest mining operations were probably done by small-scale Burmese prospectors working in the frontier region. Official Thai involvement began in 1940 when the state-owned Mines Organization established the Pilok Mine. Private mining operations then followed, soon numbering over fifty. Initially, mining operations were hindered by the harsh inaccessibility of the region. Ore from the mines had to be transported by elephant to Tha Khanun on the Khwae Noi River, from where it was two days by boat to the provincial centre of Kanchanaburi. A road was soon built, linking the mines to the river by 1950, and by the 1980s partially paved roads provided year-round direct access to the mines from Kanchanaburi. Pilok became a bustling mining town, serving thousands of workers, with two cinemas and an airfield. In 1985, the global tin market crashed, and tin prices plunged. Pilok's mining companies had to close down, and the mines were abandoned. Most of the population left, and Pilok/I-tong was reduced to almost a ghost town. As part of conservation plans of the Western Forest Complex beginning in 1991, most of the forested area of Pilok Subdistrict became included under the new Thong Pha PhumNational Park, which was officially established in 2009. The village has since seen somewhat of a revival, as its remoteness became an attraction for tourists. Much of the remaining population of I-tong have adopted the new tourism-oriented economy, with many homes converted to cafes and homestays.
Geography and administration
Pilok Subdistrict covers an area of, about 95% of which is natural forest, in the Tenasserim Hills of Western Thailand. The subdistrict contains four villages : I-tong, Bo-ong, Mai Rai Pa and Pilok Khi, with a total population of 6,512 from 2,365 households. Its local administration falls entirely under the Pilok Subdistrict Administration Organization. Ban I-tong lies at an elevation of on the Myanmar border, by road from the district centre and from Kanchanaburi. A gas pipeline from Myanmar's Yadana gas field also passes through I-tong, and provides it with electricity. The other three villages are accessible only by boat across the Vajiralongkorn Dam reservoir, and rely on solar energy.
Places
Pilok has various places of interest, many of which are natural features within Thong Pha Phum National Park. The village of I-tong itself has become a tourist destination for its rustic atmosphere and the fog which regularly rolls in over the surrounding hills. In the village's vicinity, the site of the abandoned Pilok Mine, with its old buildings and machinery, is open to the public, and the Buddhist temple Wat Mueang Pilok sits on a hill overlooking the village. Another hill, Noen Sao Thong lies on the border itself, and also features a viewpoint under the twin poles which fly the flags of Thailand and Myanmar side by side. There is a border crossing nearby, but it is not open to the public. South of Ban I-tong, the hill of Noen Chang Suek provides views over the village as well as the surrounding area, and on clear days the Andaman Sea, away on the Myanmar side, is reportedly visible. The viewpoint is within the Chang Suek Operations Base of the Border Patrol Police, but is open to visitors and also features a popular campsite. Within the national park, the -high Khao Chang Phueak is the highest point in the area, and the seasonal hike across its narrow ridge is a popular activity. Chokkradin Waterfall is nearby. Also surrounded by the national park is the Somsak Mining Forest Glade, a guesthouse set in the grounds of a former mine. It is owned and operated by Glennis Setabundhu or Auntie Glen, an Australian who moved with her Thai husband Somsak to the country in the 1960s. Following the mine's closure, and her husband's death in 1994, Glennis reopened the mine as a guesthouse in order to keep the place alive and support the mine's former workers. Known for its remote location in the middle of the forest, access to the Forest Glade requires a -drive via all-terrain vehicle. The nearby Chet Mit Waterfall is within the mine's concession area. Across the Vajiralongkorn Dam reservoir, Phra That Bo-ong is a centuries-old stupa built on top of a rocky outcrop in the middle of a lake. It is regarded as sacred by the Buddhist Karens who form the local population.
