Ancient skeletons

Phatcharaphorn Utthayarn, head of the Tham Nam Lot Wildlife Conservation Develop-ment and Extension Station, said she found the skeletons in 12 ancient teakwood coffins in Phee Man Cave. Ten of the coffins had been opened.

Phatcharaphorn expects that apart from the skeletons kept inside the two closed coffin, there may be ancient belongings buried there as well. She thought the skeletons' were at least 1,000 years old.

Authorities will guard people from smuggling into the cave to open the coffins. Each coffin size is 75 cm wide and 6m.

District chief Kamol Prasert-kul said the cave would open to tourists once authorities had studied the skeletons, plus ancient pottery and stone tools. Some will be put on display when a security system is installed.