A bizarre cave with rock formations that resemble the a snake's scales is attracting superstitious locals in Thailand.
The Naka cave in the Phu Langka national park in Bueng Kan province has a large boulder at the head which looks like a reptile's skull.
Tourists have been visiting the area after pictures emerged online of the distinctive cave, with some believing it is 'supernatural' and inhabited by the spirit of a snake.
The chief officer of the national park said on Monday (June 29) morning that the Naka cave has always been there but had only been 'discovered' by tourists and started to received attention recently.
Somchai Thanapakit said: "The officers here and some locals are aware of the cave but it only became popular when people saw that the rock surface looked like snake skin." He added that the authority has been busy planning measures on how to handle the number of tourists visiting.
He said: "We estimated that the tourist will arrive in large numbers, as they have been under stress during the lockdown for several months and they are longing for a trip.
"Now we came up with a plan to let them book the visit through an application so this way it would be easier for us to handle the crowd and limit the numbers." Superstitious locals believe the cave has a spiritual connection causing the distinctive pattern but the park officer said that the scale-like surface is just a normal geological phenomenon.
He said: "The surface that appears to be like the snake skin is a geological phenomenon known as 'Sun Crack'.
"The cracks are caused by the rapid change of the temperature during the night and the day that causes expansion and contraction, which is then combined with erosion from the water."