Thai PBS Verify found the source of the news from: Facebook
A screenshot of Facebook post, showing the pointed mountain peak has turned a dazzling golden color
Thai PBS Verify investigated a Facebook page named “Farm On Sangkhlaburi” after it posted images of a mountain peak glowing with golden light. The post described:
Strangely amazing — the pointed mountain peak has turned a dazzling golden color.
According to the post, on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at 5:45 p.m., a strange phenomenon occurred in Tha Khanun Subdistrict, Thong Pha Phum District, Kanchanaburi Province, where the peak appeared golden for about five minutes before returning to normal. Tourists visiting Thong Pha Phum captured the event on mobile phones, and the incident was widely discussed as unusual.
Note: The photo was not edited in any way. It was shared by tourists with the restaurant Krua Ngo Pa in Thong Pha Phum District, Kanchanaburi Province.
After the post was shared, it received more than 5,000 comments and was reshared over 4,500 times. Most commenters expressed surprise at the phenomenon, while some questioned whether the image was real or AI-generated. (Click here to view the archived link)
Where does the “golden light” come from?
Assoc. Prof. Jessada Denduangboripant, lecturer in the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University (widely known as Ajarn Jesada), also posted an explanation of the phenomenon.
He shared a news report from Thairath Online and added a short clarification: “It’s simply the evening sunlight shining on the mountain, creating a beautiful glow.” (Click here to view the archived link)
Assoc. Prof. Jessada Denduangboripant posted on Facebook to clarify, stating that it was simply the evening sunlight.
Where is the photo spot “Khao Laem”?
From observing the images in the post, Thai PBS Verify searched for the location by using the keywords “Khao Laem Thong Pha Phum” on Google Maps, and was able to identify the site of Khao Laem.
The map of Khao Laem in Thong Pha Phum District, Kanchanaburi Province
In addition, one of the images in the post contained the text “Contact for rooms.” This prompted a search for hotels in the area, which led to a match with a photo of Thong Pha Phum River Hotel. The building in that photo had architectural features identical to those shown in the viral post. This confirmed that the hotel was the location where the photographs of the phenomenon were taken.
The image from the post showing the photo spot of the golden light (left) compared with the image of Thong Pha Phum River Hotel (right).
After that, we used Google Street View to check whether the location matched. It was found that behind this hotel lies the site of Khao Laem, which was indeed the place captured in the viral post.
The image from the post (left) compared with the image from Google Street View of Thong Pha Phum River Hotel (right)
Google Street View Map
Does the “golden light” occur often?
“It is normal, and happens frequently,” said Mr. Suppanatt Rattanathanaprasan, a still and video officer at the Thai PBS Digital Media Department. As a veteran photojournalist, he explained that the “golden light” is a phenomenon commonly encountered in photography. From a photographer’s perspective, the lower the sun descends, the more orange the light becomes, and the color temperature gradually shifts toward a warmer tone.
Mr. Suppanatt Rattanathanaprasan, a still and video officer
In the case where the golden light appeared only on the mountain peak, it was likely because that day had clear skies, with what is called “teen mek” or low clouds. In the evening, such clouds usually sit close to the horizon. This allowed the sunlight to shine in a straight line. Normally, the rays spread at an angle of about 45° or 30° and gradually lower. But as the sun gets closer to the horizon, the rays strike in a straight line. They may illuminate only a single point or may reach other areas as well, though the photo might not capture them.
From examining the image, it appears to have been taken from a distance using a mobile phone. The calculation of the Kelvin value in the camera may have caused a slight distortion, making the golden light appear more intense than it actually was. Yet the phenomenon can be described as a “coincidence of normality.” In a similar photo taken previously, when there were few low clouds, the sun appeared right in the middle of the Giant Swing in Bangkok. Another factor is the angle of the setting sun, which may allow the glow to be seen only during this specific period. At this time, the sun’s angle happened to shine directly on that mountain peak. But after about a week, the light might no longer fall on that spot.
Image showing sunlight shining in a straight line.
What’s the truth?
The image of the “golden mountain peak” is a real photograph of a natural event — not AI-generated or digitally altered.
Assoc. Prof. Jessada Denduangboripant from the Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, explained the phenomenon scientifically: “It’s simply the evening sunlight striking the mountain peak, making it appear golden — not a supernatural event.”
Similarly, Mr. Suppanatt Rattanathanaprasan, a photojournalist at Thai PBS, added that golden light phenomena like this are common during the evening. The light appears when the sun’s angle shines directly onto the mountain under clear skies or low clouds (“teen mek”). As for the intense golden color, it may result from the mobile phone camera’s light reception settings (Kelvin value), which might not reflect the actual scene accurately. This can make the light appear more golden than it truly is.
Meanwhile, verification using tools such as Google Maps and Google Street View confirmed that the view behind the hotel matched the scene in the post. This verifies that the image is a real photo of a location in Kanchanaburi Province — not a digitally altered or fabricated image.
