Northern Thailand News
Northern Thailand news, Chiang Mai news, business, tourism, and culture—stay updated with breaking stories, local events, and travel insights from Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pai, and beyond. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Northern Thailand news source.
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Elderly woman fatally crashes into rice field in Udon Thani, two injured
An elderly woman fatally crashed into a rice field yesterday afternoon in the Kum Pha Wa Pi district of Udon Thani province, leaving two seriously injured. The 70 year old woman driving to a medical appointment yesterday, March 19, suddenly lost control of her vehicle, which veered off the road and overturned several times before coming to a stop in…
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10 teenage boys allegedly gang rape 13 year old girl in Sukhothai
Ten teenage boys allegedly gang raped a 13 year old girl in a rice field hut in the northern province of Sukhothai. Five of the gang surrendered to police and confessed to the crime. A 56 year old woman, Naphatcha, filed a complaint with Ban Dan Lan Hoi Police Station after a group of boys sexually assaulted her 13 year…
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Fatal bus crash in northern Thailand kills two drivers, injures 44
A fatal bus crash involving a long-haul vehicle claimed the lives of its two drivers and injured 44 passengers early today in the Mueang district of Nakhon Ratchasima. The double-decker bus, run by Lotusphibul Tours, was travelling from Bung Kan to Bangkok when it collided with a steel support for a road sign. The accident occurred around 2am, today, March…
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Smokin’ setback: Forest fires force Bangkok Airways flight cancellations
Bangkok Airways had to cancel six flights at Mae Hong Son Airport this month due to smoke arising from widespread forest fires in the province. Bangkok Airways yesterday, March 18, cancelled flight PG 205, which runs from Bangkok to Lampang and then Mae Hong Son because the thick smoke affected the pilots’ visibility. Chiang Mai News reported that the flight…
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Man physically assaulted by teens after Korat festival
A 55 year old man was physically assaulted by a group of teenagers in Nakhon Ratchasima, sparking outrage from his daughter who demanded justice and called for witnesses. The incident occurred on Wednesday, March 13 at approximately 3.30am, during the final night of the Thao Suranari victory celebration in the Korat region. The man fell victim to a brutal attack…
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Decade-old Thai rice from controversial scheme found fresh
Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai conducted a rice inspection following an invitation from the Association of Thai Agricultural Product Surveyors. The association, keen to dispel allegations regarding the quality of rice held under the contentious rice-pledging scheme, orchestrated an eventful visit to warehouses owned by Poonpon Trading Ltd and Kittichai Ltd in different districts of the northeastern…
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Nearly a million pay respects to Buddha relics in northern Thailand
Nearly one million devotees paid homage to the sacred Buddha relics over four days, as the revered artefacts were temporarily enshrined in Ubon Ratchathani before being transferred to Krabi province on March 14, as part of a ceremonial procession. This event marked a significant moment in Thai religious history, showcasing the deep reverence the population holds for such important symbols…
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Flame game foiled: Chiang Mai crackdown scorches forest arsonist
Chiang Mai authorities have taken swift action against forest arson, resulting in the arrest and fining of a perpetrator following a tip-off from a vigilant citizen. Yesterday, March 13, a man was spotted igniting a fire within the protected forest area of Ban Pang Keut, Mae Taeng district in Chiang Mai. The deputy governor personally delivered a cash reward to…
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Triple murder-suicide stuns community in northern Thailand
In a shocking discovery at a newly built residence in Udon Thani, Thailand, a gardener found three bodies lying side by side, in the aftermath of an apparent murder-suicide involving a retired police officer. The deceased included the homeowner, her sister, and the ex-officer, who were to celebrate a housewarming and birthday tomorrow, March 14. Police Colonel Pattanawong Janphol, the…
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Buriram issues health alert over anthrax after Laos cases
The province of Buriram in Thailand issued a health warning over the threat of anthrax, a severe bacterial disease, following the identification of three cases in neighbouring Laos. The disease, which can spread from animals to humans, particularly through the consumption of raw bovine and buffalo meat, prompted heightened surveillance and precautionary measures. Today, the provincial livestock office, led by…
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Father discovers daughter’s body in Udon Thani, sparking village fears
A father found his daughter dead in a storeroom at their home in Udon Thani, sparking fear among villagers of a malevolent spirit after a series of unsettling incidents. The 48 year old woman from Udon Thani, known only as Orawan, appeared to have taken her own life by hanging, leaving the community in shock and prompting an investigation into…
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Thai man survives black bear attack during ant egg hunt (video)
A Thai man survived an attack by an Asian black bear while hunting for ant eggs within the Dong Yai Wildlife Sanctuary in the Isaan province of Buriram at the weekend. The victim’s wife, 56 year old Warn Chernprakone, shared details of the incident on Sunday, March 10 with Matichon. Warn explained that her 60 year old husband, Phumin Joysaku,…
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Buriram shooting: Teenagers injured in revenge attack
A violent encounter last night left two high school students injured after being shot by a younger peer. The incident, which took place near a petrol station in Buriram province, was reportedly an act of revenge on behalf of a friend. The two victims, both Grade 9 students, were attacked as they rode their motorcycle in the vicinity of Nong…
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Northeast Thailand: Former boxer’s son kills father over farming dispute
A former boxer’s son murdered his father yesterday in a fit of dissatisfaction over a farming dispute. The son, after finding only two plots ploughed instead of the expected complete field for vegetable farming, locked his father’s neck and used a steel rod, typically carried by oxen, to stab him multiple times in the neck and abdomen, leading to the…
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Man on rampage in Sisaket injures cop and residents with crowbar
A 50 year old Thai man’s violent rampage in Sisaket Province ended with a police officer seriously injured and the assailant subdued by an electric gun. The incident unfolded in the small community of Ban Kradaw, where the man, identified as Boonyiam, attacked an elderly man on a motorcycle with a metal crowbar, breaking his arm. A female village head…
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Thai woman arrested for trafficking protected rat snakes
In a covert operation, police apprehended a 45 year old Thai woman at her residence in Phichit, where a trove of Indo-Chinese Rat Snakes was stashed away. Seven sacks brimming with the slithery reptiles, weighing 34.26 kilogrammes, were confiscated alongside four sacks containing snake carcasses, tallying 5 kilogrammes, concealed in a freezer. Two mobile phones linked to the clandestine snake…
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Chiang Mai flower festival blooms success with record visitors
Chiang Mai is basking in the success of its 47th Flower Festival, which attracted a staggering 668,000 visitors, both Thai and international, generating over 80 million baht (US$2.25 million) in revenue. As a result, the province is preparing to enhance the event’s float parade, focusing on innovation and interest for future festivals. On March 8, the deputy governor of Chiang…
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Woman’s body found floating in Rayong pond prompts police probe
A grim discovery was made at dawn today when a woman’s body was found floating in a durian orchard pond in Rayong province, triggering a police investigation. The unidentified victim, estimated to be between 35 and 40 years old, was found naked and bound, with her head covered by a pair of black and white striped trousers and encased in…
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Kalasin celebrates temple land title deed with traditional procession
A ceremonial procession in Kalasin province involving over a hundred participants in traditional attire recently celebrated the issuance of a land title deed for a local temple. The event honoured the revered monk Luang Pu Ha Supharo, affectionately known as Dinosaur Monk, whose passing on November 24 last year marked the end of an era. The procession, which spanned 25…
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Over 10 million Thais suffered illnesses linked to toxic air in 2023
More than 10 million Thai citizens sought medical treatment for illnesses connected to toxic air in 2023, as disclosed by authorities. The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) disclosed this data amidst a toxic air pollution crisis in Thailand. The root of this crisis lies in widespread farm burning and forest fires, particularly rampant in the country’s northern regions, which…
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Khon Kaen plans for state-of-the-art light rail transit system
Khon Kaen province declared its intention to kickstart the construction of a cutting-edge Light Rail Transit (LRT) system. Planned to begin in 2025, this ambitious LRT project, the first of its kind outside Bangkok, promises to usher in a new era of modernised transit, with its inaugural route encircling the Bueng Kaen Nakhon Reservoir. The maiden phase of this visionary…
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DSI grills teacher candidates over Khon Kaen exam scam
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has initiated an extensive interrogation of candidates for assistant teacher positions at the Primary Educational Service Area Office 2 in Khon Kaen, following allegations of widespread exam fraud. Investigators have discovered that exam materials were being sold for 600,000 baht each. The probe, which took place today at the Learning Promotion Office in Ban…
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US Army captain defying tradition with a Buddhist twist
In a bustling Southwestern bar at a Royal Thai Navy (RTN) base, a US Army captain stood out, not just for his uniform but for the emblem adorning his cap, the Buddhist wheel of dharma, a rare sight in military circles. Chaplain (Captain) Songkran Waiyaka, one of only 10 Buddhists among over 3,000 religious leaders in the Army, often finds…
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Firefighter dead, two others battling for life in northern forest fire
In the relentless battle against raging forest fires sweeping through northern Thailand, tragedy struck as one firefighter lost his life while two others fight for their survival. The turmoil unfolded amidst 1,153 recorded hotspots in Mae Hong Son from March 1 to 3, with the epicentre of the blaze concentrated in the Pai district and surrounding conserved forests. Director-General Atthaphon…
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Northeast Thailand bus crash leaves students injured, driver dead
A bus crash on Si Kew-Chaiyaphum Road near Nakhon Ratchasima on Friday left 47 students and teachers injured and the driver dead. The bus crash occurred at approximately 10.30pm, with the vehicle carrying 39 students and 12 staff members on a field trip from Chaiyaphum province to the revered Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok met with tragedy. Eyewitnesses…
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Thailand bids to host International Horticultural Expo 2029
Thailand has thrown its hat into the ring to host the International Horticultural Expo in 2029. The Southeast Asian nation has set its sights on attracting up to four million visitors during the four-month-long event. The Foreign Affairs Ministry spokeswoman, Kanchana Patarachoke, announced yesterday that the government has proposed the 25th global event to take place in Nakhon Ratchasima, with…
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Raging forest fires force closure of Thai-Cambodian Border park
Forest fires ablaze along the Thai-Cambodian border have ignited chaos, choking Khao Phra Wihan National Park in Sisaket province with clouds of thick smoke and dust particles, forcing a three-day shutdown. The infernos, wreaking havoc on the region’s flora and fauna, including monkeys, bats, and birds, have sparked concerns for both tourism and wildlife preservation. Sisaket Governor Anuphong Suksomnit, undertook…
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Mukdahan hosts first Border Trade Fair to boost economy
Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai inaugurates the first Border Trade Fair in Mukdahan, aiming to boost the border economy and facilitate fruit exports through the Mukdahan checkpoint. The event also included a visit to the One-Stop Service Center (OSS) in Mukdahan – Nakhon Phanom to support exporters. The inaugural Border Trade Fair in Mukdahan province, which takes place from February 29…
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Newborn found mutilated near Mae Hong Son camp
A tragic discovery was made outside a worker’s camp in Mae Hong Son province, where the body of a newborn baby, suspected to have been abandoned post-birth, was found mutilated and partially burnt. Authorities are investigating this harrowing incident, which has shocked the local community and prompted a search for the person responsible. Police were alerted to the gruesome scene…
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Khon Kaen police issues urgent warning against online fraud
In a bid to tackle the rising tide of online fraud, Khon Kaen Police Station took an unprecedented step, adorning its exterior with colossal signs standing up to 3 metres tall. These giant warnings, unveiled yesterday, February 28, aim to arm citizens with crucial advice on dodging the traps set by cunning scammers. With phrases like: Do not believe, Do…
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