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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Sponsored Is private health insurance in Thailand worth it? Real costs vs risks explained
Thailand has a strong healthcare system with both public and private options. Public hospitals offer affordable care, but many people, including expats, choose private health insurance for faster service, modern facilities, and more treatment choices. To decide if private health...
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Art extravaganza: Inside the Thailand Biennale Chiang Rai
The Thailand Biennale Chiang Rai (TBC) has taken the artistic community by storm, attracting international artists and prominent visitors. Angkrit Ajchariyasophon, a key figure in Thailand’s artistic realm, has played a pivotal role as co-curator. The TBC, with its diverse range of displays and activities, promises an unparalleled artistic experience in the northern region. On December 9 last year, the…
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Misleading GPS directions left female driver stranded in Phetchabun (video)
A driver’s reliance on her GPS turned into an unexpected off-road adventure as she attempted to reach a coffee shop in Khao Kho, Phetchabun, resulting in the vehicle becoming stuck and necessitating assistance. The incident, captured on video and shared on TikTok by user @tulip_kunyapak, has attracted nearly 2 million views. The driver yesterday set out for a coffee shop…
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Flight fright: Panic-stricken passenger causes turbulence at Chiang Mai Airport
A Canadian passenger reportedly experienced a panic attack while a plane was taking off from Chiang Mai International Airport last night and attempted to open the plane door, causing chaos and a delay at the airport. The situation was brought under control at around 11pm. Facebook account Watcharapon Pethsurp posted about the incident at about 9.57pm yesterday, February 7. The…
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Khon Kaen buffet fines diner 9000 baht for uneaten food
A buffet restaurant in Khon Kaen made headlines after a customer was faced with a hefty fine of 9,100 baht for leaving an excessive amount of uneaten food. However, the situation was amicably resolved, resulting in satisfaction on both sides. Oshinei Khon Kaen, a Japanese buffet restaurant in Khon Kaen, took to Facebook to recount an incident where a group…
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Sandal scandal: Thai temple thief swaps white flipflops for black in Chiang Mai (video)
A CCTV camera at Phra That Doi Suthep Temple in the southern province of Chiang Mai captured a Thai man stealing a pair of shoes from a South Korean tourist. The man entered the temple wearing white flipflops but left wearing black ones. The leader of the security team at the temple, Porramate Ngamchuen, told Channel 7 that the theft took…
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Luxury Porsche worth 5 million baht goes up in flames after crashing in Phitsanulok
A Porsche Panamera, estimated to be worth no less than 5 million baht, was found engulfed in flames after veering off the road and crashing into an electric pole at 1.40am this morning, in the Phlai Chumphon area of Phitsanulok. Police and rescue teams rushed to the accident scene only to find the driver missing. Upon arrival at the scene…
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Khon Kaen restaurant worker fatally crushed by malfunctioning lift
A freight elevator at a renowned restaurant in Khon Kaen malfunctioned and plummeted, fatally crushing a 46 year old female restaurant worker. The restaurant owner vowed to take full responsibility and provide compensation as police hasten their investigation to determine the cause of the accident. The calamity occurred at a well-known eatery situated along the Mittraphap Road in Khon Kaen’s…
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Thai airports set to soar with billion-baht boost
The AOT, eagerly awaiting the green light from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), is on the cusp of obtaining public airport certification for Udon Thani, Buriram, and Krabi airports. According to Police General Wisnu Prasatthong-osot, the visionary chairman of the board, the AOT will begin the development of its airports as planned once the certifications have been received.…
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Suspect with mental health issues found dead in Khon Kaen cell
A 42 year old suspect was found dead in his cell at a police station in Manchakhiri, in the southern part of Khon Kaen province, northeastern Thailand. The deceased had been detained following a disturbance caused by intoxication, and his relatives had requested police intervention. The incident has highlighted concerns about handling individuals with a history of mental health issues and substance…
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Thai teen’s tragic demise: Knife throw turns road into deadly game
A 14 year old Thai boy died in hospital after two teenagers threw a knife at him on a road in the Isaan province of Ubon Ratchathani last Thursday, February 1. An altercation between two groups of Thai teenagers on Khutkhaopun-Pathummarat Road was reported to Kut Khaopun Police Station at about 8pm on February 1. A 14 year old victim…
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From brooms to boom: Street sweeper sweeps up 12-million-baht lottery jackpot
A street sweeper’s life transformed overnight when luck smiled upon her with a 12-million-baht government lottery win. Somsong Singsa, a 56 year old municipal worker from Si Sa Ket province, revealed that a vendor’s persuasion made her purchase two winning tickets. After four decades of toil, she now plans to resign and provide for her family, who are overjoyed at…
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Significant drop in forest fires in Chiang Mai and northern region
Protected Areas Regional Office 16 Director Kritsayam Kongsatree revealed an unprecedented 79% drop in blazes across Chiang Mai and its northern neighbours. Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation (DNP) Chief Kritsayam manages a colossal 7.8 million rai encompassing 19 forests in Chiang Mai and Lamphun. His proactive patrolling initiatives have slashed the number of hotspots from the ominous…
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Thai woman fatally attacked with knife, secret affair suspected as motive
Police are searching for a killer who fatally attacked a Thai woman with a knife in the northern province of Sukhothai. The motive for the murder is suspected to be a secret affair and jealousy. Officers from the Ban Dan Lan Hoi Police Station dashed to the crime scene at 9.30am yesterday, January 28, and discovered the dead body of a…
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Bus hostess killed, six injured in Phitsanulok night crash
A tragic collision between a tour bus and an 18-wheel truck at a U-turn near a gas station in Phitsanulok in lower northern Thailand resulted in the death of a bus hostess and left six passengers injured. The incident occurred at 12.15am today, January 29, when the Nakhon Chai Air bus travelling from Phrae to Bangkok was struck by the…
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Latex leak caused car pileup in Northeast Thailand
Torrential rains turned three major roads in the northeastern province of Loei into perilous zones, resulting in a 20-car pileup within a 3-hour span on January 25. The chaos unfolded when heavy rain triggered a cascade of calamities on Loei-Chiang Khan Road. The first report indicated a sprawling multi-car collision, prompting swift intervention from rescue teams. Loei-Wang Saphung Road and…
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German president visits rice fields in Isaan and North Thailand
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier embarked on a journey to Thailand’s rice fields in Ubon Ratchathani and Chiang Rai. The two Thai provinces boast over 4.2 million rai of rice fields. President Steinmeier and his delegation paid a visit to the Suan Ta Rom Demonstration Farm in Trakan Phuet Phon district, Ubon Ratchathani. The 35-rai (56,000 square metres) integrated farmland showcased…
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Thai rural school fights educational inequality with single teacher for 19 students
A rural school overseen by the Primary Education Office of Nakhon Phanom in Nong Yat subdistrict has only 19 students with one single teacher looking after the class. Thanyalak Deechan, the only teacher at the Dong Choke Ratsadon-uthit school, revealed to Thai PBS that the establishment caters to 19 students ranging from kindergarten to primary 6. To compound the challenge, the…
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Mysterious death in Udon Thani: Woman found in park pond
A woman’s body was discovered floating in a pond in Udon Thani, sparking a police investigation into the mysterious death. Around 11.50am today, January 26, a student stumbled upon the grim find in Nong Prachak Park, not far from the city centre. The body, presumed to be of a woman aged between 40-45 years old, showed no signs of physical…
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Bear necessity: Swiss man sacrifices arm in bear attack
A Swiss man cut off his right arm as a bear locked his teeth onto his arm and stubbornly refused to release its grip while he was volunteering at a wildlife foundation in the northern province of Chiang Mai. The 32 year old Swiss man is in a private hospital in Chiang Mai province after being attacked by the Asian black…
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Tiny feline duo rescued: Leopard kittens find new home in wildlife sanctuary
In a heartwarming rescue mission, two pint-sized leopard cats, abandoned in a sugarcane plot in Phichit‘s Sam Ngam district, have been saved by officials from Protected Areas Regional Office 12, Nakhon Sawan. The fluffy feline siblings, just a month old, were discovered by wildlife guardians, unharmed and thriving on their specially crafted milk diet. Playful and already bonding with their…
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Paws and ponder: Annual military dog auction raises tails in northern Thailand
Curiosity piques as the Department of Military Animals at the Army Canine Centre in Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchasima unveils its annual spectacle, the military dog auction. Dog lovers and curious minds are in for a treat as we unravel why these heroic canines end up on the auction block. Contrary to popular belief, these military dogs aren’t rejected. Instead, they…
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16 year old motorcycle rider attacked by 2 teenage attackers in Chiang Mai
A 16 year old boy filed a complaint against two teenage attackers who last week assaulted him and tried to steal his motorcycle on a road in the northern province of Chiang Mai. The mother of the victim took to social media after the two attackers remained at large even though the physical assault took place almost a week ago,…
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Thai police officer allegedly faked marriage certificate and swindles money from woman
An angry Thai woman accused a police officer in the northern province of Lamphun of forging a fake marriage certificate and defrauding more than 300,000 baht from her and her mother. The 39 year old woman named Aut urged Thai news agencies to help her seek justice after she and her mother lost more than 300,000 baht to a police sub-lieutenant…
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Handcuffed Thai car thief escapes from police station in Chiang Rai
Officers are set to rearrest a Thai car thief two days after the suspect successfully escaped from Mueang Chiang Rai Police Station in northern Thailand despite being handcuffed. The thief stole a black Mitsubishi from a Thai woman in the northern province of Chiang Rai on January 13. He even posted a video of himself and the stolen car on…
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RTA sergeant questioned over double murder at Nakhon Phanom petrol station
A Royal Thai Army (RTA) sergeant is now under intense interrogation in connection with the chilling double murder of two petrol station workers last month. Police Major General Thawatchai Thungpao, Nakhon Phanom police chief, led the operation yesterday afternoon, January 17, alongside crack investigators from Nakhon Phanom’s Muang station and Provincial Police Region 4. The suspect, still awaiting identification, is…
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Lottery vendor scoops 6 million baht lottery jackpot
A lottery vendor in Nakhon Phanom province scooped the first prize jackpot in yesterday’s lottery draw. The winning ticket, number 105979 landed a 6 million baht bounty for the vendor. The 63 year old lottery vendor, Onchan Suriyon, also known as Uan, resides at Ban Thung Mon, Village No. 8, Kham Toei Subdistrict, Mueang District, and set up her stall at…
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Bogus bucks: 2 Thai men nabbed for selling fake US dollar bills, 1 suspect still at large
Crime Suppression Division (CSD) officers arrested two Thai men for selling fake US dollar bills at a petrol station in the Isaan province of Buriram. Another suspect successfully evaded arrest and remains at large. Police in Buriram province received several reports about the use of counterfeit US dollar banknotes and discovered that most of the fake bills allegedly came from…
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2 Polish women apologise for sunbathing in Chiang Mai temple
Chiang Mai Provincial Tourist Police tracked down two Polish women caught sunbathing on Sunday, January 14 at Chiang Man Temple in Chiang Mai province. The two foreigners apologised to locals for their inappropriate act. The Thais who saw the two foreign women sunning themselves on the grass at Chiang Man Temple on Sunday raised concerns via Channel 3, causing the…
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Police inspector transferred to inactive post following son’s murder involvement in Sa Kaeo
A deputy inspector at Aranyaprathet Police Station has been temporarily transferred to an inactive post at Sa Kaeo police headquarters. Sa Kaeo Police Chief Police Major General Omsin Boonyanuson confirmed the move which aimed to prevent any interference in the murder investigation involving the officer’s teenage son and four other suspects. Speaking to reporters, Omsin assured the public of a…
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Young girl finds and returns gold bracelet worth 70,000 baht to owner
A primary 4 girl returned a gold bracelet worth more than 70,000 baht to its owner. Villagers flocked to praise the honest girl who picked up a 2 baht (approximately 30.32 grammes) gold bracelet and returned it to the owner. The girl, of Number 53, Village No. 2, Ban Talu Non Muang. Samrong Ta Jen Subdistrict, Khukhan District, Si Sa…
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