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.
-
Sponsored Limited-time deal: Save 20% on Cigna's expat health plans forever
Starting a new life abroad is exciting—new culture, new lifestyle, and new chances to grow. But living far from home also means taking steps to protect your health in unfamiliar surroundings. Without the right coverage, even small health issues can...
-
Northeast Thailand: Villagers flock to Ya Kok shrine for lottery luck
Residents of the village of Mab Krad, Khok Krachai, Khon Buri, and Nakhon Ratchasima, are gathering at the Ya Kok shrine to seek good fortune for the upcoming lottery draw. This follows the appearance of the second-prize lottery number. Residents offer worship items including savoury and sweet food like pork heads, boiled chicken, and beverages. They lay their purchased lottery…
-
Northeast Thailand: Giant python causes alarm in Surin chicken coop
A colossal python, exceeding 4 metres in length and as thick as a leg, caused a scare in a chicken coop in Surin‘s Khuha Sawan subdistrict. The incident occurred on November 2, leading to the rousing of a rescue team from the Ban Raeng Subdistrict Municipality to assist. The rescue workers, equipped with venomous animal-handling tools, responded swiftly to aid…
-
National artist Chalermchai Kositpipat turns impromptu photographer at Rong Khun Temple
A delightful incident unfolded at Rong Khun Temple in Chiang Rai, where a foreign couple sought help for a souvenir photo from Thailand national artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. The couple unknowingly asked Chalermchai, National Artist in Visual Arts (Painting), donned in full motorcycling gear, to capture their moment. The artist obliged, capturing their moment in front of the temple he had…
-
Northern Thailand: National Police Chief resolves longstanding conflict at Wat Hiranyaram
National Police Chief, Sukhawimon Thotsakdi, better known as Big To, led a team to Wat Hiranyaram, also known as Wat Luang Por Ngern Bang Klaan, in Phichit province, aiming to resolve long-standing conflicts. Joined by Jaroonkiat Pankeaw, the Commander of the Central Investigation Bureau, and Phumisak Kasemsuk, the Secretary-General of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, they arrived at the temple around 2pm.…
-
Northern Thailand: Tourists flock to Doi Mae U-Kor for stunning blooming Mexican sunflowers
The Doi Mae U-Kor mountain is currently attracting a throng of tourists eager to admire the sprawling fields of blooming Mexican sunflowers. These golden blooms, stretching across 500 acres of hillside, have become a significant draw for visitors, both Thai and international. It is expected that the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will receive no less than 100,000 visitors this…
-
Thai rangers seize 200,000 amphetamine pills after clash with drug traffickers
A deadly clash between Thai rangers and suspected drug traffickers broke out late at night on November 11, at Mae Fah Luang, Chiang Rai. The conflict ended with one trafficker lifeless and the seizure of 200,000 amphetamine pills, as confirmed by officials from the Pha Muang Army. The Pha Muang Army officials explained that their investigative team had received a…
-
Northern Thailand: Burmese teenager shot dead in Tak following love feud on Facebook
A brutal incident in Tak province saw a Burmese teenager fatally shot in the face after a Facebook challenge resulted in a confrontation between two rival gangs. The dispute was over a shared love interest, with peace talks culminating in the fatal shooting. Police in Mae Sot district of Tak province were quick to respond and apprehend the culprit along…
-
2 foreigners killed and many injured in minibus accident in Chiang Mai
A minibus overturned on a road in the northern province of Chiang Mai yesterday. Two foreigners were killed and more than 10 passengers were injured in the accident. The minibus was transporting passengers between Chiang Mai province and Pai district in Mae Hong Son province. When the vehicle reached the Pa Pae district of Chiang Mai at 9.30am yesterday, November…
-
Unusual banana tree phenomenon sparks lottery frenzy in Thai village
A banana tree‘s unusual sprouting of a bud through its trunk has sparked a local phenomenon in the Mae Sai community, Phayao province, as villagers believe it to be a sign of good fortune. Today, residents flocked to Samrit Sameuchue’s house to pay respects and seek their lucky numbers from the banana tree. The 51 year old man has seen…
-
Charitable gesture: KFC chicken no-show turns sour, but Thai students cluck their way to happiness
A charitable gesture that went awry ended on a happy note for students at a school in Nan Province, Thailand. An anonymous benefactor had promised to donate educational resources and treat the students to fried chicken. However, the person didn’t show up, leaving the children and their teachers waiting in vain, a situation that quickly went viral online. The students…
-
Pot predicament: Thai mum blames foreign neighbours’ toke trouble for son’s illness
A Thai woman took to social media to demand responsibility from her foreign neighbours after their personal cannabis use allegedly caused her son’s illness. The woman, Arpapan Jaiman, posted on Facebook on November 2 that a foreigner had just rented a room within her condominium in the northern province of Chaing Mai. Arpapan accused the foreigner and his friends of smoking cannabis…
-
Uthai Thani: Monk driving Mazda causes fatal accident, one dead, four injured
A fatal accident occurred yesterday in Lan Sak, Uthai Thani, when a monk driving a Mazda pickup truck lost control of his vehicle, killing one woman and injuring four others. The accident occurred on the Lan Sak-Thap Than Road, Moo 1, Pradu Yuen Subdistrict, Lan Sak District, Uthai Thani, less than 500 metres from the Pa Ka intersection, near the…
-
Own goal: Chiang Mai authorities tackle covert football betting operation
A covert football betting operation was raided in Chiang Mai, with police seizing betting slips, cash, and computers. The operation was discovered in a nondescript terraced building near Tonpao Plaza, Tonpao subdistrict, San Kamphaeng district. One suspect was apprehended, who had a previous criminal record for the same offence. The raid on the illegal operation was led by the special…
-
National artist Chalermchai Kositpipat retires to enjoy motorcycle travels
Chalermchai Kositpipat, a national artist and creator of Wat Rong Khun, announced his retirement, adding he will spend his remaining days enjoying life on his motorcycle. Born on February 15, 1955, in Rong Khun, Chiang Rai, Chalermchai is best known for his Thai mural paintings in Wat Phuttha Prateep in London, England, and his art at Wat Rong Khun. Chalermchai…
-
Vanishing act: Thai man’s disappearance sparks monk’s mystical ceremony
A 49 year old Thai man mysteriously vanished from his home in the early hours of October 26 leading to a monk’s mystical ceremony to find him. Residents from Mo 9, Nern Phayom, Thung Pho, Nong Chang, Uthai Thani, and neighbouring villages were joined by over 30 officials in a desperate search that lasted four days. Their journey led them…
-
Artistic intrigue: Thai national artist’s chilly encounter with graffiti mysteries
A compelling story about Chalermchai Kositpipat, a Thai national artist, has been shared on the Facebook page Little Mouse on the Cold Mountain Peak. The narrative unfolds in the chilly Chiang Rai province, near Wat Rong Khun, where an anonymous group painted graffiti on a wall. One night, a group covertly began to create street art on a wall opposite…
-
Flare for trouble: Thai teen’s homemade firework mishap douses floating lantern festival
An incident at a floating lantern festival in Khelang Nakorn led to a young man severely injuring his hand with a homemade firework. The unfortunate event unfolded yesterday evening around 8pm. Emergency services from Amarin responded swiftly to calls for assistance from the festival, held at the Wang River Sports Field in the Fon Village, Chom Phu, Lampang. The injured…
-
Deputy Interior Minister’s whirlwind day: Prayers, fire, and fashion in Bangkok
Deputy Interior Minister Chada Thaiseth started his day with religious activities, then assisted in a fire incident during the day, and ended it at a fashion show in Bangkok, showcasing his versatile persona. The deputy interior minister revealed the incident of rescuing an elderly woman from a burning building in Uthai Thani yesterday. While attending a merit-making event yesterday, he…
-
Suicide of Wild Boar footballer sparks nationwide query into mental health support
The tragic suicide of Dom, a member of the “Wild Boar” football team, has left many with questions. As per a report by the BBC, Dom, full name Duangpetch Promthep, was one of the 13 individuals from the football team who were trapped in the Tham Luang cave and died eight months after his rescue. The cause of his death…
-
Karen tribe woman gives birth at Tak province border patrol checkpoint
A pregnant woman from the Karen tribe gave birth at a border patrol checkpoint in Tak province, as she was unable to reach a hospital in time due to the remote location of her home. The birth, which took place today, at 7am, was overseen by a team of rangers from the 35th Border Patrol unit and health officers from the…
-
Udon Thani: Man in suspicion of girlfriend’s death attempts suicide
A tragic end to a love triangle involving two women and a man unfolded in a Udon Thani city residence yesterday. Two individuals were found in a state of distress, one deceased, another barely alive. The incident was reported around 7.30am today, prompting immediate investigative measures from the local police and medical personnel. The incident transpired in a two-storey dwelling,…
-
Social media personality arrested for defrauding women of 10 million baht
High-profile social media personality Krittidet Pongprapas has been arrested on multiple charges, including fraud and computer-related offences. The 27 year old had built an impressive online profile by posing with luxury cars and showcasing ostentatious spending habits, which he used to lure at least 30 women into fraudulent relationships, causing an estimated financial loss of 10 million baht. The arrest…
-
Myanmar teenage YouTuber arrested for making explosives
A teenager’s dream of becoming a YouTuber was dashed when police arrested him for attempting to cause mayhem during the end of Buddhist Lent. Mantsak Kaew-on, officer in charge at Mae Sot Police Station in Tak province, today, October 28, dispatched a team of ten officers led by Kritsakon Pho Phong to patrol the Sri Thai road near the Thai-Myanmar…
-
Lightning strike tragedy: Thai father killed in bed as family watches in horror in northern Thailand
A family of four experienced a tragedy when a lightning strike hit their home in Wang Chao, Tak province yesterday. The 47 year old father, Jitpol, was struck by lightning while in bed, a fatal strike witnessed by his wife and two daughters. The family’s home, a wooden structure with a zinc roof, was inspected after the unfortunate lightning strike…
-
Foot-and-mouth disease probable cause for Phayao buffalo deaths
A number of buffaloes have been found dead under mysterious circumstances in the Phayao province, in northern Thailand. The livestock department of Phayao province suspected the cause to be foot-and-mouth disease and has expedited investigations to affirm the cause of death. The incident occurred in village number 10 of Champa Wai sub-district, Mueang district, Phayao province, where the local livestock department…
-
Unusual golden crab discovery stirs lottery luck hopes in Phayao province
Residents in Phayao province were “claw-struck” when they stumbled upon a rare golden yellow crab. The locals are “pinching” the hope that this quirky catch might be their lucky charm in the upcoming lottery draw. Authorities from Phu Sang National Park have playfully dubbed the crustacean “Cliff Crab” and are delving into whether it falls under the category of protected…
-
Chiang Mai property stirs online debate, selling dream or reality for 80,000 baht?
A plot of land, measuring just one square wah (equivalent to 4 square metres) and priced at 80,000 baht, has caused a stir on social media. The land, located in a village in Chiang Mai, comes complete with a groundwater system, a water tank, and a steel cage. The online Chiang Mai property post advertising the sale also included a…
-
Elderly man accused of child sex abuse commits suicide in northern Thailand
A 72 year old man accused of child sex abuse committed suicide, escaping the legal consequences of his actions. The mother of the 11 year old girl victim revealed that she too had been molested by the same man when she was a child. The child sex abuse incident came to light when an 11 year old girl sent a…
-
Debt debacle: Thai man attacked, forced to settle loan shark score for ex-employee (video)
A Thai man sought justice for himself after he was attacked and forced to pay an 8,000 baht debt to the loan sharks on behalf of his former employee. A video of the victim, 50 year old Kan, subjected to a brutal assault by a group of 20 loan sharks was shared on Thai social media. The video shows a…
-
Chiang Mai abbot accused of physically and sexually abusing novices
Police rescued three Lao novices from a temple in Mae Rim district, northern Chiang Mai province after the abbot was accused of physically and sexually abusing them. Sex toys, G-strings and beer were found in the abbot’s accommodation. A 20 year old Lao man, Tawanchai, sought help from officers at Mae Rim Police Station after his 12 year old brother,…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.