Chiang Mai News

Chiang Mai news, politics, business, culture, and tourism—stay updated with breaking stories, local events, and expat insights from Thailand’s northern hub. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Chiang Mai news source.

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  • Scam alert: Fake cop targeting Chiang Mai residents | Thaiger

    Scam alert: Fake cop targeting Chiang Mai residents

    Chiang Mai residents are on high alert after the Mae Jo Police Station issued a warning about a cunning con artist known as “Phuy Kong Poi Phet,” who is impersonating a police officer to scam victims out of their money. The audacious fraudster is allegedly posing as a Mae Jo police officer and using sophisticated tactics to deceive unsuspecting locals.…

  • Visa la Vida: British man busted in Chiang Mai after 25-year overstay | Thaiger

    Visa la Vida: British man busted in Chiang Mai after 25-year overstay

    In a stunning immigration crackdown, Chiang Mai Immigration arrested a British man who had overstayed his visa by an astonishing 9,135 days – more than 25 years. The man, whose name has not been released, managed to evade authorities for over two decades, making this one of the longest visa overstays ever recorded in Thailand. The dramatic arrest took place…

  • Moroccan man arrested in Turkey for Chiang Mai murder | Thaiger

    Moroccan man arrested in Turkey for Chiang Mai murder

    Interpol arrested a Moroccan national in Turkey for allegedly murdering his Thai LGBTQ lover, a beauty surgeon, in Chiang Mai last December. Bilal Chenfinu fled Thailand immediately after the crime, prompting an international manhunt and extradition proceedings to bring him back to face charges. Mueang Chiang Mai Police Chief Police Colonel Pratchaya Thisala confirmed that 30 year old Chenfinu was…

  • Car-truck collision in Chiang Mai injures 16 longan workers | Thaiger

    Car-truck collision in Chiang Mai injures 16 longan workers

    A collision between a car and a truck transporting longan harvest workers in Chiang Mai left 16 people injured, with two in serious condition. The cause of the accident is currently under investigation. Yesterday, February 9 at 8.35pm, investigators from San Pa Tong district in Chiang Mai received reports of a significant traffic accident on the San Pa Tong-Hang Dong…

  • Chiang Mai initiative swaps leaves for eggs to combat haze | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai initiative swaps leaves for eggs to combat haze

    An innovative initiative has been launched in San Kamphaeng district, Chiang Mai, where leaves can be exchanged for eggs every Thursday until May 15. This project aims to reduce burning and haze while promoting the production of compost for farmers as a substitute for chemical fertilisers. The opening ceremony of the Leaves for Eggs Market was held yesterday, February 7,…

  • Mummified infant bodies found in chilling Chiang Mai delivery | Thaiger

    Mummified infant bodies found in chilling Chiang Mai delivery

    A routine package check at a Sa Kaeo logistics shop turned into a horrifying discovery when staff found two dried infant bodies inside a parcel bound for Chiang Mai. Police are now investigating a self-proclaimed medium, who allegedly bought the bodies for 10,000 baht and planned to resell them to Chinese tourists. Sa Kaeo police were alerted this afternoon, February…

  • Village headman shot by friend who mistook him for a chicken | Thaiger

    Village headman shot by friend who mistook him for a chicken

    A tragic incident unfolded in the forested area behind a village in the Mueang district of Chiang Mai province, where a 40 year old village headman, Somsak (surname withheld), was shot dead by a friend. The friend, 35 year old Wiraphon (surname withheld), mistook him for a wild chicken and fired a shotgun, hitting him in the head. The police…

  • Chiang Mai teen arrested for arranging underage prostitution | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai teen arrested for arranging underage prostitution

    A 16 year old girl in Chiang Mai has been arrested for allegedly acting as a pimp, arranging sexual services for a 14 year old girl with a fee of 3,500 baht. The arrest, made by police following a sting operation, occurred at a hotel. The suspect admitted to earning a commission of 500 baht per client. Yesterday, February 3,…

  • Thaksin begs Chiang Mai to deliver a landslide victory | Thaiger

    Thaksin begs Chiang Mai to deliver a landslide victory

    Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra made a passionate last-minute appeal to his supporters, urging them to turn their loyalty into votes as Chiang Mai gears up for the Provincial Administration Organisation (PAO) elections tomorrow, February 1. Returning to his home province on Thursday, the 75 year old political titan took the stage in a high-energy rally to back Pichai Lertpongadisorn,…

  • Fire fight: Minister braves flames to back Chiang Mai wildfire battle | Thaiger

    Fire fight: Minister braves flames to back Chiang Mai wildfire battle

    The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Doctor Chalermchai Sri-on, yesterday made a daring visit to the smoky frontlines of Thailand’s forest fire battle in a show of support. Accompanied by Jatuporn Buruspat, the ministry’s permanent secretary, Chalermchai rallied the troops at Doi Inthanon National Park in Chiang Mai, bolstering the morale of fire-fighting personnel and community networks dedicated to…

  • Chiang Mai to join UNESCO’s World Heritage list | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai to join UNESCO’s World Heritage list

    Chiang Mai, the jewel of northern Thailand and the former capital of the ancient Lanna Kingdom, is inching closer to becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Officials from the Culture Ministry, the Fine Arts Department, and Chiang Mai Province are finalising a nomination dossier to submit to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre in Paris—a move that could cement the city’s…

  • Chiang Mai police arrest foreigner for selling psilocybin mushrooms | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai police arrest foreigner for selling psilocybin mushrooms

    Chiang Mai police apprehended a 59 year old foreign national for illegally selling psilocybin mushrooms mixed with honey to other expatriates. The arrest took place yesterday, January 22, following an operation led by Police Colonel Prachaya Thitsala, head of Mueang Chiang Mai district police station in Chiang Mai province. The operation was executed under the direction of Police Lieutenant Colonel Kathawut…

  • Brrr-illiant care: Chiang Mai Zoo keeps animals cozy at 10°c | Thaiger

    Brrr-illiant care: Chiang Mai Zoo keeps animals cozy at 10°c

    As temperatures in Chiang Mai drop to a chilly 10 degrees Celsius (°C), Chiang Mai Zoo is stepping up to ensure its animals stay warm and healthy. Located at the foot of a mountain, the zoo faces sharp nighttime and early-morning temperature dips, prompting a range of protective measures for its residents. Zoo director Wutthichai Muangman revealed that heat lamps…

  • Unfair pricing: Chiang Mai shooting game stall shut down (video) | Thaiger

    Unfair pricing: Chiang Mai shooting game stall shut down (video)

    A shooting game stall at the Chiang Mai Winter Fair has been permanently closed following complaints of misleading pricing. A Facebook user recounted an experience where a price misunderstanding led to demands for an inflated payment of 1,200 baht. The event organisers have intervened and ended the stall’s operations. The incident began when Benjawan, a 26 year old resident of…

  • American tourist crashes dirt bike in Chiang Mai, kills local woman | Thaiger

    American tourist crashes dirt bike in Chiang Mai, kills local woman

    An American tourist riding a dirt bike collided with a Thai woman, tragically resulting in her death while she was crossing a road in Chiang Mai. Overwhelmed with remorse, the tourist knelt and apologised to the deceased’s family. Officers from Mae On Police Station in Chiang Mai were alerted to an accident involving a dirt bike and a middle-aged Thai…

  • Tourist halted from releasing sky lantern in Chiang Mai (video) | Thaiger

    Tourist halted from releasing sky lantern in Chiang Mai (video)

    A Japanese tourist caused a commotion after being stopped from releasing a sky lantern in Chiang Mai. The incident, which occurred yesterday, December 31, at 9.40am, saw the tourist grabbing the collar of a police officer after being prevented from releasing the lantern during new year celebrations. Despite the altercation, the officer, a member of Chiang Mai’s patrol unit, remained…