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.

  • Chiang Mai bar slaps Brit with 150,000 baht bill, gives refund | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai bar slaps Brit with 150,000 baht bill, gives refund

    A British man filed a complaint against a karaoke bar in Chiang Mai, claiming he was overcharged by 150,000 baht at the venue. The bar initially denied the accusation but eventually refunded the full amount following public scrutiny. The British man and his Thai wife filed a complaint with Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station against the karaoke bar operator and…

  • Chiang Mai locals say Swede suffers mental health after losses to Thai girlfriend | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai locals say Swede suffers mental health after losses to Thai girlfriend

    Police responded after a Swedish man blocked a road in Chiang Mai while attempting to help a sick pigeon on Friday, July 10. Locals claimed he developed mental issues after losing money to a Thai girlfriend. Officers from Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station were called to the road outside the Red Cross Blood Donation Centre after receiving reports of a…

  • Foreign tourists fined for spray-painting Chiang Mai school fence | Thaiger

    Foreign tourists fined for spray-painting Chiang Mai school fence

    Two foreign tourists have been fined after police caught them spray-painting a school fence and public property in Chiang Mai today, July 12, following a tip-off from a member of the public. The incident was shared today, July 12, by the Chiang Mai Provincial Police Facebook page, which said officers responded after a member of the public reported seeing two…

  • Chiang Mai moves closer to UNESCO World Heritage recognition | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai moves closer to UNESCO World Heritage recognition

    Chiang Mai‘s decade-long dream of becoming a UNESCO World Heritage city is entering its most crucial stage yet. Thailand has formally submitted the northern city’s nomination to UNESCO, and an inspection team is expected to visit before a decision that could come as early as 2027. The nomination, titled “Chiang Mai, Capital of Lanna,” was approved by the Cabinet in…

  • Brit held for public disturbance, assault on Chiang Mai police | Thaiger

    Brit held for public disturbance, assault on Chiang Mai police

    A British man physically assaulted and spat on a city police officer at Tha Phae Gate in the centre of Chiang Mai. The foreigner had reportedly displayed disruptive behaviour towards police on multiple occasions before. Officers from the Chiang Mai Municipality Office requested support from Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station after the incident involving the foreign national in central Chiang…

  • American DJ says permit application underway after arrest in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    American DJ says permit application underway after arrest in Chiang Mai

    Chiang Mai police officers arrested an American DJ on Saturday, June 20, for work permit violations. The DJ later issued a public statement, saying he is working to secure the proper legal permission to work in Thailand. Chiang Mai Tourist Police said officers discovered a 30 year old American national, identified as Erick, working as a DJ at a bar…

  • Senior AIA officer hospitalised after assault in Chiang Mai restaurant | Thaiger

    Senior AIA officer hospitalised after assault in Chiang Mai restaurant

    An assault at a restaurant in Chiang Mai on June 4 left four people injured, including a senior executive of American International Assurance (AIA), who is in critical condition. The incident occurred at night in a restaurant in Chiang Mai, where the insurance staff had gathered to celebrate the promotion of senior officer Thanakrit Wichiansamut. The event was attended by…

  • American FBI suspect detained in Chiang Mai over US warrant | Thaiger

    American FBI suspect detained in Chiang Mai over US warrant

    An American suspect was detained in Chiang Mai yesterday, May 12, after Thai police received information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that he was wanted in the United States for assault and stalking. The American, identified as 58 year old Joseph Frances Chinnock, also known as Joseph Kelly, was wanted on a US arrest warrant. The FBI reportedly…

  • Thai man arrested in Chiang Mai over girlfriend’s murder | Thaiger

    Thai man arrested in Chiang Mai over girlfriend’s murder

    A Thai man was arrested in Chiang Mai yesterday, May 3, after the murder of his girlfriend at a condominium in Nonthaburi province. The victim, 25 year old Panitsuda, also known as Dream, was discovered by her mother in a room on the fourth floor of an eight-storey condominium. The mother reported the incident to Bang Bua Thong Police Station.…

  • Four Myanmar workers confess to killing employer over unpaid wages | Thaiger

    Four Myanmar workers confess to killing employer over unpaid wages

    Four Myanmar workers were arrested before crossing the border in Chiang Rai yesterday, May 2, over the murder of their employer at a workers’ camp in Mae Rim district, Chiang Mai. Police arrested Su, Yao, Dam, and Boss, all Myanmar nationals without surnames, at about 1pm. They were charged with jointly killing another person with a knife. Chiang Rai police…

  • Thai man confesses to fatal assault on pregnant wife in Chiang Mai home | Thaiger

    Thai man confesses to fatal assault on pregnant wife in Chiang Mai home

    A Thai man fatally assaulted his pregnant wife at their shared home in Chiang Mai on Monday, April 20, and initially attempted to cover the murder with an accident claim. Mae Ping Police Station officers were called to the house on Monday afternoon to investigate the death of 33 year old Yardrung. Officers found her body inside the accommodation. She was…

  • Chiang Mai doctor reports severe lung cases tied to PM2.5 | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai doctor reports severe lung cases tied to PM2.5

    A doctor at Chiang Mai University said on April 17 that PM2.5 and toxic smoke in northern Thailand were linked to two serious lung cases, including a 19 year old foreign tourist who required high-flow oxygen. PM2.5 levels in Chiang Mai remained at concerning levels yesterday with many areas covered by thick haze and reduced visibility. Officials have continued efforts…

  • MP pushes back against Clean Air Bill as Thais are ‘breathing dust to death’ | Thaiger

    MP pushes back against Clean Air Bill as Thais are ‘breathing dust to death’

    Thai netizens, today, April 3, slammed objections to the Clean Air Bill, which were raised in Parliament, as people in North Thailand continued to face severe PM2.5 pollution. The issue stemmed from remarks made by Bhumjaithai Party list MP Supachai Jaisamut during a House of Representatives meeting on April 1, when he raised concerns about the draft Clean Air Bill,…

  • Volunteer firefighter dies in Chiang Mai forest | Thaiger

    Volunteer firefighter dies in Chiang Mai forest

    A volunteer firefighter died after helping battle forest fires in Chiang Mai and completed firebreaks on Tuesday, March 31. A team of volunteer firefighters entered forested areas near the Ban Saluang community to control a fire. The group brought the blaze under control and completed firebreaks at about 8pm before leaving the area together, except for 56 year old Boonma…

  • Thai and foreign residents protest at US Consulate in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    Thai and foreign residents protest at US Consulate in Chiang Mai

    Yesterday, March 28, about 50 Thai and foreign residents gathered outside the US Consulate General in Chiang Mai to protest the United States’ war with Iran and to call for an end to the conflict. The group, calling itself CNX4PEACE, held placards criticising the United States’ military action and urging peace. A representative of the demonstrators read a statement calling…

  • Chiang Mai tram bidding set for 2027, services targeted to begin in 2032 | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai tram bidding set for 2027, services targeted to begin in 2032

    The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) plans to open bidding for the Chiang Mai tram project in 2027, with construction expected to start in 2028 and the service targeted to open in 2032. The Chiang Mai light rail or tram project was first raised in 2017 and later approved by the Cabinet in 2018. Previous reports put the…

  • French man reports assault, 30,000 baht bill at Chiang Mai karaoke | Thaiger

    French man reports assault, 30,000 baht bill at Chiang Mai karaoke

    Police in Mueang Chiang Mai are investigating a complaint filed yesterday, March 23, after a Frenchman reported an assault and a 30,000 baht drinks bill at a karaoke venue in Chiang Mai. The tourist gave a statement identifying himself as 35 year old Kevin, a French national who has been living in Chon Buri province for around two years. According…

  • Chinese man blacklisted for filing fake theft to Chiang Mai police | Thaiger

    Chinese man blacklisted for filing fake theft to Chiang Mai police

    A Chinese man is suspected of filing a fake theft complaint in Chiang Mai in an attempt to obtain a police document for an insurance claim before leaving Thailand. Officers from Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station were alerted of a snatching at 11.40pm on March 17 by a 33 year old Chinese man, Xiao. He reported that the crime occurred…

  • Rescue leader urges petrol stations to ease limits for ambulances | Thaiger

    Rescue leader urges petrol stations to ease limits for ambulances

    A rescue foundation leader in Chiang Mai has called on petrol stations to relax a limit that caps fuel purchases at 500 baht per vehicle per day, warning the restriction is affecting emergency medical operations nationwide and could increase risks for patients. Sahachat Limcharoenphakdi, president of the Phetkasem Foundation, said the cap has been introduced at many stations as fuel…

  • Foreign man jumps into Chiang Mai river after stealing police motorcycle | Thaiger

    Foreign man jumps into Chiang Mai river after stealing police motorcycle

    Chiang Mai police and rescue teams are searching the Ping River for a foreign man who stole a police motorcycle and jumped into the water to avoid arrest. Officers from Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station, along with rescuers from several foundations in the province, began searching the river today, March 16. As of the latest update, they had not located…

  • American tourist accused of theft at Chiang Mai shop, police called | Thaiger

    American tourist accused of theft at Chiang Mai shop, police called

    Police in Chiang Mai were called to a second-hand shop today, March 12, after a report that an American tourist allegedly took items without paying, with CCTV footage later used as evidence. At about 11am, tourist police, immigration police and local patrol officers went to a second-hand clothing and footwear shop in a market area in Wat Ket subdistrict, Mueang…

  • Thai man kills sister-in-law in Chiang Mai following attempted rape | Thaiger

    Thai man kills sister-in-law in Chiang Mai following attempted rape

    Police arrested a Thai man for killing his sister-in-law after she resisted an attempted rape at a rented house in Hang Dong district, Chiang Mai. He initially presented himself as a witness in the case. The victim, a 22 year old waitress, U-sa, also known as Praew, failed to turn up for work. Her employer and a colleague went to…

  • Bird feed sellers detained after video shows man flipping off tourists | Thaiger

    Bird feed sellers detained after video shows man flipping off tourists

    Chiang Mai police yesterday, February 23, tracked down a group of bird feed sellers at Tha Phae Gate after a viral video showed a man obstructing and insulting foreign tourists in the plaza and making a middle-finger gesture. The issue surfaced yesterday after a post in the Facebook group Chiang Mai 108 criticised bird feed sellers at Tha Phae Gate.…

  • Ministry links 72 Chiang Mai tiger deaths to distemper, not bird flu | Thaiger

    Ministry links 72 Chiang Mai tiger deaths to distemper, not bird flu

    An unusually high number of tiger deaths in Mae Rim, Chiang Mai, have been linked to disease, with the Agriculture Ministry saying yesterday, February 23, that tests identified the cause and found no evidence that it spreads from animals to humans. Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Amin Mayusoh said that he had received an update from the Department of Livestock…

  • Spanish couple allegedly fake assault video to discredit Chiang Mai laundry shop | Thaiger

    Spanish couple allegedly fake assault video to discredit Chiang Mai laundry shop

    A Thai owner of a self-service laundry shop in Chiang Mai accused a Spanish couple of generating an artificial intelligence (AI)-edited video to falsely claim he physically assaulted them, following a dispute over washing machine usage and a 2,000-baht fine. The owner of Fatcat Cafe & Laundry shared his version of events on the shop’s official Facebook page on February…

  • Lottery vendor caught after attempted theft at Chiang Mai market | Thaiger

    Lottery vendor caught after attempted theft at Chiang Mai market

    A lottery vendor was detained by residents at a market in San Sai district, Chiang Mai, yesterday, February 15, after allegedly attempting to steal from an 80 year old woman. before being rescued by police from an angry crowd. Police at Mae Faek Police Station received a report that a theft had occurred at the Mae Faek Sunday Market, located…

  • Chiang Mai temple thief performs wai then steals silver tray | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai temple thief performs wai then steals silver tray

    Police reviewed CCTV footage showing a man performing a wai gesture, as if asking forgiveness, before stealing a silver donation tray from a Chiang Mai temple last month and fleeing the scene on a motorcycle. The incident occurred at Wat Daraphimook in Don Kaeo subdistrict, Mae Rim district, Chiang Mai, at around 1.40pm on January 28. The stolen item was…

  • Spanish woman and Thai vendor critically injured in Chiang Mai car crash | Thaiger

    Spanish woman and Thai vendor critically injured in Chiang Mai car crash

    A Spanish woman and a Thai food vendor sustained serious injuries after a Grab driver crashed his electric car near the old city moat in Chiang Mai this morning, January 28. Locals who witnessed the accident at around 7.40am alerted officers from Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station and rescue teams to assist the victims. The Spanish woman and a Thai…

  • Chiang Mai temple to ban tourists following ‘Disrespectful’ yoga | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai temple to ban tourists following ‘Disrespectful’ yoga

    Chiang Mai Temple Threatens to Ban Tourists Following ‘Disrespectful’ Yoga and Climbing. CHIANG MAI – Wat Pha Lat, a historic temple in northern Thailand, issued a strict ultimatum to visitors. The administration warns that it may permanently close its gates to the public if tourists continue treating the sacred grounds as a gymnasium or recreational park. ​The 13th-century forest temple,…

  • Japanese man arrested after viral reviews on his illegal matcha stall | Thaiger

    Japanese man arrested after viral reviews on his illegal matcha stall

    Online food reviews led to the arrest of a Japanese man for operating a matcha ice cream shop without permission in Chiang Mai. The apprehension later sparked a heated online debate, with some netizens accusing authorities of discrimination. The Japanese man, 39 year old Junichi, was operating a small matcha ice cream stall outside Yang Kwang Temple, located in the city…