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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  • Motorbike riders injured in Chiang Mai underpass – VIDEO | Thaiger

    Motorbike riders injured in Chiang Mai underpass – VIDEO

    PHOTOS: Chiang Mai Traffic Police Many motorbike passengers and drivers have been injured as they headed down and stopped inside the Fa Harm Underpass in Chiang Mai yesterday. Chiang Mai News reports that the accident happened at 6pm last night inside the Fa Harm Underpass on Super Highway Road, northbound. Police and emergency responders arrived at the scene to find…

  • Grab or Uber, or Red Buses? Tourist poll in Chiang Mai. | Thaiger

    Grab or Uber, or Red Buses? Tourist poll in Chiang Mai.

    Thai tourists in Chiang Mai have been polled in the The Mae Jo survey checking on the popularity of public transport options around the northern city. There were 423 respondents to the poll carried out between January 9-23. So who did the Thai tourists prefer? Uber and Grab or local red buses (Rot Daeng)? 76% of Thai tourists want to see…

  • Chinese tourists found dead in a Chiang Mai five-star hotel | Thaiger

    Chinese tourists found dead in a Chiang Mai five-star hotel

    Chiang Mai police are investigating the deaths of two Chinese tourists found in the same room at a five-star hotel on Chiang Mai’s Chang Khlan Road. Police reported yesterday that the men died days apart. The first tourist was believed to have died in his bed two or three days before being found, and the second was believed to have…

  • Is Airbnb taking over the Thai hotel industry? | Thaiger

    Is Airbnb taking over the Thai hotel industry?

    Airbnb is posing a less significant threat to hotels in Thailand than expected, but its influence in the longer term should not be underestimated, according to real estate company JLL Offering new alternatives to travellers, Airbnb is certainly taking some of the wind out of the sails of the traditional hotel accommodation model. However, findings from Jone Lang Lasalle (JLL) shows…

  • Airports of Thailand open bidding for new duty free contracts at three airports | Thaiger

    Airports of Thailand open bidding for new duty free contracts at three airports

    Airports of Thailand (AoT) says they will finalise the bidding process to announce who will manage the commercial areas at three provincial airports – Phuket, Had Yai and Chiang Mai – on June 10. King Power Duty Free has had a stranglehold on the duty free concession areas of the country’s four main airports but are having to bid for…

  • British man beaten up by Thai thugs in Pai for ‘interfering’ in an argument | Thaiger

    British man beaten up by Thai thugs in Pai for ‘interfering’ in an argument

    PHOTOS: Daily News 37 year old Luke Benjamin Thornton has ended up in hospital in Chiang Mai after trying to break up a fight in Pai, north of Chiang Mai, on May 20. Daily News reports that Luke was trying to stop a fight between locals and tourists and was beaten unconscious with a wooden club and kicks. They reported that…

  • Bus plunges off mountain road in Phrae, Thailand, 17 injured | Thaiger

    Bus plunges off mountain road in Phrae, Thailand, 17 injured

    17 passengers have been injured after a bus crashed off a mountain road in Thailand’s north last night. The bus was travelling between Chiang Mai to Phrae in Thailand. The accident happened in Tambon Bor Leng Long, Phrae. The accident happened at 8.30pm on the Den Chai-Lampang road. Rescuers struggled to rescue the injured passengers from the bus that had fallen…

  • Burmese man arrested for doing stunts on his Honda around Chiang Mai roads – VIDEO | Thaiger

    Burmese man arrested for doing stunts on his Honda around Chiang Mai roads – VIDEO

    PHOTOS: Daily News | VIDEO: Jeep Jenjira Pansena A video posted by Jeep Jenjira Pansena has prompted the Chiang Mai police to arrest a Burmese man caught doing stunts on the city’s roads. 21 year old “Mai”, who lives in San Sai and works as a masseur, was standing up on his Honda Click, amongst other ‘moves’ while hurtling around the…

  • American Alzheimer’s patient, living in Thailand, heads to The Philippines | Thaiger

    American Alzheimer’s patient, living in Thailand, heads to The Philippines

    PHOTOS: Thaivisa “Mum is doing OK. She keeps forgetting who I am. But we must live completely in the moment with Alzheimer’s, and stay happy.” In an exclusive interview with Thaivisa, the daughter of the Alzheimer’s patient who claimed that her 77 year old mother was forced out of Thailand by new immigration rules, sent Thaivisa photos of their departure.…

  • Chiang Mai Song Thaew drivers see red over Grab | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai Song Thaew drivers see red over Grab

    Chiang Mai’s Grab vs traditional public transport continues. The issue has simmered for two years with occasional outbreaks of violence and an ongoing war of words on social media. Thai PBS reports that the spat has become a major problem again between the public Red Song Thaews and Grab Cars in the northern city. On the one hand members of…

  • Police and drug courier injured in shootout at Chiang Mai checkpoint | Thaiger

    Police and drug courier injured in shootout at Chiang Mai checkpoint

    FIL PHOTO: A police checkpoint set-up in the Chiang Mai city area – Chiang Mai Citylife Three alleged drug couriers have been arrested this morning following a gunfight that injured a suspect and a police officer. The incident happened in the Mae Rim district of Chiang Mai. Police say they monitored road checkpoints last night until officers at a traffic booth in…

  • Young British man found dead in Chiang Mai condo | Thaiger

    Young British man found dead in Chiang Mai condo

    PHOTO: Thai Rath A maid discovered a British man dead in the bedroom of a room on the eighth floor of a luxury condo in the Chang Khlan district of Chiang Mai over the weekend. 39 year old Kapadia Sarfaraaz was found face down on the bedroom floor. Police found no signs of a struggle or wounds on the body. But they say…

  • Chiang Mai songthaews and tuk-tuk drivers complain about Grab | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai songthaews and tuk-tuk drivers complain about Grab

    Drivers of red public songthaews and tuk-tuks have submitted a petition to Chiang Mai’s provincial governor complaining about the Grab ride-hailing App. The Grab service is offered on a very intuitive smartphone app and provided by normal drivers. The petition said the Grab App had caused their income to drop by more than 50%. They say the service is illegal and…

  • Family of Canadian man who died ziplining in Chiang Mai calls for changes | Thaiger

    Family of Canadian man who died ziplining in Chiang Mai calls for changes

    PHOTO: Spencer Donaldson at the Flight of the Gibbon zipline in Chiang Mai, moments before he jumped to his death – Supplied by Spencer’s family. “Flight of the Gibbon isn’t listed on the website of Association for Challenge Course Technology as a member and the Association have denied that the Chiang Mai ride is a member.” The family of a Canadian…

  • Konnichiwa – welcome to Thailand’s Top 10 cultural destinations | Thaiger

    Konnichiwa – welcome to Thailand’s Top 10 cultural destinations

    by Nisanath Kungwanwong Congratulations ‘Hinoki Land’ in Chiang Mai for being recognised by the Thai Culture Ministry as one of Thailand’s Top 10 Cultural Destinations. It looks…so… Thai?!? “Hinoki Land should not be included in the list, as it merely copies a Japanese tourist spot of the same name.” The ministry’s Cultural Promotion Office recently announced the top 10 cultural…

  • New rugby league for northern Thailand – The Lanna Rugby Tens League | Thaiger

    New rugby league for northern Thailand – The Lanna Rugby Tens League

    With the expansion of rugby in Asia, often the drivers are still individuals at grassroots levels who are making a massive impact. In northern Thailand, Tom Stubley and the newly formed Lanna Rugby Club, in cooperation with others in the region, are forming a new tens rugby union league called the Lanna Rugby Tens League due to start in June…

  • Police defend theft charges on British backpacker Chris Dodd | Thaiger

    Police defend theft charges on British backpacker Chris Dodd

    PHOTOS: Chris Dodd, BBC Police are defending their actions when they charged a British backpacker with theft after he picked up a mobile phone at Chiang Mai airport last February. 29 year old Chris Dodd spent 10 days in jail in February after he was charged with stealing the phone belonging to a German tourist and remanded in custody by…

  • British backpacker returns home for Easter after being jailed in Thailand | Thaiger

    British backpacker returns home for Easter after being jailed in Thailand

    PHOTOS: Facebook.com A British backpacker is back in the UK for Easter after being released from prison after being incarcerated for 10 days over a ‘trivial’ offence. 26 year old Chris Dodd told the BBC he was arrested for picking up a mobile phone he found on the ground whilst waiting for a taxi at the Chiang Mai airport. He…

  • Freak summer storms damage 1,000 houses around Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    Freak summer storms damage 1,000 houses around Chiang Mai

    PHOTO: Thai PBS Up to 1,000 homes were damaged by gusty winds and storm cells over the weekend around Chiang Mai. Ten districts were blacked out for several hours when a freak rain storm struck on Saturday, ripping off the roofs of homes and flinging debris around the districts. According to the provincial public disaster prevention and mitigation office, the…

  • Police investigating death of 33 year old Australian in Chiang Mai hotel | Thaiger

    Police investigating death of 33 year old Australian in Chiang Mai hotel

    PHOTO: Chiang Mai News Police are still investigating the death of a 33 year old Australian man in Chiang Mai during the week. The man’s body was sent for autopsy whilst police speculate a drug overdose may have been the cause. The body of the man, identified as Daniel Thomas Janse was found at 4pm on April 17 at a…

  • Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai coach bursts into flames – VIDEO | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai coach bursts into flames – VIDEO

    A tour bus has been erupted into flames in a dramatic roadside fire on a road just out of Chiang Mai. Channel 3 reports that the bus burst into flames 39 kilometres out of Chiang Mai on the Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai Road early this afternoon. The 55 year old driver noticed smoke coming from one of the rear wheels and…

  • No foam parties for Songkran | Thaiger

    No foam parties for Songkran

    by Suriya Patathayo, Jessada Chantharak Songkran foam parties are being banned this year in the interest of public safety. The announcement today from the national police deputy commissioner Pol General Chalermkiat Srivorakan.Chalermkiat says there had been several deaths and injuries by electrocution at foam parties during previous Songkran festivals. Police have also been instructed to provide security at Songkran celebration…

  • Cameroon man and three Thais arrested over fake email money scam in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    Cameroon man and three Thais arrested over fake email money scam in Chiang Mai

    PHOTOS: Immigration Bureau A Cameroon citizen and three Thai suspects have been arrested after sending fake emails to victims saying they owed them money. Immigration Bureau Chief Lt Gen Surachet Hakparn says, “The Four suspects had sent fake emails to victims saying that they were from educational institutions abroad where their children have studied. They had to transfer money to…

  • New airport duty free bid split into two | Thaiger

    New airport duty free bid split into two

    The Government has insisted that the AoT rejig its awarding for the concession of duty-free shops at its airports. Up to now King Power Duty Free has had a monopoly on the lucrative duty free concessions. So the Board of the Airports of Thailand Company has now decided to split the concession to operate airport duty-free shops into two contracts – one for Suvarnabhumi…

  • German tourist beaten over Chiang Mai karaoke bar bill | Thaiger

    German tourist beaten over Chiang Mai karaoke bar bill

    by Thanakorn Wongnang A German tourist in Chiang Mai has filed an official complaint with police, claiming he was assaulted by staff at an allegedly over-priced karaoke bar. The trouble started when he refused to pay the extortionate 10,000 baht bill. 35 year old Arthur Wojciechowski, who ended up with facial bruises from the assault, told Muang Chiang Mai deputy…

  • Out of town ‘monk’ assaults and kills another monk at a Chiang Mai temple | Thaiger

    Out of town ‘monk’ assaults and kills another monk at a Chiang Mai temple

    PHOTOS: MThai.com Chiang Mai police were called to the Ku Kham Temple in Mae Ping after witnesses claim they saw a roving monk beat another man to death, apparently another monk. Both were, according to the temple monks, from out of town. Sanook reports that 55 year old Phra Wichian was allegedly seen viciously punching and kicking the other man, around…

  • American drug suspect impersonated ‘Mr Thomas’ for 25 years, arrested in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    American drug suspect impersonated ‘Mr Thomas’ for 25 years, arrested in Chiang Mai

    PHOTOS: Surachate Hakparn, Immigration Bureau A 67 year old American man, wanted as a drug suspect, has been arrested in Chiang Mai this week. He had been living under the identity of another person with whom he shared a similar face, for more than 25 years. The Thai Immigration Bureau reports that they have arrested a 67 year old American…

  • Chiang Mai hit-and-barge-through pickup driver sought by police | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai hit-and-barge-through pickup driver sought by police

    SCREENSHOT: Facebook/เพจคลิปดังเฟซบุ๊ก Can you help? Video footage from a car dash cam on the San Dek intersection in Chiang Mai shows a white Mazda pick-up barging its way through some waiting motorcycles sitting in the traffic. The rear motorcycle rider gets thrown off his bike, his bike is damaged but the surprised rider gets up after the pick-up just keeps…

  • Chiang Mai love triangle leads to stabbing attack – two dead | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai love triangle leads to stabbing attack – two dead

    A woman’s husband and the woman’s young male lover were both killed after a short fight at an apartment building in Chiang Mai. The deaths were reported to the Chang Phuak Police Station at 7am yesterday morning (Sunday). 57 year old Samruay Sukjui and 28 year old Banphot Pimpa both died of knife wounds. Samruay’s younger brother, Charoensap Sukjui, told…

  • Production staff coughs up blood during filming in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    Production staff coughs up blood during filming in Chiang Mai

    PHOTO MONTAGE: Daily News A Chiang Mai filmmaker is calling on authorities to urgently tackle the problems of smoke haze and air pollution around the northern capital because it’s posing severe health problems. The filmmaker, frustrated with problems associated with production in Chiang Mai this week, has posted photos of a trainee from his company coughing up blood. He says…