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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    Why retirees in Thailand are choosing long-term health insurance over quick fixes

    Retirees in Thailand are increasingly seeing the importance of health insurance in protecting their well-being during retirement. With insurance requirements for retirement visas and rising healthcare costs, many are moving away from short-term plans and choosing long-term coverage. Long-term health...

  • Artistic intrigue: Thai national artist’s chilly encounter with graffiti mysteries | Thaiger

    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…

  • Golden opportunity gone wrong: Burmese man arrested for gold necklace heist | Thaiger

    Golden opportunity gone wrong: Burmese man arrested for gold necklace heist

    Police arrested a Burmese man for stealing a gold necklace worth 65,000 baht from a Thai woman in the northern province of Chiang Mai. The 42 year old victim, surnamed Oil, filed a complaint at Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station on October 29, saying a man snatched a gold necklace she was wearing and fled at around 4am. The theft…

  • Flare for trouble: Thai teen’s homemade firework mishap douses floating lantern festival | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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…

  • Karen tribe woman gives birth at Tak province border patrol checkpoint | Thaiger

    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…

  • Brewing trouble: Khon Kaen coffee shop brews up plea for sugar price control | Thaiger

    Brewing trouble: Khon Kaen coffee shop brews up plea for sugar price control

    A renowned coffee shop in Khon Kaen called on the government to regulate sugar prices. Having been in business for over two decades, the shop is now grappling with the highest sugar prices it has ever encountered. This has led to serious concerns about the survival of the establishment. Yesterday at 1pm, a reporter visited several beverage vendors in the…

  • Udon Thani: Man in suspicion of girlfriend’s death attempts suicide | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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…

  • Lightning strike tragedy: Thai father killed in bed as family watches in horror in northern Thailand | Thaiger

    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…

  • Telephone scammer posing as police officer busted by a real cop on TikTok video | Thaiger

    Telephone scammer posing as police officer busted by a real cop on TikTok video

    A viral video posted by TikTok user @champ_z9, showing a real-life confrontation between a police officer and a telephone scammer, racked up more than 7.7 million views. The video captures an unusual event where the policeman is contacted by the scammer who pretends to be a fellow officer from Mae Charim Police Station. The video shows a young policeman engaged…

  • Foot-and-mouth disease probable cause for Phayao buffalo deaths | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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…

  • Elderly man accused of child sex abuse commits suicide in northern Thailand | Thaiger

    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…

  • Chiang Mai military seize 12.2 million meth pills | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai military seize 12.2 million meth pills

    Early this morning morning saw the seizure of over 12 million methamphetamine pills by military personnel in the Wiang Haeng district of Chiang Mai. The Pha Muang task force’s rangers of the Royal Thai Army discovered two suspicious pickup trucks parked in a garden along the Ban Mai Muang Jod road in the Piang Luang Tambon at around 5am, today,…

  • Debt debacle: Thai man attacked, forced to settle loan shark score for ex-employee (video) | Thaiger

    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 | Thaiger

    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,…

  • Elderly woman in Buriram lives alone without basic amenities for 30 years | Thaiger

    Elderly woman in Buriram lives alone without basic amenities for 30 years

    An 84 year old woman has been living alone for over 30 years without any basic facilities such as electricity and water in her Buriram home. This distressing scenario unfolded in the Buriram province where the woman lives in a dilapidated house. She is unable to walk and relies on the kindness of her neighbours and leftover food from a…

  • Chanthaburi philanthropist’s Mercedes-Benz sparks lottery frenzy in Roi Et | Thaiger

    Chanthaburi philanthropist’s Mercedes-Benz sparks lottery frenzy in Roi Et

    The generosity of a wealthy philanthropist from Chanthaburi sparked a lottery frenzy in Roi Et province. The benefactor donated a red-plate Mercedes-Benz, valued at 2,540,000 baht, to a revered monk, Phra Khru Udompanyasarn of Wat Ban Nong Ruea in Roi Et. The vehicle’s registration number has now become a hot pick for lottery enthusiasts, hoping to strike it rich in…

  • Marshland hideout proves futile for Thai drug smuggler apprehended in northern Thailand | Thaiger

    Marshland hideout proves futile for Thai drug smuggler apprehended in northern Thailand

    Phichit Police, apprehended a 25 year old drug smuggler after he was found hiding in a marshland, having fled from authorities in northern Thailand. The drug smuggler, Natthanon, was discovered in a shivering state due to being submerged in marsh water for two days, enduring rain and cold without food. The arrest followed a significant drug seizure on October 4,…

  • Elephant’s final stampede: Fearless handler’s mysterious forest demise in Buriram | Thaiger

    Elephant’s final stampede: Fearless handler’s mysterious forest demise in Buriram

    A 61 year old volunteer elephant handler, known for his fearlessness around elephants, mysteriously vanished and was later discovered dead after being trampled by a wild elephant in the heart of a forest in Buriram Province. The grim discovery was made today by Chakkraphan Sukterm, Deputy Inspector (Investigator) of Non Din Daeng Police Station. The deceased, named Thuep (surname withheld),…

  • Eighth day of search for missing mushroom picker in Khao Kho forest as new clues emerge | Thaiger

    Eighth day of search for missing mushroom picker in Khao Kho forest as new clues emerge

    A desperate search for a 61 year old mushroom picker lost in the Khao Kho Forest in northern Thailand has entered its eighth day, with over 100 people, including residents and officials from various departments, joining the hunt. Tragically, the man, known locally as Khamphan Sisonkarn or Lod, disappeared on September 27 while foraging in the community forest of Jawa…

  • Chiang Mai bridge collapses amid heavy rain, locals express relief | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai bridge collapses amid heavy rain, locals express relief

    The Wang Sa Kaeng Bridge, spanning the Ping River and connecting the Chom Thong district of Chiang Mai and Wiang Nong Long district of Lampoon, collapsed after heavy rainfall. The incident, which occurred at 5.31pm yesterday, was captured by locals, who expressed relief at the bridge’s collapse, citing its long-standing disrepair. The collapse of the Wang Sa Kaeng bridge, which…

  • Monk’s mysterious death unveils temple ‘whodunit’ in central Thailand | Thaiger

    Monk’s mysterious death unveils temple ‘whodunit’ in central Thailand

    The mysterious death of a 57 year old monk in a temple in Ang Thong province sparked a police investigation. The body was found in a monk’s hut, lying on the floor surrounded by a foul smell, with blood and yellow liquid on the ground. A lottery ticket for the October 1 draw was discovered in the hut, which drew…

  • Mun River’s flood tide brings venomous twist to northern Thailand | Thaiger

    Mun River’s flood tide brings venomous twist to northern Thailand

    The continuous rise of the Mun River has resulted in severe flooding, submerging nine districts in Ubon Ratchathani, northern Thailand. Inhabitants scramble to evacuate while also dealing with venomous animals, including snakes and scorpions, that have been displaced by the floodwaters. Agricultural damage is extensive, with an estimated 46,000 acres of farmland affected. The flooding has also impacted tens of…

  • Tropical storm drenches northeast Thailand but pumps come to the rescue | Thaiger

    Tropical storm drenches northeast Thailand but pumps come to the rescue

    A tropical storm has swept across northeast Thailand, causing the Mun River to rise, and flooding local communities. In response, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department hastened to set up water pumps to draw rainwater back into the river, lessening the impact of the floods. Two districts have been affected, forcing residents from 15 communities, totalling 200 households, and 684…

  • Devastating house fire wipes out life savings and home of 67 year old Akha tribe woman in northern Thailand | Thaiger

    Devastating house fire wipes out life savings and home of 67 year old Akha tribe woman in northern Thailand

    A 67 year old stateless elderly woman from the Akha tribe had her life savings and property destroyed in a devastating house fire. The incident took place at her residence numbered 185, located in the village of Pa Ka Sukjai, Mae Salong Nok Sub-district, Mae Fa Luang District, Chiang Rai Province. The fire was reportedly due to an electrical short…

  • Rain reigns in Khon Kaen: Pumps pump out the flood | Thaiger

    Rain reigns in Khon Kaen: Pumps pump out the flood

    Heavy rains in Khon Kaen triggered a swift response from emergency services, with seven water pumps set up in flood-prone areas to efficiently drain the excess water. The local authorities are confident in their ability to manage the high water volumes in Bueng Kaen Nakhon and Bueng Thung Sang. Essential manpower and equipment are on standby to aid those affected around…

  • Undercover scandal: Child prostitution and curfew violations uncovered in northern province | Thaiger

    Undercover scandal: Child prostitution and curfew violations uncovered in northern province

    The Department of Provincial Administration last night uncovered underage drinking, curfew violations and child prostitution at two entertainment venues in the northern province of Phayao. As a consequence of this discovery, five officers from Meuang Phayao Police Station have been transferred. Acting on a tip-off from the anti-trafficking Immanuel Foundation, authorities from the Department of Provincial Administration, Phayao Provincial Office…

  • Rosewood racket busted: Task force and national park collaborate to thwart illegal loggers in northern Thailand | Thaiger

    Rosewood racket busted: Task force and national park collaborate to thwart illegal loggers in northern Thailand

    The Phaya Sue Task Force, in collaboration with Huai Nam Dang National Park, apprehended a network involved in the illegal logging of rosewood in the Srai Ngam forest area, Pai district, Mae Hong Son province. The operation, which resulted in the seizure of a significant amount of evidence, was conducted on September 12. Attapol Charoenchansa, who is acting on behalf…

  • Land Department scam dupes dentist out of 300,000 baht | Thaiger

    Land Department scam dupes dentist out of 300,000 baht

    A renowned dentist in Ubon Ratchathani was targeted by a fraudulent group claiming to be from the Land Department. The fraudsters duped him into confirming land ownership through the LINE application, leading to a loss of over 300,000 baht. The dentist revealed this incident today while issuing a musical warning about such scams. While working with a patient, Mohal Sakbhuakeaw…