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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Chiang Rai MP booted over budget scandal
In a major political shake-up, the first deputy House speaker and MP for Chiang Rai, was disqualified by the Constitutional Court. Found guilty of misusing public funds to influence budget decisions for personal gain, Pichet Chuamuangphan is now barred from holding office for 10 years and faces a by-election. Yesterday, August 1, the Constitutional Court delivered a bombshell ruling, disqualifying…
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Dad killed in Uthai Thani crash seeking missing daughter
A frantic father’s desperate search for his missing teenage daughter ended in heartbreak late yesterday, after he and his companion died when their pickup truck crashed into a utility pole in Uthai Thani province. Police in Lan Sak district received a distressing report at around 10.30pm yesterday, July 31, that a white Toyota pickup truck had flipped onto its roof…
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Ice cream raid: Cambodian sellers busted in Udon Thani
An illegal ice cream empire run by Cambodian migrants melted away yesterday after a dramatic raid in Udon Thani uncovered a secret stash of freezers and sidecar motorcycles. The suspects, who were hoping for a sweet escape from poverty, now face deportation. The raid took place at 1.40pm yesterday, July 31, in the Don Udom community, after District Chief Chawit…
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Chiang Rai residents brace for floods as Kok River rises
Residents along the Kok River in Chiang Rai are being urged to prepare for potential flooding as water levels rise. Warnings have been issued for areas such as Huai Chomphu, Mae Yao, Doi Hang, Wiang, Rim Kok, and the Chiang Rai City Municipality to move belongings to higher ground. Eight temporary shelters have been established by the city municipality. Yesterday,…
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Chiang Rai declares red alert amid severe flooding crisis (video)
Emergency measures have been initiated in Chiang Rai as a red-level alert has been declared due to severe flooding in the north of Thailand. Officials have issued warnings for four high-risk areas in Mueang Chiang Rai district, urging immediate evacuation to safer locations. At approximately 7.30am on July 28, a Facebook page, Rak Chiang Tung, shared a video showing the…
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Cambodia urges ceasefire in Thailand border standoff
Cambodia has called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire with Thailand, as tensions have escalated with deadly exchanges for a second day. The dispute, which has involved jets, artillery, tanks, and ground troops, prompted an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting. Phnom Penh’s UN ambassador Chhea Keo emphasised the need for a peaceful resolution following a closed council meeting attended…
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Thailand evacuates 100,000 amid Cambodia border clashes
Over 100,000 civilians have been evacuated from the northeastern provinces of Ubon Ratchathani, Sisaket, Surin, and Buriram due to escalating border clashes with Cambodia. Permanent Secretary Unsit Sampuntharat stated that evacuees are now housed in safety at 295 designated sites away from the conflict zones near the border. The evacuations were organised by local leaders, aided by village defence and…
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Thai king steps in as Thai-Cambodia border erupts
A royal lifeline has been thrown to victims of the violent Thai-Cambodian border clashes, with His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua pledging aid for the injured and support to rebuild shattered lives. As artillery fire rattled Thailand’s eastern provinces, the monarchy stepped in to assist those caught in the escalating conflict. The king extended royal patronage to all injured…
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5 more bodies recovered after deadly gas station strike
Amid flying shrapnel and live explosives, Thai bomb squads and rescue teams recovered five more bodies from the ruins of a PTT gas station in Sisaket province, after Cambodian shells obliterated a convenience store inside the complex. This brings the death toll to 11. The deadly strike occurred in Ban Phue, Mueang subdistrict of Kantharalak district, as part of escalating…
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Flooded Chiang Rai farm sparks dramatic pig rescue (video)
A frantic mission is underway in Chiang Rai, where rising floodwaters have forced officials to evacuate more than 1,000 pigs from a waterlogged farm—one tiny boatload at a time. Yesterday, July 24, disaster prevention officials, rescue teams, and local police descended on Ban Huai Khrai Kao in the Mueang subdistrict of Thoeng district. Their mission: to save around 1,300 pigs…
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Rain pain: Phayao floods spark chaos as rivers overflow
Heavy overnight rain on Tuesday triggered widespread flooding across Phayao province, leaving multiple districts inundated, roads impassable, and farmlands underwater. The hardest-hit area, Chiang Kham district, has seen severe disruption, with floodwaters engulfing streets near Phayao Hospital. Emergency crews rushed to deploy sandbags and tarpaulins around hospital buildings to hold back the advancing water. Small vehicles struggled through the submerged…
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Thailand blasts Cambodia for deadly border shelling
Thailand issued a scathing rebuke of Cambodia, calling on the international community to condemn what it describes as a “war-thirsty” and “inhumane” act of aggression following a series of deadly artillery strikes near the Thai-Cambodian border. At a press conference held at Government House at 12.30pm today, July 24, Government Spokesperson Jirayu Huangsap confirmed that Cambodia had fired first, using…
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Interior Minister denies interference in Khao Kradong land probe
Interior Minister Phumtham Wechayachai responded to accusations of meddling in a high-stakes investigation into the Department of Lands (DoL), insisting that he had no intention of influencing or intimidating officials. The probe centres on a 5,083-rai land plot in Khao Kradong, Buriram, which has long been mired in legal battles and political ties. The Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that the land belongs…
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Buriram dad runs over baby daughter in tragic accident
A father’s morning routine turned into an unimaginable nightmare after he accidentally reversed over his baby daughter, killing her instantly. The heartbreaking incident unfolded yesterday, July 22, at a home in Phutthaisong district, Buriram province, as 37 year old air conditioning technician Yothin was leaving for work. What began as a normal day – loading his truck and preparing to…
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Sting operation gone wrong: Bees attack kids in Udon Thani class
In a scene that resembled a horror movie, a swarm of bees swooped and attacked primary school children while in class in Udon Thani, injuring several children. The incident, which occurred yesterday, July 22, at Ban Pa Khao School in Phaktop subdistrict, Nong Han district, saw emergency services, including Police Senior Sergeant Major Charern Chantrak, respond promptly to the scene at…
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Cabinet approves 6-month reprieve for Cambodian border workers
The Cabinet yesterday approved a six-month extension for Cambodian migrant workers employed in border provinces. This decision was prompted by changes in border checkpoint operating hours across seven provinces, affecting the movement of workers in the area. Government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub stated that due to unrest along the Thai-Cambodian border and stricter border control measures being implemented, many Cambodian workers…
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Temple tension: RTA threatens shutdown over border clashes
A sacred tourist site on the Thai-Cambodian border is fast becoming a powder keg — and the Thai military is ready to shut it down if things get out of hand. Commander of Thailand’s 2nd Army Region Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang issued a stern warning about managing tourism at the historic Ta Muen Thom Temple in Surin province’s Phanom Dong…
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2 year old Thai boy loses life in wasp attack, child’s father seriously injured
A two year old Thai boy lost his life while his father sustained serious injuries in a wasp attack in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima on Saturday, July 19. The tragic incident was reported by the local news agency Bua Yai Ban Chan. The agency stated that the young boy was attacked by a swarm of wasps and later…
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Student survives fifth-floor fall at Nakhon Ratchasima university
A 19 year old university student survived a fall from the fifth floor of a building at a well-known university in Nakhon Ratchasima. Emergency services promptly arrived at the scene to investigate the incident. The student’s friends shared insights into the moments leading up to the incident. Police Colonel Sutthinan Khongchamdee of Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima Police Station received a report of…
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Paetongtarn visits rangers hurt in Ubon border blast
What began as a routine patrol near the Thai-Cambodian border ended in a bloody blast, leaving one soldier without a leg and two others wounded. Now, Thailand’s Prime Minister and Culture Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is stepping in to deliver more than just sympathy—she’s promising action. Today, July 18, Paetongtarn travelled to Sapphasitprasong Camp Hospital in- Ubon Ratchathani province to visit…
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Ubon manhunt after machete attack leaves girl, 4, blind
Police in Det Udom district announced a manhunt for a suspect involved in the attack on a four year old girl, which left her blind. The suspect has a criminal record with over 10 drug-related cases. The incident occurred on June 28 in Ubon Ratchathani province. Ekaphop Luangprasert, the owner of the Saimai Must Survive Facebook page, visited Ubon Ratchathani…
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Family scoops 6 million baht jackpot in Thai lottery
The tranquil village of Ban Yang Noi in Surin province erupted in joyous celebration as news broke of a staggering 6 million baht lottery win that has forever altered the destiny of Ta Noi and Yai Phon and their loved ones. The air was thick with anticipation yesterday, July 16, as families across Thailand tuned in for the much-awaited government…
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Thai man slits neighbour’s throat over mistaken phone theft
A Thai man slit his neighbour’s throat at a house in the northern province of Phetchabun in the early hours of this morning after wrongly suspecting her of stealing his mobile phone. Officers from Chondean Police Station received a report of the brutal attack at 12.30am today, July 17, and responded to the scene, a residence in Tha Kham subdistrict,…
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Landmine blast injures 3 soldiers near Thai-Cambodian border
A border patrol mission turned into a nightmare after three Thai soldiers were injured in a landmine blast in a former conflict zone near Hill 481 in the Chong Bok area in Nam Yuen district, Ubon Ratchathani province. Military sources say the men are lucky to be alive. At around 8pm yesterday, July 16, Lieutenant General Boonsin Phadklang, Commander of the…
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Lottery fever grips Kham Chanod as lucky numbers vanish
Hopeful punters have swarmed Udon Thani’s mystical Kham Chanod Island, desperately trying to snag elusive lucky numbers before the lottery draw today. Yesterday, July 15, hundreds of visitors descended on the sacred home of Phaya Naga, where believers flock to seek blessings from Pu Sri Sutho and Mae Ya Sri Pratumma. Despite a noticeable drop in foot traffic this year,…
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RTA ready to fence Ta Muen Thom temple amid tensions
The commander of Thailand’s 2nd Army Region has declared the military’s readiness to erect a fence around the disputed Ta Muen Thom temple in Surin province if the government and the Department of Fine Arts give the green light. Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang confirmed that, despite the simmering dispute, stability currently prevails along the border. He noted that while local…
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Anutin dismisses Khao Kradong land dispute investigation
Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul dismissed a renewed investigation into the Khao Kradong land dispute in Buriram, asserting that all actions taken during his tenure as interior minister were lawful. The dispute involves land claimed by both the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and private individuals linked to Bhumjaithai. In 2021, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the SRT,…
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Nakhon Ratchasima temple’s ‘miracle Buddha’ sparks lottery frenzy
A centuries-old Buddha statue in Nakhon Ratchasima is fuelling a frenzy among lottery devotees, who swear its blessings have turned them into instant millionaires—seven draws in a row. Wat Muen Wai, an ancient temple tucked away in Muen Wai subdistrict, Mueang district, has become a magnet for hopeful devotees and lottery fans alike. The star attraction is Luang Pho Thong,…
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Myanmar earthquake shakes multiple districts in Chiang Rai
An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale rocked large parts of Chiang Rai, with tremors strong enough to jolt desks, rattle ceiling tiles and set computer screens quivering. Natthawut Dandee, Deputy Director General of the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD), confirmed the quake struck at 3.06pm yesterday, July 14, originating 10 kilometres underground in neighbouring Myanmar. The epicentre was located…
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Long-lost ‘Forest sea star’ plant stuns scientists in Thailand
A rare plant thought to have vanished from the face of the Earth has emerged like a botanical ghost, shocking scientists with its return after more than a century in hiding deep within Thailand’s rainforests. Botanists worldwide are celebrating the extraordinary rediscovery of Heterostemma brownii Hayata, also known as the Forest Sea Star. Part of the milkweed family (Apocynaceae), this…
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