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.

  • Sponsored

    Long-term life in Thailand? 5 reasons private health insurance pays off in the long run

    Thailand is a great place for expats and retirees, offering a warm climate, affordable living, and rich culture. However, healthcare can be tricky for foreigners since they aren’t eligible for public health coverage, and private care can be expensive. Private...

  • Thailand sends team to Myanmar for Kok River pollution talks

    Thailand sends team to Myanmar for Kok River pollution talks

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is set to dispatch an expert team next week to engage with Myanmar officials regarding arsenic contamination in the Kok River. This decision follows Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa’s recent Facebook post, addressing questions raised to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra about water quality issues during her visit to Chiang Rai. Maris highlighted that water pollution has…

  • PM Shinawatra orders swift flood relief for Chiang Rai residents

    PM Shinawatra orders swift flood relief for Chiang Rai residents

    Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra visited Phaya Mengrai district in Chiang Rai yesterday, June 28, instructing immediate relief for residents affected by flooding. Although water levels have decreased by over 80%, many residents still face challenges due to a lack of essential resources. PM Paetongtarn’s visit to Chiang Rai included assessments of the flood-hit areas, accompanied by Deputy Interior Minister Theerarat…

  • Flash floods devastate Chiang Rai: Homes and farmland destroyed

    Flash floods devastate Chiang Rai: Homes and farmland destroyed

    Chiang Rai province is reeling from catastrophic flooding after continuous heavy rainfall last night and this morning. Flash floods and mountain runoff have wreaked havoc across several districts, with Phaya Mengrai and Wiang Chai hit the hardest. The torrential downpours caused rivers of rainwater to cascade rapidly from the mountains, flooding low-lying areas and causing water levels to surge unexpectedly.…

  • Bangkok Airways cancels flights to Lampang and Mae Hong Son

    Bangkok Airways cancels flights to Lampang and Mae Hong Son

    Bangkok Airways announced the temporary suspension of its flights between Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Lampang starting from October 26. This decision, which has left many passengers concerned, also affects the route between Bangkok and Mae Hong Son, which will be suspended from July 1. The airline revealed that the suspensions are due to fleet maintenance and commercial considerations, though it reassured passengers that alternative options would still be available. Despite the…

  • Cambodian man dies in storm drain fishing tragedy

    Cambodian man dies in storm drain fishing tragedy

    A Cambodian man’s tragic death in a storm drain has prompted a warning against fishing in such locations. The 33 year old, identified as Chuean Ra, also known as Yao, was found dead yesterday, June 24, after being trapped for 72 hours in a drain at a water treatment station in Nakhon Ratchasima. On June 22, rescue services received a…

  • Thai military may close Surin temple amid border tensions

    Thai military may close Surin temple amid border tensions

    Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai stated yesterday that local military commanders may advise the closure of Ta Muen Thom Temple in Surin province if tensions at the Thai-Cambodian border escalate. The temple, along with the nearby Prasat Ta Kwai, has become a focal point in the ongoing border disagreement. Recently, there were complaints from Thai citizens regarding inappropriate behaviour by Cambodian…

  • DSI appeals to Frenchman for unsolved 2007 murder of Japanese woman

    DSI appeals to Frenchman for unsolved 2007 murder of Japanese woman

    The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is seeking the cooperation of a foreign national, believed to be a Frenchman, who may hold key information in the unsolved murder case of a Japanese woman in Sukhothai, which occurred 18 years ago. The victim, 27 year old Tomoko Kawashita, was found dead at the historic Saphan Hin Temple in Sukhothai on November…

  • Fisheries boost monitoring amid toxic fears in Thai rivers

    Fisheries boost monitoring amid toxic fears in Thai rivers

    The Department of Fisheries is intensifying its monitoring efforts on aquatic life in the Sai and Kok Rivers due to concerns about toxic contamination. The Department of Fisheries has expanded its inspection sites from four to 22, covering high-risk areas in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Recent tests on over 12 species of freshwater fish showed most were in good…

  • Death penalty call: Activists accuse PM over leaked tape

    Death penalty call: Activists accuse PM over leaked tape

    Two fiery political activists have filed explosive charges against Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, claiming she committed acts so severe they could carry the death penalty. The complaint was lodged on Thursday at Mueang Khon Kaen Police Station by anti-corruption campaigners Tul Prasertsilp and Chaichana Tasaniyom. The duo accused the prime minister of breaching multiple sections of Thailand’s Criminal Code over…

  • Earthquake tremors hit Mae Hong Son, 5 quakes strike Myanmar

    Earthquake tremors hit Mae Hong Son, 5 quakes strike Myanmar

    A series of tremors rocked Mae Hong Son yesterday morning, as a 1.9-magnitude earthquake hit the region, while neighbouring Myanmar experienced five separate quakes, including one minor tremor and four microquakes. The Meteorological Department of Thailand reported that the quake in Mae Hong Son occurred at 10.53am yesterday, June 18, with its epicentre located in Mae Na Toeng subdistrict, Pai district.…

  • Fish bone pierces Thai woman’s throat and emerges through her neck

    Fish bone pierces Thai woman’s throat and emerges through her neck

    A Thai man in the northern province of Phetchabun issued a warning to food lovers on social media after a sharp fish bone pierced through his wife’s throat. The man, Suriyan Buppa-art, shared pictures of his injured wife and the extracted fish bone on his Facebook account on June 17. He captioned the post… “Warning! She ate fish, and a…

  • Man detained after machete attack in Sisaket province

    Man detained after machete attack in Sisaket province

    A 39 year old man was detained after allegedly attacking residents with a machete in Khun Han district, Sisaket province. The incident occurred around 12.10pm yesterday, June 17, when local police received reports of a violent attack at Ban Huay, Moo 8, Krawan subdistrict. The attack left Natnicha, a 27 year old bank employee, critically injured with head wounds. She was…

  • Khon Kaen woman strikes it rich with 6 million baht lottery win

    Khon Kaen woman strikes it rich with 6 million baht lottery win

    A woman from Phu Wiang district in Khon Kaen has become the talk of the town after winning 6 million baht in the national lottery. The lucky number, 507392, was drawn in the lottery yesterday, June 16, landing her the first prize. The Government Lottery Office (GLO) revealed the results, which included other prize numbers such as the three-digit front…

  • Korat villager wins 12 million baht lottery jackpot

    Korat villager wins 12 million baht lottery jackpot

    A lucky resident of Thong Lang village in Thailand’s northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima has struck it rich, winning a life-changing 12 million baht in the national lottery. The winning numbers were announced yesterday, June 16, with the first prize number being 507392. In addition to the first prize, the draw included several other winning numbers, such as the three-digit…

  • Lampang man dies from flesh-eating bacteria on tour bus

    Lampang man dies from flesh-eating bacteria on tour bus

    A 38 year old man from Lampang province died aboard a bus during a trip from Nakhon Ratchasima to Chiang Mai, with autopsy results now revealing the shocking cause of death—flesh-eating bacteria. The man was found lifeless when the bus arrived at Lampang Bus Terminal yesterday, June 16, his left leg bruised and bleeding. Initial investigations showed no signs of…

  • Thai king supports troops at Thai-Cambodian border with gifts

    Thai king supports troops at Thai-Cambodian border with gifts

    His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua showed his support for the troops guarding the Cambodian frontier, sending royal gifts and a personal message of encouragement in a rare public expression of concern for their welfare. The morale-boosting gesture took place yesterday, June 16, during a formal ceremony at the Ta Muen Thom Temple outpost in the Chong Bok border…

  • Tragic fall: Couple tumbles from bridge in northeast Thailand

    Tragic fall: Couple tumbles from bridge in northeast Thailand

    A man and woman plunged from a bridge at Huai Chan Waterfall in Khun Han district, Sisaket province, in northeast Thailand yesterday after an evening of drinking turned deadly. The couple, aged 38 and 36, suffered serious injuries, and while the man survived, the woman tragically died in the hospital. Emergency services responded quickly, arriving at the scene where locals…

  • Roi Et rocket crashes into Yasothon school as festival chaos erupts

    Roi Et rocket crashes into Yasothon school as festival chaos erupts

    A lively rocket festival turned into a terrifying ordeal after a massive homemade rocket crashed through the roof of a school in the northeastern province of Yasothon, narrowly missing teachers during a lesson. At around 9am yesterday, June 11, a 6-inch wide, 4-metre long Saen Tho rocket, launched as part of the annual Bun Bang Fai Festival in Roi Et…

  • Thai man stabs grocery store owner 31 times, claiming romantic betrayal

    Thai man stabs grocery store owner 31 times, claiming romantic betrayal

    A Thai man stabbed a female grocery store owner 31 times in the northern province of Phitsanulok yesterday, claiming he had been in a relationship with the victim and had only just discovered she was married. Officers from Wang Thong Police Station were alerted to the incident at around 9am, yesterday, June 10. It occurred at a house that also…

  • Drug smuggler killed, 4.2 million meth pills seized in Chiang Rai shootout

    Drug smuggler killed, 4.2 million meth pills seized in Chiang Rai shootout

    In Chiang Rai‘s Mae Fah Luang district, a drug smuggler was killed and 4.2 million methamphetamine pills were seized following a 10-minute exchange of gunfire between armed traffickers and an army patrol early on June 6. Soldiers from the Phra Chao Taksin special units of the Pha Muang task force encountered a group of 15 to 20 men carrying rucksacks…

  • Golden GI banana boom brings millions to Chaiyaphum farmers

    Golden GI banana boom brings millions to Chaiyaphum farmers

    The Office of Agricultural Economics Region 5 has highlighted the success of the golden banana export initiative in Nong Bua Daeng, Chaiyaphum province. This venture generates over 36 million baht annually for local farmers by producing golden bananas with geographical indication (GI) certification for the international market. Chaisak Wuttisak, director of the Office of Agricultural Economics Region 5 in Nakhon…

  • King cobra stops car in Phayao, leaving woman terrified

    King cobra stops car in Phayao, leaving woman terrified

    A woman had a terrifying near-“hiss” with a giant king cobra on a rural road in the northern province of Phayao, leaving her shaken but unharmed. The incident occurred yesterday, June 4, between Ban Wang Bong and Ban Huai Son, when the 3-metre-long snake appeared out of nowhere, forcing her to slam on the brakes and narrowly avoid a collision.…

  • Buriram dentist leaves needle in patient’s gum, sparking black magic fear

    Buriram dentist leaves needle in patient’s gum, sparking black magic fear

    A forgetful dentist in the Isaan province of Buriram left a needle embedded in a female patient’s gum 15 years ago, sparking panic over suspected black magic. The 49 year old woman, Rungnapha Thaingyotha, shared on Facebook that she unexpectedly discovered a piece of steel in her gum near her lower left molar. She experienced pain in the area for…

  • Elderly woman leaps to safety after snake scare in Roi Et (video)

    Elderly woman leaps to safety after snake scare in Roi Et (video)

    An elderly woman in Roi Et shocked her neighbours – and the Internet – by pulling off a move worthy of an action film after spotting a slithering intruder beneath a house. Kan Kong Suthiprapa, an 80 year old grandmother from Don Hat village in Selaphum district, was sitting on the steps of a neighbour’s house yesterday, June 4, when a…