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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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...
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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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Stabbed in his tracks: Thai madman stabs grandfather on bus
A mentally disturbed man stabbed his grandfather to death in broad daylight aboard a packed intercity bus in northeastern Thailand, the latest in a bloody string of knife attacks sweeping the country. The horrific killing unfolded today, July 11, as passengers travelled on a Nakhon Phanom–Ban Phaeng service through the Ban Pak Thuai area of Tambon Wen Phrabat, Tha Uthen…
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Udon Thani woman scammed by fake dentist out of 1 million baht
A 34 year old woman from a veterinary hospital in Udon Thani has fallen victim to a scam, losing nearly 1 million baht. The fraudster posed as a charming dentist, luring her into investing in luxury goods through an app. Initially engaging in friendly conversation, the scammer eventually persuaded her to invest, resulting in a loss of 849,500 baht. Anna…
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Foul play: Buriram village choked by giant chicken farm nightmare
A once-tranquil village in Buriram has been plunged into misery as a sprawling chicken farm turns daily life into a living hell. Residents of Ban Khok Wan, in Nang Rong district, say their community is overwhelmed by noxious odours, swarms of flies, and the constant roar of heavy trucks thundering through the night. Today, July 9, locals and members of…
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Chiang Rai man claims worms emerge from skin after forest visit
A Thai man in the northern province of Chiang Rai sought help after discovering unidentified insects, resembling worms, emerging from his skin. The 59 year old man in the Mae Chan district contacted rescuers from the Thap Yang Foundation, hoping they could assist him in finding a proper treatment for the strange symptoms he was experiencing. The man told rescuers…
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Building collapse in Chiang Rai traps people, rescue underway
A building collapse in the Wiang Pa Pao district has left people trapped beneath the debris, prompting an urgent rescue operation. The incident, involving a structure approximately two stories high, occurred at 4.14pm yesterday, July 8. Initial reports came through emergency hotline 1669, indicating that around three people were trapped and others were injured, though the exact number of injuries…
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Thai officer accused of land encroachment on self-help settlement
Thailand’s Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) requested police action regarding an alleged land encroachment involving a prominent police officer in Ubon Ratchathani. Police Senior Sergeant Major Yutthaphon Srisompong, popularly known online as “Johnny the Enforcer,” owns a resort in Lam Dom Noi. The land on which the resort is built has been designated by the ministry as…
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RTAF helicopter makes emergency landing on school field
It was a day the children of Roi Et will never forget—when a roaring Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) helicopter swooped out of a stormy sky and touched down right on their school field. The drama unfolded on Thursday afternoon, July 3, at Ban Kham Pha-Ung School, Pracharat Bamrung, in Pho Chai district. According to the school’s official social media…
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Ubon Ratchathani police arrest 4 for violent assault on woman
Police in Ubon Ratchathani apprehended four men on charges related to a violent assault involving a 65 year old woman. The suspects allegedly attacked the woman with an iron object during a dispute. Police Lieutenant General Wathana Yijeen, commander of Region 3, and Police Major General Patiyut Singsamorot of the Ubon Ratchathani Provincial Police, announced the arrest of 27 year…
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Man found dead in idling car at Udon Thani petrol station
Shoppers at a quiet Udon Thani petrol station were left reeling after a grim discovery early this morning: a man found dead inside his car, which had been running non-stop for nearly 17 hours. Emergency services rushed to the scene in Nong Han district after a stunned cleaner raised the alarm. “I came in at 7am and saw the same…
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River on the rampage: Chiang Rai braces for dangerous floods
Chiang Rai residents were jolted awake by urgent phone alerts today as local officials warned the Sai River was set to burst its banks, threatening to inundate homes and businesses across four communities. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) confirmed that water levels have been steadily climbing at monitoring stations in Myanmar’s Jotada and near Thailand’s 1st Friendship…
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Google accused of ‘fake maps’ in Thailand-Cambodia temple spat
A fresh row has erupted over ancient ruins straddling the Thai-Cambodian border, after the Royal Thai Army (RTA) slammed Google Maps for allegedly “misleading the world” about the true ownership of the historic Ta Muen Thom temple. The RTA insists the ancient site in Surin province belongs to Thailand and blasted the popular mapping service for showing it as Cambodian territory.…
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Helicopter tail number sparks lottery frenzy in Udon Thani
A helicopter landing in Udon Thani has sent lottery fever into overdrive, with residents betting on a number they believe will lead them to fortune. Excitement is mounting in Udon Thani as lottery enthusiasts eagerly await today’s draw, all eyes on the tail number of a helicopter that has taken the town by storm. The focus is on the army…
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