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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Thailand’s warm weather, low cost of living, and good healthcare attract many long-term expats, including retirees and remote workers. Life here feels easy and affordable, but medical costs can be high if something goes wrong. Private hospitals are popular because...
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Deer found dead in Thai national park – 7 kilos of garbage found in stomach
PHOTO: Thai Residents Thailand’s love affair with plastic, coupled with a casual attitude to littering, appears to have claimed another wildlife victim. The body of a wild deer has been found with an astonishing 7 kilograms of garbage in its stomach. The deer was found at a national park in Nan province, northern Thailand. Thai Residents reports that the deer…
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British man found dead in Thailand’s north east
Authorities have reported the death of 33 year old British national, Timothy Hoffman, who was found dead in a bathroom at a house the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani on Saturday night. Police and a doctor from a local clinic were called to the man’s home shortly after midnight. They found Hoffman face down in the bathroom, wearing a short-sleeved…
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‘The Cave’ – covers a lot of ground but misses some key details
The Thaiger went to the first session of Tom Waller’s ‘The Cave’ and loved it. It’s frenetic, it’s very busy and it covers a lot of territory regarding the scope of the saga. But it also lacks focus, a lot of the actors play themselves with varying success and, well, we already know the (mostly) happy ending. But the overall experience…
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Fossils of new dinosaur species discovered in Isaan
The fossils of a new species of dinosaur, named the Siam Raptor Suwati, have been discovered in Nakhon Ratchasima province (commonly known as Korat) in north-east Thailand. The discovery has been confirmed by the Director-General of the Mineral Resource Department, Sommai Techawan, and former Deputy PM Suwat Liptapanlop (after whom the dinosaur has been named). Thai Residents reports that the…
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Cave rescue movie opens today around Thailand
PHOTO: Director Tom Waller directing scenes from ‘The Cave’ – The Nation A movie about last year’s dramatic rescue at the Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai province opens today around Thailand. “The Cave – Nang Non” is based on “the untold true stories of some of the rescuers involved in the mega-international rescue mission that captivated the world’s attention…
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Meth kingpin busted in Kanchanburi
A 29 year old man has been charged with running a drug trafficking ring after more than 3 million methamphetamine pills were seized in Chiang Rai last month. The man, known only as “Prasarn,” was arrested at a resort in Kanchanaburi, western Thailand. Police linked him to the 3 million meth pills seized at a roadside checkpoint in Chiang Rai…
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Earthquake hits in far-north Thailand
An earthquake of 6.1 magnitude has rattled the centre and north of the country this morning. The epicentre of the tremors was around northern Nan province, on the Laos border. At this stage there has been no immediate reports of casualties or damage although The Thaiger has been contacted by numerous people this morning claiming they felt the quake. The…
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Government applies for UNESCO status for Korat Geopark
PHOTO: Satun Geopark already has a UNESCO Geopark – Greenpeace.com Government deputy spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek says the government is seeking UNESCO status for the Korat Geopark in Nakhon Ratchasima, north-east Thailand. The move follows a recommendation from the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry. A geopark is an area with a rich geological and cultural heritage and a UNESCO Geopark is…
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‘The Cave’ premieres in Bangkok, first feature film about the Tham Luang rescue
PHOTO: Director Tom Waller goes over a scene of his film ‘The Cave’ – Associated Press A feature film about the story of the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue had its Bangkok premiere yesterday. Rescuers, starring as themselves in the movie, walked the red carpet at the premiere. The film focuses on the stories of the rescuers who risked their lives…
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DSI is demanding Court revoke Chaiwat’s bail
PHOTO: Khaosod English The Department of Special Investigation will ask the court to revoke bail for former national park chief Chaiwat Limlikhit-akson along with three other suspects, or set a new bail. Chaiwat, director of the Conservation Office in northeastern Ubon Ratchathani province, along with three others, has been charged with multiple counts in the disappearance and murder of Karen…
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Wife chooses winning lottery ticket, husband flees WITH the winning ticket
PHOTO: Pornthida Chamnanwet with her formal complaint about the missing winning lottery ticket, and her husband who stole it – Sutthiwit Chayutworakan A 34 year old husband has left his wife stranded at home. He disappeared with their winning lottery ticket from Saturday’s draw. The winning ticket is worth around 6 million baht. 23 year old Pornthida Chamnanwet has made a…
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Northern Thailand drops 1-3 degrees, South to see little rain for the rest of the year
PHOTO: TakeMeTour A strong high-pressure system is looming over southern China and will also affect the upper Northeast of Thailand by tonight and early tomorrow. The Thailand Meteorological Department are forecasting another rather drop of 1.3 degrees C with mornings expected to be cool and foggy in the north and north-east. The high-pressure system affect the North and the Central…
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Police seek “copyright agents” for extortion
Police in Nakhon Ratchasima say they’re seeking a warrant to arrest “copyright agents” who attempted to extort dozens of vendors. The investigation is nearly complete and warrants will be issued by the end of this week. “We are waiting for documents from relevant copyright holders, and we have also established a committee to identify police officers accused of involvement,” according…
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Unconscious 4 year old rescued from locked car
Pattaya police got a report that a child was stuck in a car in front of a shopping mall. When they rushed to the scene a volunteer rescue team, they found a crowd surrounding a car, trying to wake up a sleeping four year old boy. The boy’s mother was there and was in fact the one to call for…
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Wall of graffiti art the longest landmark in northeast Thailand
More than 30 graffiti artists are being invited to celebrate the city of Nakhon Ratchasima, more commonly known as Korat. The Nation reports that the city’s Culture Office is inviting works on the theme of “Korat: the art city”. The move comes as the government named Korat, along with Krabi and Chiang Mai, as pilot cities for the arts. Korat…
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Warrants issued in “Billy” murder case
Arrest warrants have been issued for the former chief of a national park and three other officials, for the murder of Karen activist Porlajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen. They face charges including robbery and detention. Chaiwat Limlikit-aksorn, former chief the Kaeng Krachan National Park, faces murder charges. Police are preparing for their arrest but say they would welcome their surrender. Billy was…
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Nakri weakens to a storm as it heads into Laos
Typhoon Nakri weakened as it crossed the Vietnam coast on Saturday night/Sunday morning. It has since been downgraded to a tropical storm, and now to a storm as it weakens and moves inland toward southern Laos. Despite a lot of rain and strong winds in central Vietnam, no bad damage or injuries have been reported at this stage. The storm will…
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11th species of dinosaur discovered in north east Thailand
Thailand’s Mineral Resources Department says they’ve unearthed fossilised bones believed to belong to a species of mid-sized carnivorous dinosaur previously unrecorded in Thailand. Called the Vayuraptor nongbualamphuensis, it is the 11th dinosaur species to be discovered in the Phu Wat excavation pits in Phu Kao-Phupandam national park in the north-eastern province of Nong Bua Lamphu, between Khon Kaen and Udon…
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Police suspect land dispute in double murder in Chiang Rai
PHOTOS: Chiang Rai Times Chiang Rai police are investigating a husband and wife that were murdered in the province’s Chiang Saen District last Wednesday. When arriving at the property, police found the bodies of a husband and wife, both with strangulation marks on their necks. There was no sign of a struggle and nothing was stolen. Their pick-up truck and…
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Officer in krathong copyright entrapment case transferred
A police superintendent in the north east province of Nakhon Ratchasima has been transferred after a sting operation in which a 15 year old girl was arrested and fined 5,000 baht for alleged copyright infringement (the original demand by the ‘officer’ was much higher but was negotiated down). Read original story HERE. The girl was approached by a man claiming…
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Accused Ponzi queen and husband in jail, no bail
PHOTO: Udon Thani Police Alleged Ponzi-scam scammer Wantanee “Mae Manee” Tippaveth, along with her husband, have been remanded to Udon Thani prison after appearing in court. Police received approval to detain them without bail while the investigation continues into their ‘business’. Additional victims of the scheme are still mounting up and contacting the DSI. Both of the alleged scheme creators…
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Top 10 rules to avoid an elephant squishing your car
PHOTO: Khaosod English After the video of a bull elephant sitting on a car whilst it was trying to drive through Khao Yai National Park in Nakhon Ratchasima went viral, officials have come up with 10 rules to follow when confronted by a wild elephant who has an unnatural attraction to your car. The 35 year old tusked elephant, Duea,…
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First chamber of Chiang Rai’s Tham Luang Cave now open to visitors
The first chamber of the cave where twelve Thai footballers and their coach became trapped for seventeen days last year, is now open to visitors in Chiang Rai. The Chiang Rai Times reports that, along with the entrance to the Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai being open, the first chamber and the Nang Non spirit house are also accessible…
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Tourists warned about thieving monkeys in Khao Yai National Park
PHOTO: Monkeys coming to get your stuff. Khao Yai National Park – Flickr Officials at Khao Yai National Park, north east of Bangkok, are warning visitors to be aware of rogue monkeys that may steal their belongings. They say tourists who camp overnight need to be particularly vigilant, particularly when preparing food. Thai Residents reports that with the current cooler…
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Tham Luang Cave reopens to visitors in November
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation says it is reopening the Tham Luang Cave in Chiang Rai on November 1. The cave had a test opening on October 27 and everything went as planned. It will be the first time visitors have been allowed into the caves since the famous Tham Luang Cave Rescue nearly 18 months…
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Elephant chooses bad time for a lie down in Khao Yai national park
A large bull elephant has attempted to crush a car full of tourists that stopped on a road in Khao Yai national park in Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima), north east of Bangkok, prompting national park staff to remind visitors what they should do if they are confronted by one of the mighty beasts as they drive through. The 35 year old…
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Chiang Rai and Hat Yai airports NOT closing – Thai transport minister
PHOTO: Chiang Rai Airport – mychiangmaitravel.com Chiang Rai’s International Airport is not slated for closure, according to Thailand’s Transport Minister. The comment came after Airports of Thailand’s president announced on Monday October 28 that AOT was ‘considering’ closing Chiang Rai and Hat Yai airports, throwing media, and the staff at the two airports, into a spin. The minister has told…
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Ambulance driver arrested in north-east Thailand for being on drugs
A 30 year old ambulance driver has been taken into custody after he was found to be under the influence of narcotics while on duty. Thai Residents reports that the man had collided with a motorbike, injuring both the driver and his pillion passenger. The ambulance driver told police that he had turned on the vehicle’s emergency light and siren…
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Chiang Mai hotel has big plans for Loy Kratong
137 Pillars House in Chiang Mai has made elaborate arrangements for next month’s Loy Krathong festival, better known as Yi Peng in the North. The full moon on November 11 will see celebrants floating lotus-shaped krathong with flowers, candles and incense on rivers and canals to pay respect to the water spirits and carry away the sadness and setbacks of…
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Ubon Ratchathani collision kills seven, seriously injures four
An accident between a mini-bus and a six-wheel truck has left seven dead and seriously injured four others. Thai PBS World reports that the collision happened in Ubon Ratchathani, northeast Thailand, yesterday morning. Witnesses say the mini-van was travelling at high speed when the driver lost control, crossing into the path of oncoming traffic and colliding head-on with the truck.…
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