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 The 5 most common travel emergencies in Thailand and how to be prepared
Thailand is a popular destination known for its dynamic culture, stunning beaches, and bustling cities however, travellers can face unexpected travel emergencies that include medical issues, road accidents, petty theft, and natural disasters. To ensure a safe and enjoyable trip,...
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Inappropriate performance at renowned Thai temple event sparks criticism
An inappropriate performance sparked criticism during a temple event in Thailand‘s northern Phayao province, resulting in public criticism and an impact on the temple’s reputation. The show, featuring the Likay troupe, displayed some explicit adult scenes not suitable for a family audience. The performance was held during an annual event held between May 25 and June 3. Viewers were shocked…
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School defends haircuts policy after social media uproar in Thailand (video)
A Thai school has explained a controversial video showing teachers giving male students haircuts during a boy scout uniform inspection. The school in the northern Phayao province detailed the measures taken and defended the hair-cutting policy following fierce online criticism. The video clip from a school in Phayao stirred up controversy on social media as it portrayed teachers cutting male…
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Thai school conducts mass drug testing: Is it a violation of student rights?
A Thai school recently conducted a mass urine drug testing initiative for its entire student body, causing online debate as netizens clashed over whether this practice constituted a violation of the students’ rights. The school, local authorities, and health officials collaborated on the project to ensure a drug-free environment. The school is located in the town of Tha Rong in…
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Drunk as a monk: Intoxicated Thai monks defrocked after selling temple items
In northeast Thailand’s Nong Bua Lamphu province, two intoxicated monks were defrocked after testing positive for high levels of alcohol consumption. The monks were also accused of selling temple-owned items without permission. Concerned locals alerted the Mueang Nong Bua Lamphu Police about the monks’ behaviour on a recent Tuesday. The police, accompanied by around 20 frustrated residents, visited the temple…
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Large cobra invades Thai home, residents rush to buy lottery tickets
A large cobra was found in a house in Thailand‘s northern Phayao province, resulting in local disaster prevention officers quickly arriving to capture and release it. Meanwhile, residents rushed to buy lottery tickets featuring the house number, hoping for good fortune in the upcoming draw today. Officers from the Phayao Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department were alerted by Thanita Chaisukkoson,…
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Deadly intersection sparks ghostly fears, Thai villagers hold exorcism ceremony
The deadly intersection known as the ‘100-corpse intersection’ in Thailand‘s northern Phayao province has locals on edge, with frequent accidents and fatalities causing ongoing fear. Residents in the Wat Pa Lan Kam community have sought the help of monks to perform an exorcism ceremony in an attempt to ward off evil spirits associated with the so-called ‘spirit of the deceased.’…
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Retired Thai teacher found safe after 3 days lost in forest searching for mushrooms
Relatives rejoiced as authorities found Jamlong Kheyakan, a 63 year old retired Thai teacher who had been lost in the forest for three days after searching for wild mushrooms. Authorities from various agencies, including Mae Wa National Park officers, soldiers from the 32nd Army Unit Lamphun, and local residents joined forces in search efforts, attempting to locate the last known…
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Thai police foil bribery attempt to free Chinese suspects, fake officer arrested
Thai police arrested four individuals, including a man impersonating a high-ranking officer, who attempted to bribe law enforcement to release detained Chinese suspects. Today, it was reported that the authorities successfully apprehended the four culprits in a sting operation in Chiang Rai. Late in the night, officers from the Chiang Saen Immigration Checkpoint and Chiang Saen Police Station, led by…
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Bhumjaithai Party led by Anutin records unofficial win in Buriram
Led by current Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the Bhumjaithai Party unofficially won in Burriam province in the northeastern province of Thailand. In the 2019 General Election Buriram was divided into eight constituencies all of which were won by the Bhumjaithai Party. In this year’s General Election Buriram was divided into 10 constituencies and Bhumjaithai was…
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Heavy rain and Cyclone Mocha warning for north and northeast Thailand
The meteorological department warns that heavy rain is expected in north and northeast Thailand, with Cyclone Mocha contributing to the wet weather conditions today, May 14, and tomorrow, May 15. Continuous rain and heavy downpours in some areas of the northern and upper northeastern regions have prompted the public to be cautious of flooding, flash floods, and forest runoffs. Farmers have…
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Body of missing teen found buried in northern Thailand forest
UPDATE #2 The body of 16 year old “Ping Pong” was found buried in the forest in Lampang province, northern Thailand, this morning after a week-long search. Ping Pong went missing on Saturday, May 6, after she did not return from a motorbike ride with 17 year old Woramet “Ben” Taota, a dual Thai-British national, whose body was found in the…
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Two arrested for human trafficking in karaoke bar raid in northeast Thailand
Two individuals were arrested and charged with human trafficking following a raid on a karaoke bar in Warin Chamrap district of the northeast Ubon Ratchathani province last night. A police team from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD) apprehended the 63 year old owner of the karaoke bar on Pathumtheppakdi Road, named Somporn. They also arrested the bar manager, 45…
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Swarm of giant honey bees cause chaos at Thailand airport
A swarm of giant honey bees caused quite the buzz at Khon Kaen Airport in northeast Thailand yesterday, causing delays to two flights and stinging six members of ground staff who all required hospitalisation. As soon as Thai AirAsia flight FD3260 from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport landed on the runway at Khon Kaen Airport yesterday, a colony of giant honey…
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Suspected murderer of Thai-British teen attacked during re-enactment
UPDATE A relative of the 17 year old Thai-British teenager Woramet “Ben” Taota – who was murdered in Lampang in northern Thailand on Saturday – attacked the suspected murderer with a wooden stick during a re-enactment of the crime this morning. At 11am, officers from Mae Tha Police Station and Lampang Provincial Police escorted the accused, 44 year old Chaiwat…
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Sex offender confesses to murdering Thai-British teenager, girlfriend still missing
A man formerly imprisoned for sex crimes has confessed to murdering the Thai-British teenager who was found dead in the woods of Lampang province, northern Thailand, on Sunday. The police are still searching for the deceased’s missing girlfriend. Police arrested a 44 year old Thai man named Chaiwat Boonkarin under suspicion of murder and concealing a corpse on Monday. Initially,…
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Thai villagers complain to Election Commission over alleged vote-buying
Thai Villagers from Non Reuang, in the district of Ban Kho in the northeast Khon Kaen province, stormed the Election Commission (EC) office with their lawyer and village headman, accusing a well-known political party’s candidate of engaging in vote-buying activities. The villagers presented video clips and witness statements to the investigative team, along with an official complaint against the alleged…
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Pickup truck crashes into house in northeast Thailand, injuring elderly man
A dramatic incident occurred when a speeding pickup truck crashed into a house in the Nang Rong district of northeast Thailand’s Buriram province, leaving an elderly man injured and causing serious damage. The homeowner, 75 year old Sompon Wisetsri, was watching television when the truck smashed through the walls of his house. At around 7pm last night, deputy investigator Vivat…
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Vietnamese man allegedly impersonated Thai citizen and forged land documents
A Vietnamese man impersonating a Thai citizen was arrested for allegedly forging land documents before attempting to sell them on the market. Numerous villagers throughout the northeastern provinces have reportedly suffered losses as a result of his fraudulent activities. Police, along with a special task force, apprehended the 55 year old suspect known as Kittinan, who was wanted by an…
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Thai rescue volunteer mourns his 4-day old son’s burial
A 20 year old Thai rescue volunteer, Witwattanachan Chanthasri, faced a heartbreaking tragedy when he had to perform the burial of his four-day old son recently. Witwattanachan, who works as a rescue volunteer for the Buriram Provincial Highway Police, is known for his dedication to helping others in need. He often transports patients and deals with a variety of emergencies.…
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Hotel warns of pretty woman who dodges room fees, leaves mess and bloodstains
A hotel owner in Udon Thani province has posted a warning for other hotel operators about a pretty 25 year old woman who has not only avoided paying her hotel bill but also left her room in a miserable state. The owner claims that upon inspection, the room was found to be unclean and damaged to such an extent that…
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Spirit or doll’s house? Foreign woman goes viral for Barbie doll photoshoot in northern Thailand
Thai netizens were amused by a viral clip of a foreign woman snapping a pic of her Barbie doll inside a spirit house outside the White Temple in Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand on Monday. Spirit houses – which look like miniature temples – are found in abundance all over the kingdom and are intended to appease ghosts by…
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Chopstick maker wins 6 million baht lottery jackpot in Thailand
A man from Buriram province in northeast Thailand who makes chopsticks for a living won the first prize of 6 million baht in the lottery yesterday. Prayat Khosuk, a 40 year old craftsman from Nong Bon subdistrict, travelled to Prakhon Chai Police Station to record evidence of his winnings yesterday. The lucky winner said that his occupation is making OTOP…
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Suspected murderer of car saleswoman in Thailand charged with 7 serious offences
UPDATE Police pressed seven serious charges against the man who yesterday confessed to raping and murdering a young car saleswoman in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, on Saturday. Police say it is likely he will be punished with the maximum penalty. Initially, officers at Doi Saket Police Station charged 40 year old Nathapol “Ainat” Panpadungsap with three counts of rape using…
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Drunk cop abandons car blocking traffic in northeast Thailand
Yesterday, a drunk police officer parked his car in the middle of the road in Udon Thani province in northeast Thailand when he needed to pee. Upon his return, his wheel had been clamped. He attempted to drive the clamped vehicle before fleeing. Officers at Mueang Udon Thani Police Station were informed that someone with a police officer’s uniform was…
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Elephant moves fallen tree blocking road in Thailand (video)
An elephant moved a fallen tree blocking the Lampang – Phrae Road in northern Thailand during a storm on Monday, allowing traffic to resume as normal. The moment was captured on Facebook Live. The owner of the elephant, Weerawat Triyot, said that he was on his way back to Chaiyaphum province after taking his 16 year old elephant Dan Siam…
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Man caught smuggling 45 crab-eating macaques out of Thailand
A Thai man was arrested on a highway in Udon Thani province in northeastern Thailand yesterday with 45 crab-eating macaques stuffed into 13 boxes inside his car. He confessed that he was taking the monkeys to the border to be smuggled into neighbouring countries, most likely to be experimented on or killed for their brains. The monkey trafficker, 44 year…
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Tour bus driver flees scene after crash in Thailand, 1 dead, 40 injured
A tour bus driver fled the scene after losing control and crashing in Maha Sahakham province in northeast Thailand this morning. One person was killed in the crash and 40 more people were injured. At 12.05am, officers at Rat Charoen Police Station were informed that a Thai Sriram Company’s tour bus from Ubon Ratchathani to Bangkok lost control and crashed…
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Pregnant elephant tramples mahout to death in northeast Thailand
A pregnant elephant trampled its 60 year old mahout to death in Buriram province in northeast Thailand yesterday. The deceased’s wife said the elephant was moody because of the extremely hot weather. Officers at Satuek Police Station were called to Ban Nong Kaen village in Sanam Chai district after receiving a report that an elephant killed its owner. Police found the…
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Owner of mansion in Thailand angered at rumours it’s haunted
The owner of a grand, allegedly haunted mansion in northeast Thailand‘s Nakhon Phanom province came out to dispel rumours surrounding the house. The dilapidated building, belonging to the descendants of local nobility, garnered attention after it was reported to be worth millions. The owner has confirmed that the house has never been haunted and has never served as a repository…
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Mother heartbroken after son returns to Thailand for 3 days, only to be found dead
A young man from Thailand‘s northeast Udon Thani province, who had returned from working in Israel only three days prior, mysteriously disappeared and was later found drowned in a nearby pond. His mother is now heartbroken. The young man, identified as Thanom, from Chai Wan district, had gone missing from his home since early morning. Concerned villagers searched all day,…
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