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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Man rescued from water tank mishap in Nakhon Ratchasima
A man in Nakhon Ratchasima found himself trapped in a water tank while attempting repairs and required the assistance of emergency services. The disaster prevention and mitigation team from the Pho Klang Subdistrict Municipality received a call yesterday, January 14, about someone stuck in a household water tank. Upon arrival, the team saw the homeowner stuck in a 500-litre tank,…
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Chiang Rai border drug trafficking clash leads to 4 deaths
A skirmish erupted along the northern border, resulting in the deaths of four people involved in drug trafficking. The confrontation occurred late on Monday, January 13, leading to the seizure of 34 sacks of crystal methamphetamine (Ice), which weighed over 1 tonne. Major General Kidakorn Chantra, commander of the Pha Mueang Force, and Lieutenant Colonel Jakkrapong Sodsri, deputy commander of…
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Khon Kaen school director arrested for drug dealing
Police in Khon Kaen arrested a school director for drug dealing after a sting operation caught him in the act of delivering drugs to an undercover officer. Yesterday, January 14, Police Colonel Theerathat Phongsuwan, of Nong Song Hong Police Station, reported the arrest of 40 year old Naphatdol, a school director in Nong Song Hong district, Khon Kaen province. He…
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Isaan tamarind vendor fined for nude model marketing tactics
Police fined a sweet tamarind vendor in the Isaan province of Udon Thani 2,500 baht for using explicit photos of scantily clad and nude models to promote his shop. A medical professional from Ban Phue Hospital in Udon Thani urged officers from Ban Phue Police Station to take action against the vendor, who advertised his shop with explicit images. The…
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Chiang Rai hospital error leads to death of woman in dental surgery
A family in the northern province of Chiang Rai is seeking compensation from a private hospital for the death of a Thai woman who suffocated during dental surgery. The deceased, 33 year old Katesuda Buanark, passed away at a private hospital in Chiang Rai on December 19 last year. Katesuda primarily resided in Singapore with her husband and nine year…
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Motorcycle accident in Buriram caused by blanket entanglement
A young couple was involved in an unexpected accident after a blanket they were using for warmth became entangled with their motorcycle’s chain, causing it to crash in the middle of the road. The unfortunate incident, which occurred yesterday, January 12, left the man with a chipped tooth and the woman with a cut lip. Fortunately, a 10-wheel truck following…
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Udon Thani mother forces Thai-British girl into abuse by stepfather
A 15 year old girl from Udon Thani province revealed that her biological mother forced her into a relationship with her stepfather, starting at the age of 11. This abuse continued for four years, coinciding with her biological father’s illness and subsequent death. Chalida Palamat, the head of the Pen Nueng Foundation, along with Udon Thani Social Development and Human…
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Wildfire reignites, threatening homes and resorts in Korat
A wildfire reignited at Khao Loi in Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima, at 10am on Thursday, January 9, after previously being contained on January 8. Northeast Forest Fire Control Center 3 dispatched 35 personnel to the scene, collaborating with five agencies, including Khao Yai National Park and the Phayayen Subdistrict Administrative Organisation, to combat the blaze. Firebreaks were established to…
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Chiang Rai clinic accused of defrauding NHSO 1.8 million baht
Police in Chiang Rai province have been requested by the National Health Security Office (NHSO) to investigate a clinic suspected of defrauding the universal healthcare system. The clinic is alleged to have serviced at least one fraudulent patient. Doctor Attaporn Limpanyalert, deputy secretary-general of the NHSO, lodged a formal complaint at Ban Du Police Station in Wieng Pa Pao district.…
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Narcotics suspect arrested at Thai-Lao border after fleeing
A suspect involved in a narcotics gang was apprehended after fleeing to a neighbouring country. The 35 year old was arrested following a warrant issued by the Min Buri Criminal Court on December 16 last year. He faces charges related to possession with intent to distribute a class 1 narcotic, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, attempted murder of an…
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Copper thieves takes power supply from Buriram residents
Residents of Baan Jok Tia in Buriram province were left puzzled when a series of power outages occurred, suspecting the electricity authority had removed their meters due to unpaid bills. However, it was discovered that someone had cut the main power lines to homes and a local temple, possibly to sell the copper wiring. Residents from Baan Jok Tia, Mueang…
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Nong Khai man walks 500km barefoot after family dispute
A 62 year old man was reportedly forced out of his Nong Khai home by his wife and stepson, prompting him to walk barefoot over 500 kilometres to return to his hometown. A passerby found him and provided a lift, eventually taking him to a hospital. Police Colonel Ratapolchai Pensongkram from Chaiwan district, Udon Thani province, received a call from…
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Khon Kaen couple arrested for 1 million baht amulet theft
Police in Khon Kaen arrested a 45 year old man and his 48 year old wife on charges of theft and possession of stolen property. The couple is accused of stealing valuable amulets from a residence, which the woman had nabbed while working as a housekeeper. The stolen items, including several amulets such as the Phra Phuttha Chinnaraj Indochina and…
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Rice paddy search turns grim as baby girl’s body found in Sisaket
A shocking discovery was made by a 64 year old man searching for field rats in a rice paddy in Wang Hin district, Sisaket province, as he stumbled upon the buried body of an infant. The baby, estimated to have died two to three days earlier, was found yesterday, January 8. Police are investigating whether the child was dead or…
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Fight breaks out after Thai woman leaves 2 husbands for foreigner
A physical altercation over jealousy broke out in a market in the Isaan province of Surin on Sunday, January 5, after a Thai woman left her two Thai husbands to date a foreign man. A Thai woman who witnessed the incident shared a video of the chaos at the market on her Facebook account on Sunday. She wrote in the…
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Prehistoric skeletons found near Khon Kaen dinosaur museum
While preparing land for cultivation, villagers discovered prehistoric human skeletons estimated to be 1,500 to 2,500 years old, suggesting an ancient settlement location. The Fine Arts Department is examining the remains, found opposite Phu Wiang Dinosaur Museum in the Wiang Kao district of Khon Kaen province. Thipawan Wong-assapai, a skilled archaeologist from the Fine Arts Office 8 in Khon Kaen,…
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Thai man found dead in Buriram pond after motorbike crash
A man was found dead in a pond after allegedly taking a motorcycle without permission from a village in Buriram province. Police Lieutenant Sornsak Phakratok from Satuek District Police Station, Buriram, received a report yesterday, January 6, from the village head of Ban Nong Nam Khun, Ron Thong subdistrict, Satuek district. The report indicated the discovery of a male body…
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Thaksin sparks outrage with racist remarks in Chiang Rai
The former Prime Minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, delivered a controversial speech containing racist remarks about international models from Africa while supporting his daughter and Pheu Thai Party members in the Provincial Administrative Organisation chief election campaign in the northern province of Chiang Rai. Thaksin has taken a prominent role in the local election campaign in Chiang Rai as his…
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Elderly driver crashes into oil tanker in Lampang, 2 dead
An elderly driver lost control of a pickup truck, crashing into the rear of an oil tanker, resulting in significant damage and the death of two individuals, with two more sustaining injuries. The incident occurred yesterday, January 3 on Phaholyothin Road, in the Mae Kua area, Sop Prap district, Lampang province. Police, as well as the Lampang Rescue Association, the…
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Mistaken identity: Teens attacked outside Udon Thani police station
A tragic incident unfolded outside Ban Dung Police Station in Udon Thani province as a group of teenagers allegedly attacked an 18 year old and his 16 year old friend, leaving them with severe injuries. The altercation, which occurred at 3.13am yesterday, January 3, resulted in the older teenager suffering a brain haemorrhage. The motive behind the assault remains unclear,…
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Lucky day: Man celebrates 6 million baht lottery win in Nong Khai
A wave of excitement swept through a household in Nong Khai province when a young woman shared the news of her uncle’s lottery win. The Thai government announced the results of the national lottery yesterday, January 2, revealing the winning number 730209 for the first prize. A resident of Nong Khai province, identified only through her Facebook account Mod Modtanoi,…
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Concert ends on sour note in Sakon Nakhon, 1 critically injured
A violent altercation occurred at a concert in Sakon Nakhon province, resulting in one person being severely injured and five others suffering minor injuries. The suspect was taken into custody following the incident. The suspect, identified only by his nickname Tum, was apprehended after he allegedly attacked concert-goers near the stage, leaving behind a trail of injuries. The arrest took…
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Hunting game: Fake cop at large in Sisaket province
Officers are on the hunt for an imposter posing as a police officer who has been searching through citizens’ bags. The police chief of Khun Han district, Sisaket province, has confirmed that the suspect is not affiliated with the local police force and efforts are underway to apprehend the fake cop and bring him to justice. The incident came to…
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Thai woman seeks justice after lantern sets her car ablaze
A lantern released on New Year’s Day landed on a parked car at a house in the northern province of Phayao and set the vehicle ablaze. The car owner is now struggling to find those responsible for her loss. A witness, Sophon Panyod, rushed to alert his neighbour, 35 year old Saowaluck Jainak, after spotting a fire on the roof…
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Police trainee accidentally shoots and kills himself and relative
A police trainee in the northern province of Chiang Mai accidentally shot and killed himself and a relative while drinking alcohol and playing with a firearm on December 29, last year. Officers from Fang Police Station were called to a house in the Mae Ka sub-district, Fang district, Chiang Mai, to investigate the accidental fatal shooting. Upon arrival, officers found…
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Disturbed man allegedly butchers dog for sale in Udon Thani
A shocking incident unfolded yesterday in Udon Thani’s Ban Dung district when a disturbed individual allegedly killed a dog and displayed its butchered remains for sale. The dog, believed to have fled in panic due to new year fireworks, fell victim to the man’s disturbed behaviour. Upon receiving reports from concerned residents, Werapol, the administrator of the Bandung Update Facebook page,…
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Japanese man vows to behave after arguing with Thai police over lantern ban
A Japanese man issued an apology after arguing with and attempting to assault a Thai police officer who warned him against floating a lantern in the city centre of Chiang Mai. The attempted assault came to public attention after the Facebook page เจ๊มà¸à¸¢ v+ (Jmoi v+) shared footage of the incident yesterday, January 1. The incident reportedly occurred on December 31,…
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Electric car smashes into sugarcane truck in Khon Kaen
A serious accident unfolded in Khon Kaen province yesterday evening, December 27 involving an electric car rear-ending an 18-wheel sugarcane truck, resulting in severe injuries for the driver. Emergency services swiftly intervened to extricate the trapped individual and rushed him to hospital. Emergency responders from the Sawang Khon Kaen Samakkhi Foundation in Khon Kaen were alerted to the incident at…
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Thai father kills 2 children before committing suicide, only 8 year old boy survives
A desperate Thai father committed a murder-suicide involving his three children after his wife requested a divorce to start a new family. Tragically, only an eight year old boy survived the horrific incident. The distressing event took place in a bathroom near Mae Khao Tom Reservoir in the northern province of Chiang Rai at around 7.30am on Wednesday, December 25.…
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Winning numbers: Villagers seek lottery luck from Phayao anthill
Villagers in Phayao province have flocked to a revered anthill believed to bring good fortune, hoping for a lucky start to the new year. The anthill, located in Mae Ka subdistrict, Mueang district, has previously provided accurate three-digit numbers to those seeking fortune. The villagers gathered with offerings of flowers, incense, garlands, and colourful cloths, along with talcum powder, to…
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