Chiang Mai News
Chiang Mai news, politics, business, culture, and tourism—stay updated with breaking stories, local events, and expat insights from Thailand’s northern hub. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Chiang Mai news source.
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Chinese tourists ignoring the PM’s orders
If Thai PM Prayut doesn’t have enough to worry about with errant politicians not towing the line, he now has to contend with Chinese tourists not obeying his instructions. Daily News is reporting that Chinese tourists are ignoring prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s orders to stop feeding Chiang Mai’s pigeons. The edict from the Thai PM’s office, that feeding pigeons is…
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Thailand’s air quality measurement standards raise concerns
by Chularat Saengpassa From next month, the Pollution Control Department (PCD) will set PM2.5 particles as an indicator of Thailand’s air quality, but the move does not ease the concerns of people in the know. “I must tell you that the PCD intend to use the ‘24-hour mean’ as the indicator and that may be misleading,” said Tara Buakamsri, the…
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Making your point, head first into a fish spa
Sometimes you have to go the extra distance to prove your point. Like putting your head in a fish spa. Sanook reports that a Thai owner of hundreds of fish spas around the country has made hi point about an Australian woman and the foreign media for discrediting his business. The actions of Chaiyaporn Lojaya follow the Australian’s claim in…
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Storms and strong winds hit Chiang Mai
A major road in Chiang Mai province has been blocked by fallen trees and power poles following strong winds and heavy rains today. Trees and power poles on the Chiang Mai-Fang road in Mae Taeng district were brought down at about 10am, officials said. Phairin Limcharoen, chief of the province’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, coordinated with the Provincial Electricity…
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Surprise raids seize fake goods valued at 30 million baht in Chiang Mai
The Night Bazaar market in the main city centre of Chiang Mai has been raided by 200 police. They seized 27,000 fake brand products with an estimated street value around 30 million baht. The raid started at 10pm on Wednesday night without warning, surprising shop owners. The police went through 25 outlets seizing fake branded goods – shirts, bags, clothing,…
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Green light for new Chiang Mai light rail project
The Thai cabinet has given the green light for the new light rail transit system in Chiang Mai.The new service will traverse above and below ground over a route of around 35 kilometres. The announcement was made on September 11 by the Thai government spokesman, Maj Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd that the cabinet has approved the light rail transit system in…
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Chiang Mai bids for listing as a World Heritage Site
PHOTOS: Photo courtesy of the Chiang Mai World Heritage Project Chiang Mai may soon be Thailand’s sixth World Heritage Site. Thailand’s current five world heritage sites include the Ban Chiang Archaeological Site in Udon Thani; the Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex; the Historic City of Ayutthaya; the Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns; and the Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife…
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Bangkok’s MRT given the green light to run Phuket and Chiang Mai light rails
Bangkok’s subway operator. the MRTA (Mass Rapid Transit Authority) has been given the green light to invest in the proposed Phuket/Phang Nga and Chiang Mai light rail services. The MRT is also going to run the service when the services are eventually constructed. The cabinet has approved some of the basic details of the project that will give the MRTA…
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Faculty conducts research on the Doi Suthep land
PHOTO: Chiang Mai City Life The Faculty of Law at Chiang Mai University (CMU) has joined the anti ‘Scar of Doi Suthep’ campaigners in the survey of the controversial plot of land. The survey group set out on August 6, led by Teerasak Rupsuwan, the coordinator of the anti-judicial residences on Doi Suthep campaign, accompanied with Dr. Pedithep Youyueyong, Faculty…
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Despite the heavy rain and floods in some regions, rainfall is up to 50% less than usual
For the man sound of body and serene of mind there is no such thing as bad weather; every day has its beauty, and storms which whip the blood do but make it pulse more vigorously. – George Gissing Tell that to the people of northern Thailand who have had rain pummeling localised areas for two months and now being warned…
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Chinese setting up shop in Chiang Mai
by Jintana Panyaarvudh The charm and beauty of Chiang Mai, the capital of northern Thailand, has made the province not only a must-see destination but also a golden nest for foreign investors – especially Chinese seeking business opportunities. Take Chinese entrepreneurs like Cherry and Zong Dan, for example. Having fallen for Chiang Mai’s charms, they opted to start their first…
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Dead Australian found in a Chiang Mai condo
PHOTO: Komchadluek The body of a 45 year old Australian has been found at a condo in Chiang Mai. Police and rescue workers were called to the One Plus condo located near the town centre after a maid reported a foul smell coming from the man’s room. The maid alerted the building’s manager who gained access to the room to discover…
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11 US exchange students were lost but now they’re found
A group of American exchange students got lost in a Chiang Mai forest yesterday, stranded on the edge of a cliff and had to be rescued by officials very early today (Thursday). Fortunately, the Nok Kok Cliff above the Tad Mok Waterfall has a mobile phone signal, so the students, one boy and ten girls, managed to call tourist police…
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VietJet upgrades to larger planes for Chiang Mai sectors
Vietjet, the Vietnamese-owned budget carrier, says it will add its newest Airbus A321 aircraft on some flights to Chiang Mai. Vietjet is the first airline to assign the 230-seat aircraft to a domestic route in Thailand replacing the smaller 180-seat A320 on two flights daily to Chiang Mai during the morning and evening peak traffic hours. By mid-September, up to…
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Land expropriation for new Chiang Mai airport expected to start next month
PHOTO: chiangmaicitylife.com Chiang Mai’s second airport is progressing with the expropriation of private land set to start in September. Chiang Mai City Life reports that, following the Airports of Thailand approval of new airport projects in Chiang Mai and Phuket with the budget of 125 billion baht, the board will be proceeding on the expropriation of private land. Story about…
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Thai woman drugs, then steals from two tourists – one of them is dead
Chiang Mai police are on the hunt for a Thai woman they believe has been responsible for the drugging and robbery of two foreigners – one of them has died as a consequence of her crimes. An Indian and US tourist were independently drugged and robbed by a “pretty, short-haired” Thai woman. The Nation is reporting that the Chiang Mai…
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Malaysian tourist caught lying to Chiang Mai police
PHOTO: Chiangmai News A Malaysian tourist is in hot water after telling Chiang Mai police that he’d been robbed by a foreigner in the city centre this morning. He’s now been charged with filing a false police complaint. 20 year old Pravin Krishnan was charged early this morning (Friday) less than two hours after lodging the complaint. Police say that he…
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Chiang Mai’s Doi Suthep houses to be immediately vacated
PHOTO: The Nation It’s time to go. The Chiang Mai OrBorJor and protest groups opposing the Doi Suthep housing project for judges and officials have agreed that the 45 housing units for judges must be immediately vacated. As those who still stay at a nine-unit condominium building, the meeting agreed that they must be moved too, to a smaller condo building within…
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Gang violence flares up at a pub, ends up at hospital – Chiang Mai
PHOTOS: Sanook Two gangs of young people went at it late into last night in Chiang Mai. When all the dust had settled one victim was recovering at the Chiang Mai Medical Centre. Sanook is reporting that the trouble started outside a pub in the Nimmanhaemin area of the city. A 21 year old was taken to Chiang Mai Medical Centre…
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Protesters demand removal of the court-owned properties on Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai
The fight over the Doi Suthep houses, deemed illegal several months ago, has taken a new tack over the weekend with an approach to the Department of Agriculture in Chiang Rai to build new offices and housing for judges there. But Doi Suthep protesters that’s not good enough. They say that the resolution to build new offices and residences for the…
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Now everyone can fly – from CNX to Hanoi
It’s getting easier and easier to get around the region with new start-ups opening up the skies and current operators always introducing new routes. Now, the people that brought us the slogan “now Everyone Can Fly”, Air Asia, is launched four direct flights a week between Chiang Mai and Hanoi, Vietnam’s northern capital. The Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday flights start…
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Chinese call centre gang raided in Chiang Mai
PHOTO: Chiang Mai City Life Thai police have had a lot of success recently tracking down call centre gangs in all parts of the country. This time in Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai City Life is reporting that a Chinese call centre scam operation was raided yesterday. Four Chinese citizens were arrested. The arrests occurred on August 7 at a housing…
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Warning out for Samui ferry as waves reach 3 metres in Gulf of Thailand
The Samui Harbour Office has issued warnings to the ferry operator to be careful in both directions on the Surat Thani run with waves up high as three metres today in the Gulf of Thailand. The office has also prohibited small boats from leaving the shores of Koh Samui. The ferry boat operator was warned to check lifejackets and all…
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Morning fire at the Chiang Mai post office
The local precinct superintendent, Pol Colonel Chuwit Kongkaew, says a fire, suspected to have been caused by a short circuit, broke out this morning (Sunday) in the local post office. The incident happened at the one-storey post office building of the San Khamphaeng branch. The fire, which occurred at around 7am, took fire-fighters 30 minutes to get under control at…
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Up to 1000 foreign volunteers affected by Chiang Mai immigration work permit stand-off
The head of two foundations in Chiang Mai has revealed to ThaiVisa that a stand-off between the new head of the Chiang Mai labor office and the city’s immigration department is causing trouble for up to a thousand foreigners who are volunteering at charities around the province. Our source – who has asked not to be named – said that…
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Illegal bird feed vendors arrested at Tha Pae Gate, Chiang Mai.
Chiang Mai City Life is reporting that the pigeons at Tha Pae Gate have been an ongoing issue for the city as their numbers has been reportedly increasing. In the attempt to prevent an infestation of pigeons in the area, Chiang Mai Municipality enacted a law prohibiting any street vendor in the area to sell bird feed. For tourists and…
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Protesters turn to ‘cursing ritual’ in the latest Doi Suthep protests
PHOTO: File Photo by Nisanart Kangwanwong If banners and peaceful protests don’t work, try a bit of local northern Thai ‘woo woo’ instead. As part of next month’s protests agains the Doi Suthep housing development in Chiang Mai organisers are planning a ‘cursing ritual’. The Doi Suthep Forest Reclamation Network is staging a major protest in late August to pressure…
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Chiang Mai wife grabs husband’s Glock and shoots him dead
PHOTO: Sanook Sanook is reporting that the police were called to a shooting crime scene shooting in a bedroom behind a convenience store in Hang Dong jurisdiction., Chiang Mai 48 year old Sawat, a civil defense volunteer in Chiang Mai was shot in the chest. He was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. The man’s wife, 60 year…
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Phrae bus crash – 35 university students injured
Thirty-five students from the Uttaradit Rajabhat University have been injured following a bus and car collision on the Rayong to Chaing Mai road last night (Thursday). Four of the students and the unidentified car driver were seriously injured and the rest suffered minor injuries, including the 52 year old bus driver Wichien Phromtha. Pol Lieutenant Apichat Chuathong of Huai Rai…
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Former US pilot shoots himself dead at house in Chiang Mai
PHOTO COMPILATION: Ban Muang A 62 year old former US pilot has shot himself in Chiang Mai on Wednesday. Ban Muang is reporting that the man’s Thai wife heard a single shot ring out at their house on the Rattanakosin Road in Chiang Mai. The woman ran to a bedroom where her husband was dead from a bullet wound to the…
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