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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  • British biker killed in horror crash on Chiang Mai highway | Thaiger

    British biker killed in horror crash on Chiang Mai highway

    A British man died in a road accident in Chiang Mai after falling off his motorbike and being struck by multiple vehicles during a late-night ride. Craig Davies, who was just days away from celebrating his 51st birthday, was killed instantly in the early hours of yesterday, October 9, following a high-speed crash in Chiang Mai. Originally from Wakefield, West…

  • Chiang Mai bans sky lanterns in six districts during Yi Peng festival | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai bans sky lanterns in six districts during Yi Peng festival

    Chiang Mai authorities have designated six districts as special surveillance zones where the release of sky lanterns, fireworks, and similar objects will be prohibited during the Yi Peng Lanna Light Festival 2025, held on November 5 and 6. Chiang Mai Provincial Clerk Chainarong Nantasa announced that the provincial government has issued clear guidelines to protect public safety and airspace during the…

  • Chiang Mai man smashes up cars, mental health concerns raised | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai man smashes up cars, mental health concerns raised

    A man with suspected mental health issues has been reported to have damaged parked vehicles in Chiang Mai, prompting residents to call for appropriate intervention from relevant authorities. Today, October 6, Chiang Mai residents contacted local media after a man was seen smashing car windows with rocks across the Mueang district and surrounding areas. The man appeared homeless and displayed…

  • 2 Irish women seen on CCTV chasing thief on Chiang Mai road | Thaiger

    2 Irish women seen on CCTV chasing thief on Chiang Mai road

    Police arrested a thief who snatched a bag from two Irish women as they were walking along a dark street in Chiang Mai province yesterday. The 20 year old Irish victims filed a complaint with Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station in the early hours of the morning after one of them lost her bag to the snatcher in Soi Moom…

  • Chiang Mai police caught extorting money from foreign tourist | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai police caught extorting money from foreign tourist

    A viral video emerged showing a police officer in Chiang Mai extorting money from a foreign motorcyclist, prompting an investigation into alleged corruption. The Facebook page Guru Guroo Chiang Mai shared the video yesterday, September 25, with the caption, “Another viral video! Thai police asked for ‘something’ from a foreign tourist. What’s that thing? The incident occurred near Chiang Mai…

  • Buffalo attack in Chiang Mai leaves 3 victims injured | Thaiger

    Buffalo attack in Chiang Mai leaves 3 victims injured

    A buffalo, believed to have escaped from a slaughterhouse in Chiang Mai, attacked two locals and a rescuer before passing away this past Saturday, September 20. The local rescue team received a report of the incident at 11.30am and rushed to the scene, a community in the Chang Klan district of Chiang Mai, a community consisting mostly of the Akha…

  • Myanmar national arrested for father-in-law’s murder in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    Myanmar national arrested for father-in-law’s murder in Chiang Mai

    Yesterday, September 20, police and local administrative officials apprehended a Myanmar national, accused of fatally shooting his father-in-law in Mueang Mae Chaem district, Chiang Mai province. The suspect, 27 year old Bounthong, was captured while hiding in the mountainous region of Ban Pang Ung Kao, Mae Chaem district. The incident unfolded in the evening of September 18, when he allegedly shot…

  • TikTok star’s pet lion raises safety concerns in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    TikTok star’s pet lion raises safety concerns in Chiang Mai

    Concerns have arisen among residents regarding the safety of a pet lion, “Sorapong,” owned by a popular TikTok creator. This has led authorities from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation to inspect the premises, following an incident involving seven lions at Safari World, who fatally attacked a zookeeper. After the safari incident, the Wildlife Conservation Office mandated…

  • Thai municipality official dies in road collapse in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    Thai municipality official dies in road collapse in Chiang Mai

    A municipality official died in a road collapse while on duty, inspecting a drainage pipe under a road in the Mae Rim district of Chiang Mai province yesterday, September 10.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by The Thaiger (@thethaigerofficial) The 56 year old head of the Construction Department of Mueang Don Kaew Municipality Office, Prasert,…

  • Chiang Mai pickup crash topples 24 power poles and kills 1 victim | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai pickup crash topples 24 power poles and kills 1 victim

    A contestant from The Voice Thailand lost his life in a pickup crash on Nong Hor Road in Chiang Mai, which also damaged 24 electricity poles and caused a power outage in the area yesterday. A dash camera from another vehicle travelling on Nong Hor Road in the Chang Phueak district of Chiang Mai captured the shocking incident, which occurred…

  • RTAF unveils new US-built AT-6TH attack jets in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    RTAF unveils new US-built AT-6TH attack jets in Chiang Mai

    The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has inducted new US-made AT-6TH light attack aircraft into service in Chiang Mai to strengthen border patrol and anti-narcotics missions. RTAF commander Panpakdee Pattanakul confirmed the deployment on Thursday, September 4, saying that the new fleet replaces the ageing L-39ZA/ART aircraft. The AT-6TH planes were acquired under an Integrity Pact agreement with Textron Aviation…

  • Chiang Mai tuk tuk driver denies physically assaulting Chinese tourist | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai tuk tuk driver denies physically assaulting Chinese tourist

    A Thai tuk tuk driver in Chiang Mai denied physically assaulting a Chinese tourist after a video of the pair’s confrontation went viral on TikTok. The Chinese tourist, who posted the clip to his account, @ailong165, on August 29, claimed the incident occurred at about 8.45pm on August 28 in Chiang Mai Old Town. According to the tourist, the driver shouted…

  • Chiang Mai goose squad flops in moat cleanup stunt | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai goose squad flops in moat cleanup stunt

    Chiang Mai’s bold plan to clean its polluted moat with a flock of geese is ruffling feathers. What was meant to be a natural solution to green algae and water pollution has turned into a feathery fiasco, complete with photo-happy tourists, escaped birds, and zero results. Since August 21, Chiang Mai Municipality has been trialling a flock of 10 geese…

  • Landslide in Chiang Mai’s Pang Ung kills 1, destroys 5 homes | Thaiger

    Landslide in Chiang Mai’s Pang Ung kills 1, destroys 5 homes

    A landslide in Pang Ung village, Chiang Mai province, has destroyed five homes, resulting in one fatality. Over 10 people were injured, and one person remains missing. The incident occurred at 2.50am today, August 27, with emergency services promptly responding to the scene. Dusit Pongsapipat, head of the Chiang Mai provincial disaster prevention and mitigation office, confirmed the landslide struck…

  • Chiang Mai cops bust 700kg Taiwan-bound ‘Durian’ meth haul | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai cops bust 700kg Taiwan-bound ‘Durian’ meth haul

    A major drug bust in Chiang Mai has sent shockwaves through Thai law enforcement after police intercepted 700 kilogrammes of methamphetamine hidden in sacks marked with the bizarre branding “Durian.” The massive haul was discovered in the early hours of Monday, August 18, at around 1.12am, when police patrolling Ban Pa Bong Ngam in the Chiang Dao district stopped a…

  • Fire devastates Chiang Mai temple sanctuary with 3 million baht damage | Thaiger

    Fire devastates Chiang Mai temple sanctuary with 3 million baht damage

    A fire engulfed the sanctuary of a well-known temple in Chiang Mai, leaving it in ruins. The blaze, which occurred at Wat Weluwan in Mueang Kaew subdistrict, Mae Rim district, was reported at 3.20am on August 18. Investigators from Mae Rim Police Station, along with the Phanthong rescue team and Mae Sa Subdistrict Administration Organisation’s disaster prevention unit, arrived promptly…

  • Missing girls found safe near Chiang Mai school | Thaiger

    Missing girls found safe near Chiang Mai school

    The Mirror Foundation has clarified that the disappearance of three young girls from their school dormitory in Mae Ai district, Chiang Mai province, was not a case of kidnapping or abduction. Yesterday, August 4, police from Mae Ai Police Station, investigators, border patrol troops, local police, and teachers from Rajaprajanugroh 30 School held a meeting to coordinate efforts to locate…

  • 3 Thai girls missing after late-night escape from Chiang Mai school | Thaiger

    3 Thai girls missing after late-night escape from Chiang Mai school

    Three Thai girls, aged between seven and nine, went missing after leaving their school in the northern province of Chiang Mai yesterday, August 3. Officers from Mae Ai Police Station urged residents of Chiang Mai and nearby provinces to report any information that may assist in locating the three girls, who disappeared from Rajaprajanugroh 30 School in the Tha Ton…

  • Body of tourist found decomposed in Doi Suthep forest, Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    Body of tourist found decomposed in Doi Suthep forest, Chiang Mai

    The body, thought to be a foreign tourist, was discovered in an advanced state of decomposition in the forest of Doi Suthep, located in the Mueang district of Chiang Mai. The discovery was made yesterday, August 3. A resident, while collecting forest products, found the body approximately 2 kilometres from the main road in tambon Suthep and reported it to…

  • 12 Chinese nationals arrested for operating call centre scam in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    12 Chinese nationals arrested for operating call centre scam in Chiang Mai

    Police arrested 12 Chinese nationals yesterday, July 30, for operating a call centre scam from a pool villa in the northern province of Chiang Mai. Officers from Provincial Police Region 5 and the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau raided the villa in the Mae Rim district following a tip-off that it was being used as a base for the scam. According…

  • Flood chaos fears as Chiang Mai braces for storm Wipha | Thaiger

    Flood chaos fears as Chiang Mai braces for storm Wipha

    Chiang Mai is on high alert as storm Wipha barrels towards the northern province, prompting the setup of 24-hour emergency operations and shelters for tens of thousands of residents. Provincial Governor Nirat Pongsitthaworn confirmed the launch of a round-the-clock Emergency Command Centre to manage the looming crisis. With weather forecasters warning of intense downpours, particularly in Chiang Mai’s upper districts,…

  • Thai transwoman brutally assaulted and raped by obsessed attacker | Thaiger

    Thai transwoman brutally assaulted and raped by obsessed attacker

    A Thai transwoman in Chiang Mai is seeking justice after being brutally assaulted and raped by a man with whom she had previously had a one-night stand and rejected his romantic advances. The transgender victim, Bell, sought help from the Emmy Volunteer Team after being unable to escape her attacker. Bell told the team she nearly lost her life during…

  • Class acts: Chinese scammers pose as students in pensioner con | Thaiger

    Class acts: Chinese scammers pose as students in pensioner con

    Crooks running a slick online scam from a swanky Chiang Mai villa posed as students while fleecing elderly Chinese pensioners out of millions, in yet another twist to Thailand’s growing cybercrime crisis. Three suspected ringleaders have been nicked and 17 others detained after Thai police swooped on a luxury pool villa in Hang Dong, uncovering a Chinese-led operation that preyed…

  • Chiang Mai tragedy: man kills wife, then himself in dispute | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai tragedy: man kills wife, then himself in dispute

    A tragic incident occurred on July 19 in Mueang Chaem district, Chiang Mai province, when a 43 year old man, Phak, fatally shot his 36 year old third wife before taking his own life. The incident left his two other wives in shock as they attempted to save the couple, but was too late. Police Lieutenant Colonel Samruang Monthanom, from the…

  • 9 karaoke bar workers arrested for assault on British tourist in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    9 karaoke bar workers arrested for assault on British tourist in Chiang Mai

    Police arrested nine karaoke bar workers in Chiang Mai for the gang assault of a British tourist yesterday, July 16, following a dispute over alleged overcharging. Officers from Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station responded to public concerns after a video of the attack went viral on Thai social media. The footage showed a group of Thai men, along with one…

  • Chiang Mai tops Asia’s best cities as Bangkok grabs 3rd place | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai tops Asia’s best cities as Bangkok grabs 3rd place

    Thailand has cemented its status as a tourism heavyweight after Chiang Mai was officially crowned Asia’s best city for 2025, leaving travel-hungry globetrotters buzzing with excitement. The prestigious ranking, released by Travel + Leisure, placed Chiang Mai at the very top of its coveted list, scoring a remarkable 91.94 out of 100. Bangkok wasn’t far behind, clinching third place with…

  • Chiang Mai University warns of deadly brain-eating disease | Thaiger

    Chiang Mai University warns of deadly brain-eating disease

    The Faculty of Medicine at Chiang Mai University warns of the silent threat posed by the brain-eating amoeba found in natural water sources, urging caution even with seemingly clean water. Yesterday, July 15, the official page of the Chiang Mai University Faculty of Medicine published an article highlighting the dangers of Naegleria fowleri, a single-celled parasite that can cause fatal…

  • Thai man arrested for assaulting autistic woman and boy in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    Thai man arrested for assaulting autistic woman and boy in Chiang Mai

    Police arrested a Thai man for physically assaulting two autistic victims, one of whom was a seven year old boy, on a footpath in Chiang Mai on Sunday, July 13. The victims, an autistic woman named JJ and her seven year old nephew Krit, contacted the Emmy Volunteer team, alleging that police officers ignored their case. The volunteer team pledged…

  • 2 Chinese men arrested in murder of fellow countryman in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

    2 Chinese men arrested in murder of fellow countryman in Chiang Mai

    Police yesterday, July 14, arrested two Chinese men in connection with the murder of a fellow countryman in Chiang Mai province. Two other suspects remain at large. A Chinese woman filed a complaint at Chiang Saen Police Station on July 8, stating that her younger brother, Yang, had been kidnapped for ransom. The criminal gang demanded 3 million baht from her,…

  • Thailand’s blind elephant becomes loving sanctuary grandma (video) | Thaiger

    Thailand’s blind elephant becomes loving sanctuary grandma (video)

    A once-reclusive elephant who spent years shunning contact has undergone a heart-melting transformation, capturing hearts around the world. Jokia, a blind elephant who survived Thailand’s brutal logging trade, had long preferred her own company, traumatised by a past she couldn’t forget. Rescued by the Save Elephant Foundation, she spent years wandering alone, too wary to bond with her kind. “She…

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