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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3 Thai men killed by train while drinking near railway track
Three Thai men lost their lives after sitting and drinking alcohol near a railway track in the northern province of Lamphun. Officers from Mueang Lamphun Police Station were called to the scene of the accident, located at the railway track near the Ban Umong community, at 7.50pm,yesterday, February 17. Upon arrival, officers were met with the harrowing sight of the…
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Thailand cracks down on unruly foreigners
Thailand’s national police chief, Police General Kitrat Panphet, has ordered officers nationwide to monitor foreign nationals amid concerns over public order and safety. The directive, issued yesterday, February 17, cites reports of disruptive behaviour that could disturb social order, violate public morals, or harm Thailand’s reputation. It was sent to all police divisions, including the Metropolitan Police, Provincial Police Regions…
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Khon Kaen fish dish linked to liver cancer risk
A recent article from the LADbible highlights a grave health concern in Khon Kaen province and the northeastern region of Thailand, where a popular dish can potentially lead to liver cancer if not prepared correctly. The dish, known as koi pla, consists of raw fish mixed with herbs, spices, and lime juice. Unfortunately, the raw fish may harbour parasites that…
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Foreign musicians and bar owner deported after immigration raid in Pai
Immigration Bureau officials recently deported four foreigners in Pai district, located in the northern province of Mae Hong Son, for working and operating a bar without the proper permits. In light of the increasing number of Israeli nationals and the disruptive behaviour of some, locals in the Pai district voiced concerns about their presence. Some restaurants even banned Israeli tourists,…
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Big bovine: Thailand’s King Kong crowned tallest buffalo (video)
There’s a new towering titan in town, Thailand’s own King Kong, a colossal water buffalo, has stomped its way into the Guinness World Records, casting a bewitching shadow over Nakhon Ratchasima as the globe’s tallest buffalo. In the tranquil fields of Nakhon Ratchasima, a giant walks, or rather, ambles. Enter King Kong, the towering water buffalo who’s just muscled his…
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Thai couple arrested for selling porn of themselves and their son
A Thai couple in the northern province of Phetchabun made and sold pornography videos of themselves and their 10 year old son online, leading to their arrest on Saturday, February 15. Officers from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division discovered child pornography videos on a website and in a LINE group chat and conducted a further investigation to trace the source…
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Thai man dies falling from tamarind tree in Udon Thani
A 65 year old man fell from a tamarind tree and died in Mueang district, Udon Thani province. Police Lieutenant Colonel Peera Rasri from the Mueang Udon Thani Police Station was notified of the accident, which occurred in the backyard of a house in Village 5, Nong Na Kham subdistrict. Medical personnel from Udon Thani Hospital and rescue volunteers from…
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Deputy PM denies family’s golf course encroaches on reform land
Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has responded to allegations that a golf course owned by his family in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Chong district might be encroaching on agricultural reform land. The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives intends to examine the land title of the Rancho Charnvee Resort & Country Club, owned by the Bhumjaithai Party leader and current interior minister.…
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Fatal fall: Loei hole takes motorcyclist’s life after tumble
A 41 year old motorcyclist died after falling into a 2-metre deep hole on a construction site in Mueang district, Loei province. The accident occurred last night, February 12, when the victim, Adisak, fell into a pit dug for sewer installation near a petrol station. Witnesses immediately contacted rescue volunteers from the Ruamjai Rescuers Association in Loei, who arrived at…
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Tak immigration chief reassigned amid trafficking concerns
The Immigration Bureau has transferred the superintendent of Tak Immigration to a different post following reports of foreign nationals disappearing after being deceived into entering Thailand. The incident is suspected to be linked to human trafficking activities in Tak province. Police Major General Prashaya Prasansuk, the Acting Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, signed an order (No. 24/2025, dated February 12)…
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Elderly man killed by grandson in Udon Thani sword attack
An 88 year old man was killed at his home in Mueang district, Udon Thani province yesterday. A 29 year old suspect fled the scene with a long sword and remains at large. The incident occurred around 5pm, yesterday, February 12, with local police, including Police Colonel Pattanawong Chanpol and emergency services, responding to the scene. Phon sustained multiple injuries…
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Man arrested for child porn chatroom exploitation in Khon Kaen
A man has been detained for the sexual assault of underage boys and for distributing videos of the incidents in a paid online chat group in Khon Kaen. The man, 31 year old Warit, was apprehended at a residence in Ban Hat district during a raid conducted by the Cyber Crime Investigation Division 3 (CCID3) yesterday, February 12. The operation…
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Roi Et Airport to expand runway amid passenger growth
The Transport Ministry has instructed the Department of Airports (DoA) to redevelop Roi Et Airport following a rise in annual passenger numbers. Deputy Transport Minister Manaporn Charoensri approved the upgrade after inspecting the airport in the northeastern province yesterday, February 10. During the inspection, security measures and equipment at the airport were assessed to ensure compliance with International Civil Aviation…
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Thai man goes on mall rampage over forgotten phone password
A mentally ill Thai man went on a rampage at a shopping mall in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen after a worker at an iCare store was unable to repair his phone because he could not remember his Apple ID password. A video of the incident was shared by several media outlets, showing his violent behaviour at the iCare…
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85 year old Buriram woman revives 40 minutes after death
Residents of Nang Rong district, Buriram province, were astounded by the miraculous revival of an 85 year old woman, who came back to life 40 minutes after being pronounced dead. The elderly woman, identified as Phua Sriphadung, surprised her family as she sat up during preparations for her body to be moved to a nearby temple for religious ceremonies. She…
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Drug traffickers killed in Chiang Mai shootout, meth haul seized
Four members of a drug trafficking ring were killed in a shootout in a Chiang Mai forest, resulting in the seizure of over 100 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine and one million methamphetamine pills. The incident occurred on Saturday, February 8, near Ban Pang Nok, Moo 1, Malika subdistrict, Mae Ai district, when personnel from the 3206th Ranger Company, under the…
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Thai military foils Harley-Davidson smuggling across Mekong River
Thai military rangers intercepted an attempt to smuggle a Harley-Davidson motorcycle across the Mekong River to a neighbouring country. The operation, which occurred at night, resulted in the arrest of a 24 year old Laotian man and the seizure of the motorcycle. Colonel Intrawut Thongkham, commander of the 21st Ranger Task Force, reported yesterday that intelligence was received on Thursday,…
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Man caught with 800k meth pills in fake rescue car in Udon Thani
A 33 year old man was arrested after police discovered nearly 800,000 methamphetamine (meth) pills in a car adorned with rescue foundation stickers, leading them to initially believe he was assisting in a routine checkpoint in Udon Thani province. The arrest was made on February 4 outside Wat Sawang Samakkhi in Mueang district. Police Major General Suwan Chiaowanintawat, acting commander…
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Thai MP with history of sexual assaults accused of raping Taiwanese woman
Police issued an arrest warrant for a Thai Progress Party MP for allegedly raping a Taiwanese woman at a hotel in Chiang Mai province on January 9. The Taiwanese woman filed a complaint against MP Chaiyamphawan “Puaut” Munpianjit at Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station following the incident, which took place at 2am on January 9. The alleged assault occurred at…
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Korat inmate surrenders after hurting himself on prison barbed wire
A 25 year old inmate convicted of drug offences was apprehended after escaping from a correctional facility in Nakhon Ratchasima (also known as Korat). The escape, which occurred yesterday, February 6, involved climbing the prison wall and fleeing into a nearby community area. Prison officials in Nakhon Ratchasima alerted the local police about the escape, noting that the escapee, Kanpoj,…
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Chinese man arrested for spray-painting pharmacy in Chiang Mai
Police yesterday arrested a Chinese man for spray-painting on the roller shutter doors of two pharmacies in the northern province of Chiang Mai. The pharmacist, who owns a shop on Bamrung Buri Road in Chiang Mai, caught the 33 year old Chinese man, He Ma, red-handed yesterday, February 6, while he was spray-painting the store’s roller shutter door. The pharmacist…
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4 Israeli men arrested and deported after chaos at Pai Hospital
Immigration Bureau officers arrested and deported four Israeli men who caused chaos at Pai Hospital and within the community in the northern province of Mae Hong Son. The disruption at the hospital and in Pai district came to light after a medical team shared details of the incident on the Facebook page AggressiveDoctor. A doctor reported feeling exhausted and unsafe,…
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Anti-corruption body probes Khao Kradong land dispute
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has reported ongoing progress in its investigation into the land dispute between the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and the Department of Lands (DoL) involving approximately 5,000 rai in Buriram. However, the completion date for the investigation remains uncertain. Mongkol Srisawang, director of investigations for environment and natural resource-related cases at the NACC, stated that…
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4 Israeli men fined for causing chaos at hospital in Mae Hong Son
Police fined four Israeli men 3,000 baht each for causing chaos at Pai Hospital in the northern province of Mae Hong Son on February 2 by entering an emergency room without permission. The medical professionals at Pai Hospital expressed their dissatisfaction with Israeli nationals in the province to Channel 7 following the incident. One of the doctors revealed that a…
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Loei forest fire extinguished after 30-hour battle
Firefighters in Loei province have successfully extinguished a forest fire that ravaged 400 rai over a 30-hour operation. The blaze, which affected the Phu Huai Ngiu, Phu Hin Hong, and Phu Yata forests in Mueang district, had been active for a day and caused significant distress to residents due to the smoke. Thinnakorn Kasetkasorn, the mayor of the Chaiyaphuek Subdistrict…
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Kalasin police probe mysterious death of man found burned
The Police Colonel of Kalasin province is leading an investigative team to unravel the passing of a 73 year old man who was found burned to death in his hut. The investigation, based on collected evidence, aims to deliver fairness to all parties involved. Currently, all suspects are presumed innocent. On February 4, at the Khong Chai District Police Station in…
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Man arrested in Tak for smuggling tech gear to Myanmar
A 54 year old man has been apprehended in Tak province for attempting to smuggle computer equipment and surveillance cameras across the border to a call centre gang in Myawaddy, Myanmar. The operation, conducted yesterday, February 4, was led by Police Lieutenant General Kittisak Durongkiboon and involved various enforcement teams. The man, identified as Anusak Wongnoi from Mae Sot district,…
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Man arrested with 3.2 million meth pills in Mukdahan after car crash
A 32 year old man was arrested after crashing his car into an electricity pole during a police chase in Mukdahan province. Officers discovered 3.2 million methamphetamine (meth) pills in the vehicle, with an accomplice escaping in another car. Police from Region 4, in collaboration with various drug suppression units and the Mukdahan police, apprehended Setthachoke near Modcharoensap Garage in…
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Hunter found dead in Khao Yai Park, police investigate
A 58 year old hunter was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Khao Yai National Park. His wife revealed he used ripe jackfruit to lure wild boars and never returned home. Police found spent shotgun shells at the scene. Police Colonel Prasit Phakdi from Nadi Police Station in Prachinburi province received a report about a death near Khao Yai National…
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Chiang Rai to become major aircraft repair hub
Thailand is gearing up to challenge China in the lucrative aircraft maintenance industry, with Chiang Rai Airport (CEI) set to become a major Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) hub. The ambitious project, spearheaded by Airports of Thailand (AOT), is targeting the booming Chinese market. AOT President Kerati Kijmanawat revealed that land preparation is already underway, with the first hangar expected…
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