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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Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?
Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...
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Bus crash in Tak leaves driver, attendant dead, 35 tourists hurt
A bus driver and attendant died when a bus collided with a tree in the Wang Chao district of Tak province. The incident also left 35 foreign tourists injured. Police Colonel Wasan Sirikanjakom, head of Wang Chao Police Station, today, February 5, at 1.20am received a report from the Tak Provincial Police emergency centre about the accident on National Highway…
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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 for setting fire to sugarcane field in Buriram
A 53 year old man has been arrested for setting fire to a sugarcane field in the Mueang district of Buriram province, causing damage to over 30 rai with losses estimated in hundreds of thousands of baht. He claims alcohol and stress from a marital dispute impaired his judgment. Police Colonel Chamras Siriliang, along with other officers, apprehended Sombat yesterday,…
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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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Two arrested for fatal shooting at Chaiyaphum petrol station
Two men have been apprehended for the shooting of a former inmate at a coin-operated petrol station in Mueang district, Chaiyaphum province. The suspects, 30 year old gunman Kan and 27 year old driver Uma Wacharin, confessed to the crime, citing revenge as their motive. The shooting took place at a petrol station in Ban Wang Nam Khiao yesterday, February…
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Thai man fatally shoots wife and mother-in-law before suicide
A Thai man fatally shot his wife and mother-in-law today at their shared home in the northern province of Phitsanulok before taking his own life. Officers from Phrom Phiram Police Station were alerted to the shooting in Ban Wang Masra community in Phitsanulok’s Phrom Phiram district at around 2pm today, February 3. Officers used a drone to investigate the house…
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Thai father saves 3 children but dies in house fire in Lampang
A Thai father sacrificed his life to save his three children from a fire at their home in the northern province of Lampang yesterday. Officers from the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office of Khelang Nakhon Municipality were alerted to the fire at a three-storey building located across from Ban Kad Mek Fresh Market at about 1pm yesterday, February 2. The…
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Phichit candidate reportedly abducted in Nakhon Sawan
A candidate for the Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) in Phichit, Witya Mala, along with his wife, was reportedly abducted in Nakhon Sawan just before the election. Witya informed his father via phone that he was being held by an unidentified group, who claimed they would release him the following day. Reports reached journalists yesterday, January 31 at 5.30pm that independent…
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Fire erupts at Ubon Ratchathani petrol station, blaze contained
A fire broke out at a petrol station in Warin Chamrap district, Ubon Ratchathani province yesterday, January 31 at 6.30pm. This incident occurred on the same day that a molotov cocktail attack was launched at Somdet Phra Yuparat Hospital in Det Udom district. The Fire & Rescue Thailand Facebook page shared images of the petrol station engulfed in flames, with…
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Grim discovery: Elderly couple finds neighbour dead in Sisaket
An elderly couple stumbled upon the dead body of their neighbour outside their home in the serene Sisaket province. The unsettling scene unfolded in Moo 8, Nong Chiang Thun subdistrict, Prang Ku district, where a 77 year old man and his 75 year old wife discovered their 45 year old neighbour, Vachakorn, near a phone top-up machine, bearing a gruesome…
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Rabies panic: Khon Kaen officials say cooked beef is safe
Health officials in Sam Sung district, Khon Kaen moved to calm public fears after reports of rabies-infected beef sparked concerns about food safety. While a cow infected with rabies was slaughtered and consumed earlier this month, officials have clarified that properly cooked beef remains safe to eat. The outbreak began on January 23, when a dog infected with rabies entered…
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Lottery luck: Number 703 sparks lottery frenzy in Phayao
Residents of Ban San Pa Nat in Dok Kham Tai district, Phayao province participated in the annual ritual to honour the spirit of Chao Pho Ong Dam today. They gathered to perform traditional rites and offered various items including flowers, incense, and food. This cultural event, held on the 13th day of the waning moon in the fourth month, is…
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Opposition mounts against potash mining in Thailand
Opponents of potash mining in Nakhon Ratchasima are urging the energy group Bangchak Plc to adhere to good governance practices. Bangchak, listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, is the majority owner of the mining company with the concession rights. Representatives from the Dan Khun Thot Conservation Group convened at the Ministry of Industry yesterday, urging the Department of Primary…
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Thai transwoman stifles laughter as thief steals fake gold necklace
A thief broke into a luxury house in the Isaan province of Udon Thani and escaped with a gold necklace, but the homeowner later confirmed that the stolen item was a fake. The Thai transwoman, 27 year old Phattarawan Kongphuthorn, filed a complaint with Mueang Udon Thani Police Station officers yesterday after returning home to find signs of a break-in.…
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Police raid online football gambling site near Isaan school
Police raided an online football gambling site located just 500 metres from a school in Ubon Ratchathani, catering to children and youths with a monthly turnover of 1 million baht. The operation, conducted yesterday, January 24, involved high-ranking officers including Police Lieutenant General Trairong Phiwphann and Police Major General Wiwat Kamchamnarn. Acting on a tip-off, officers from Subdivision 2 of…
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7 Thai suspects arrested for abduction and robbery in Chiang Mai
Yesterday, January 23, police arrested seven suspects, aged between 16 and 20 years old, for abducting a 25 year old woman from a condominium in the northern province of Chiang Mai, brutally assaulting her, and stealing her cash and mobile phone. The 25 year old victim, Worrada, filed a complaint against seven suspects at Mae Ping Police Station. The incident occurred…
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Lamborghini driver flees scene, leaving his valuables and injured pickup driver
A Lamborghini collided with a pickup truck in Phitsanulok province yesterday, January 23, leaving the pickup driver injured. However, the exotic car driver was nowhere to be seen, reportedly fleeing the scene and leaving behind tens of thousands of baht in cash inside his wrecked vehicle. Officers from Mueang Phitsanulok Police Station responded to the incident on Singhawat Road, outside…
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Thai police halt illegal 15 tonnes of pork import from China
Thai highway police intercepted a major operation yesterday, January 22, involving the illegal import of more than 15 tonnes of pork meat from China. The meat, intended for restaurants in Bangkok, was smuggled across the Mekong River. Police Major General Khongkrit Lertsittikul, commander of the Highway Police Division, directed the operation leading to the arrest of three individuals: 27 year…
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Details emerge on Nakhon Phanom 12 million baht lottery dispute
The ongoing saga of a 12 million baht lottery win involving a female food vendor in That Phanom district, Nakhon Phanom province, has taken a new turn. The lottery, drawn on January 17, reportedly won 6 million baht for Boomlom, the food vendor, who claimed that Police Lieutenant Thitiphat, a customer she knew, had given her the ticket to settle…
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Love takes flight: Balloon festival lands in Chiang Rai
Get ready for an unforgettable Valentine’s Day and beyond as Chiang Rai’s skies light up with vibrant hot air balloons. The Singha Park Chiang Rai International Balloon Fiesta 2025 promises a breathtaking spectacle with 30 balloons from 13 countries taking flight next month. Pongrat Luangthamrongcharoen, Managing Director of Singha Park Chiang Rai Company Limited, has announced the return of the…
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Thai high school teacher accused of sexually assaulting 13 year old girl
A high school teacher allegedly sexually assaulted a 13 year old girl in the art classroom of a school in the northern province of Phitsanulok over several months. The parents of the 13 year old victim filed a complaint against the male teacher at Mueang Phitsanulok Police Station and later shared details of the case with DailyNews yesterday. They wanted…
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Khon Kaen: 4 year old girl has close brush with child abductor
A warning has emerged in Khon Kaen regarding an alleged child abduction gang after a mother recounted an incident involving her four year old daughter nearly being taken by a stranger. Police have confirmed that no missing child cases have been reported. A Facebook user posted about a child abduction gang in action yesterday, January 21, claiming her daughter was…
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Thai woman left in debt after lending 880k baht to friend
A woman voiced her grievances on social media after lending 880,000 baht to a close friend nearly three years ago, only to have it remain unpaid. While her friend continues to live a comfortable life, she finds herself burdened with a high-interest loan. The incident came to light yesterday, January 20, when the woman shared her story online, revealing the…
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Gold rush: Daylight thief strikes Phitsanulok market
A thief snatched a gold necklace weighing 2 baht from a 65 year old shop owner in broad daylight at a market in the Phitsanulok province. The suspect fled on a motorcycle, prompting police to launch an urgent search for the thief. The incident took place at the front of First Boutique, located at 109/103 Village 7, Bang Rakam subdistrict,…
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Buriram stray cat survives dart attack, raises 10,000 baht for care
A stray cat was found severely injured with a dart embedded in its head in Buriram province. Concerned residents notified rescue services to assist the animal and the public has since raised funds for its medical treatment. Rescue personnel from the Buriram Highway Police were alerted by villagers in Kradueang village, Thanon Hak subdistrict, Nang Rong district, about a stray…
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15 minor earthquakes shake Pai district in Mae Hong Son
A series of 15 minor earthquakes impacted the Pai district in Mae Hong Son province from Sunday evening, January 19 through yesterday afternoon. The Earthquake Observation Division of the Meteorological Department of Thailand reported these events took place in Wiang Nuea subdistrict, Pai district, between 9.56pm on Sunday and 3.46pm yesterday, January 20. The earthquakes registered magnitudes between 1.7 and…
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Boy found safe in Khon Kaen after drug use with father
A stepmother in Udon Thani reached out to a local activist after concerns that her husband was introducing their 12 year old son, A, to drugs. However, when officials investigated, they initially lost contact with the family. Eventually, they found the boy safe in Khon Kaen, preparing to become a novice monk, and he admitted to drug use with his…
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