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?...

  • Northern Thailand school van crash claims young student’s life

    Northern Thailand school van crash claims young student’s life

    A young female student onboard a school van that crashed in the northern province of Nan has died, causing profound grief for her family and raising concerns about safety regulations. The incident occurred on Sunday, July 4 when the school van, carrying 16 students, lost control and overturned. Thirteen students sustained minor injuries, while three individuals, including the driver, were…

  • 71 year old Thai woman robbed and killed in Chiang Rai home

    71 year old Thai woman robbed and killed in Chiang Rai home

    A killer remains at large after killing a 71 year old Thai woman at her home in the northern province of Chiang Rai and stealing her gold necklace. A 58 year old Thai man, Prasit Sanukun, reported the death of his older sister, 71 year old Sa-ngiam Kunnana, to Mueang Chiang Rai Police Station officers yesterday, August 6. Prasit asked…

  • Japanese man found dead in Chiang Mai after four years of missing

    Japanese man found dead in Chiang Mai after four years of missing

    The missing Japanese man who lost contact with his mother for four years reportedly died from an illness last year at a house in the northern province of Chiang Mai. His body remains at a hospital in the province. The Japanese woman, 66 year old Yoshimi Nishi, arrived in Thailand on Monday, August 5, to search for her missing son,…

  • Phayao: Neighbourhood dispute over cat leads to violent altercation

    Phayao: Neighbourhood dispute over cat leads to violent altercation

    A neighbourhood dispute involving a cat led to a violent altercation in Phayao province, leaving a 60 year old man with severe injuries. The altercation took place yesterday, August 5, around 5pm at Ban Huai Krai, in the Thung Ruang Thong subdistrict, Chun district. Local police, rescue workers, and disaster prevention officers rushed to the scene. The injured man was…

  • Nakhon Phanom: Monk donates 18 million baht lottery win

    Nakhon Phanom: Monk donates 18 million baht lottery win

    A monk’s extraordinary luck has become the talk of the town in Nakhon Phanom province after winning a lottery jackpot of 18 million baht, generously distributing his winnings to the needy and local temples. Phra Khru Phanom Prechakon, also known as Phra Khru Kai, shared his good fortune on Facebook, inviting people to sign up for a special amulet distribution.…

  • Thai restaurant promises free meals to fans if boxer wins

    Thai restaurant promises free meals to fans if boxer wins

    A renowned Thai barbecue restaurant declared its unwavering support for local athletes, promising free meals to customers if they win their matches at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Following Kunlavut Vitidsarn’s valiant effort in badminton, where he clinched a historic silver medal, the restaurant continues to rally behind Thai athletes. Kunlavut, ranked eighth in the world, faced off against Viktor Axelsen,…

  • Thai man arrested for tricking young girls into porn production

    Thai man arrested for tricking young girls into porn production

    Police arrested a Thai man for tricking young girls into producing pornography and selling the explicit content online, the youngest being 12 years old. A monk and a government official were found to be regular customers of the suspect. The Royal Thai Police (RTP) and Chiang Mai Provincial Police held a press conference yesterday, August 5, to report the successful…

  • Minor earthquakes strike Chiang Rai twice in an hour

    Minor earthquakes strike Chiang Rai twice in an hour

    An earthquake struck Chiang Rai province twice within an hour, both with a magnitude of 1.4. The incidents occurred without any immediate reports of tremors. An earthquake with a magnitude of 1.4 was reported in Chiang Rai province twice within an hour. According to the Earthquake Surveillance Division of the Meteorological Department, the first earthquake occurred at 1.59am today, August…

  • Blood-filled bag thrown into home sparks outrage in Roi Et (video)

    Blood-filled bag thrown into home sparks outrage in Roi Et (video)

    A troubling incident has been circulating on social media, showing a mysterious black bag being thrown over a fence and blood splattering across the victim’s home. The incident occurred in Suwannaphum district, Roi Et province, and has been ongoing for two months. Captured on CCTV, the footage reveals the distressing moment when a black bag, thrown by a neighbour, lands…

  • Snake vs. gecko battle: ‘Room’ for drama outside the bedroom

    Snake vs. gecko battle: ‘Room’ for drama outside the bedroom

    A rare and dramatic encounter between a green snake and a gecko took place right outside a bedroom, leaving a man in shock and unable to leave his room. This unusual event was captured on video and quickly went viral on social media. Chanchai Choysanoi shared a clip on Facebook, showing the intense battle between the green snake and the…

  • Motorcycle runs red light in Khon Kaen, fatal crash ensues

    Motorcycle runs red light in Khon Kaen, fatal crash ensues

    A tragic accident occurred at a busy intersection in Khon Kaen, where a motorcycle ran a red light and was struck by a taxi, resulting in one fatality and serious injuries to the pillion rider. The incident was captured on CCTV. At 10am today, August 5, footage from a CCTV camera installed at the Pratu Mueang intersection in Khon Kaen…

  • Thai boy loses father while caring for disabled grandparents

    Thai boy loses father while caring for disabled grandparents

    An 11 year old Thai boy has been caring for his bedridden father and disabled grandparents in Ban Nachomphu, Udon Thani province, received the news that his father passed away. Chokanan Rungkul, known as Nong X, who has had to stop attending school to look after his family, faced the tragic loss of his 36 year old father, Suksan Rungkul,…

  • Teen dies in Udon Thani train-motorcycle collision

    Teen dies in Udon Thani train-motorcycle collision

    A tragic accident occurred when a train collided with a motorcycle at a prohibited crossing, resulting in the death of a 19 year old woman. Despite warning signs, locals frequently use the shortcut between two communities in Udon Thani. Police officers from Mueang Udon Thani Station received a report of a fatal collision involving a train and a motorcycle. The…

  • Monk wins 12 million baht lottery, plans to help community

    Monk wins 12 million baht lottery, plans to help community

    The abbot of Wat Si Chumphon in Khon Kaen received a warm celebration from devotees after winning 12 million baht in the national lottery. The 69 year old monk shared his journey of finding the winning numbers and his plans for the prize money. Wat Si Chumphon in Ban Nong Kiao, Khon Kaen, was buzzing with excitement as locals and…

  • Homeless man attacks security guard in Sakon Nakhon mall

    Homeless man attacks security guard in Sakon Nakhon mall

    A homeless man attacked a security guard at a shopping mall in Sakon Nakhon, confessing that he intended to use drugs before committing the act. The vagrant has a criminal record and had been defrocked after a stint in prison for drug-related offences. Police received a report of a man attacking a security guard at a shopping mall. The incident…

  • Heavy rain and flash flood warnings for northern Thailand

    Heavy rain and flash flood warnings for northern Thailand

    The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) issued a weather warning today, indicating heavy rainfall across the northern regions, with 80% of the area expected to be affected. People are advised to be cautious of flash floods and sudden water surges. The TMD’s 24-hour forecast predicts moderate southwesterly monsoon winds over the upper Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the upper Gulf of Thailand.…

  • Severe flooding in Mae Hong Son threatens rice fields

    Severe flooding in Mae Hong Son threatens rice fields

    Heavy rainfall in Mae Hong Son has caused the Mae Sa Nga River to overflow, flooding over 1,000 rai of rice fields. The famous Sutongpe Bridge, a well-known tourist spot, is also at risk of submersion, with landslides blocking several roads. Mae Hong Son is currently facing a crisis due to continuous heavy rainfall which has led to severe flooding…

  • Villagers seek fortune from mysterious ancient stone in Buriram

    Villagers seek fortune from mysterious ancient stone in Buriram

    An elderly man and his family performed a ceremony to seek fortune from a mysterious stone resembling an ancient boundary marker, which they unearthed 10 years ago and have since remained safe. His son revealed experiencing unusual sensations upon first touching the stone. During a local ceremony yesterday, 86 year old Samran Kaewkhunthong, his family, and fellow villagers from the…

  • Monk called to police station after haunted jail claims third detainee

    Monk called to police station after haunted jail claims third detainee

    Sarapee Police Station officers in the northern province of Chiang Mai invited a monk to perform a sacred ritual within a supposedly haunted jail after three detainees committed suicide. The latest death was reported on Tuesday, July 30. The latest victim, 53 year old Thai man Inthorn, was found hanging in the Sarapee Police Station prison on the morning of…

  • Khon Kaen residents find bag of 134,000 meth pills by roadside

    Khon Kaen residents find bag of 134,000 meth pills by roadside

    Residents in Khon Kaen stumbled upon a black bag containing 134,000 methamphetamine pills (meth) discarded by a roadside. Police are investigating fingerprints left behind to track down the drug trafficking network involved. Police Colonel Pichai Nakhundi, head of the Manchakhiri Police Station, explained that the drugs were found on the route between Ban Burana and Ban Nong Hai in Phon…

  • Thai Olympic boxer Somluck denies sexual assault charges in court

    Thai Olympic boxer Somluck denies sexual assault charges in court

    A Thai Olympic boxing hero arrived at Khon Kaen Provincial Court today, confident he could prove his innocence against sexual assault charges. The 51 year old boxer, Somluck Khamsing, and his close aide Pichet Chinaehantha, accompanied by their lawyer, attended court for the first hearing today, July 31, which involved the examination of evidence and witness lists. Prosecutors have indicted…

  • 2 Chinese men croc-ed in northern Thailand for wildlife trafficking

    2 Chinese men croc-ed in northern Thailand for wildlife trafficking

    Officers at Mae Sot Customs in the northern province of Tak arrested two Chinese men for wildlife trafficking on Monday. Mae Sot Customs officers told Channel 7 that they stopped a suspicious pickup truck at the Huay Kralok community in the Mae Sot district of Tak at about 2pm on Sunday, July 28. The driver was a Chinese man named…

  • Gunman sought after shooting at molam singer’s car in Khon Kaen

    Gunman sought after shooting at molam singer’s car in Khon Kaen

    A gunman has been issued with an arrest warrant after shooting at a molam singer’s car, peppering it with bullets. Police detained a woman who was in the car during the incident and questioned her for two hours. Tanadol Ballangsaprom, a 25 year old molam singer and owner of the band Sua Theeraphon Chailert, reported the shooting to the Khon…

  • Udon Thani noodle shop owner fined for pavement obstruction

    Udon Thani noodle shop owner fined for pavement obstruction

    Thai officials confirmed that the removal of tables and chairs from a noodle shop obstructing the pavement and road in Ban Dung district, Udon Thani province, was carried out in accordance with the law. The shop owner admitted to causing inconvenience and revealed that he and his nine year old daughter have been selling noodles since the early hours of…

  • Shameless Buriram school insists janitor pays 25,000 baht pickup bill

    Shameless Buriram school insists janitor pays 25,000 baht pickup bill

    A shameless school in Buriram has driven a school janitor into poverty after insisting he pays for repairs to the old school bus he drives. The unnamed school insists he pays a 25,000 baht repair bill despite being on a modest monthly salary of 10,000 baht. Kritsana Pitakkoet has been employed as a janitor at a local school for more than…

  • Drug-addicted Thai man beheads wife, claims ghost possessed her

    Drug-addicted Thai man beheads wife, claims ghost possessed her

    A drug-addicted Thai man beheaded his wife at their shared home in the Laplae district of the northern province of Uttaradit, claiming he killed a ghost, not his wife. Officers from the Laplae Police Station, and local administrative officials, on Sunday, July 28, searched for a 49 year old Thai man named Narin, for the murder of his 49 year…

  • British man rescued after falling off cliff in northern Thailand

    British man rescued after falling off cliff in northern Thailand

    Tourist Police officers rescued a British man on Sunday who fell off a cliff at Pai Canyon in the northern province of Mae Hong Son. Mae Hong Son Provincial Tourist Police Office were alerted to the accident at about 8am on Sunday, July 28. Police officers and rescuers from the Pai Samakki Foundation then rushed to the scene. Upon arrival,…

  • Forensic report disputes self-defence claim in Thai pond murder

    Forensic report disputes self-defence claim in Thai pond murder

    A forensic investigation has contradicted the testimony regarding the murder of a friend disposed of in a pond in Nakhon Sawan province. The suspect had announced the act a month in advance, and the woman involved denied any romantic relationship, asserting there was no love triangle. In the case of a 54 year old Thai man, Rung, who killed 53…

  • Siblings found dead in car at Nakhon Ratchasima temple

    Siblings found dead in car at Nakhon Ratchasima temple

    A pair of siblings were found dead in a car parked at a temple in Nakhon Ratchasima. The incident was reported around 9.30pm yesterday, July 26. Police Lieutenant Colonel Akkaradej Phengwong, an investigator at the Nakhon Ratchasima City Police Station, received a report of two deaths at Wat Nong Phai in the Pho Klang subdistrict, Mueang district. Upon arrival, officers…