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.

  • Ancient cart in Surin draws crowds chasing lucky numbers | Thaiger

    Ancient cart in Surin draws crowds chasing lucky numbers

    Hopes were high and incense thick in the air as villagers in northeastern Thailand gathered around a 100-year-old wooden cart they believe holds the key to lottery riches. Just before the government lottery draw today, November 1, locals in Ban Thap Dat, Sangkha district, flocked to the Somdej Thuat To Phrom Rangsi Buddha Dharma Garden to perform a traditional ritual,…

  • Phayao temple sparks lotto frenzy after 7 jackpot wins | Thaiger

    Phayao temple sparks lotto frenzy after 7 jackpot wins

    Locals and tourists in a northern Thai province flocked to a revered temple after reports emerged that multiple lottery winners had prayed there for luck. Today, October 30, crowds packed Wat Pa Phutthachinwongsaram in Phu Kam Yao district, Phayao province, after locals claimed to have struck the first-prize lottery jackpot seven times following visits to a revered temple statue. Now,…

  • Thai man with rape history arrested for slashing Burmese woman’s throat | Thaiger

    Thai man with rape history arrested for slashing Burmese woman’s throat

    Police last night, October 27, arrested a Thai man for slashing the throat of a Burmese woman in a vacant bathroom within the Mae Sot District Office in Tak province. Officers from Mae Sot Police Station received a report of a knife attack on a woman at around 11am yesterday, October 27. The attack took place inside an old bathroom…

  • Four dead, including 3 year old, after car crashes into canal in Phayao | Thaiger

    Four dead, including 3 year old, after car crashes into canal in Phayao

    A tragic Phayao accident claimed the lives of four family members, including a 3 year old child, after their car plunged into a canal. The incident took place yesterday, on October 25 at 6.57pm. Police are investigating the cause of this unfortunate event. The accident was reported to the Dok Kham Tai Police Station by the emergency room of Dok…

  • Lampang teen found dead near socket in suspected electrocution | Thaiger

    Lampang teen found dead near socket in suspected electrocution

    A 14 year old boy was found dead beside an electrical socket at his home in Nikhom Phatthana, Lampang, northern Thailand, prompting an investigation into the cause of his sudden death. The incident occurred yesterday morning, October 24, when the boy’s mother tried to wake him for school. After receiving no response, she entered his room and made the heartbreaking…

  • Man killed by exploding e-cigarette in shocking first for Thailand | Thaiger

    Man killed by exploding e-cigarette in shocking first for Thailand

    A man in Thailand died in Northeast Thailand after his e-cigarette exploded while he was fishing, marking the country’s first confirmed fatality linked to a vape device. The 47 year old man was found lifeless near a spillway in Ban Kut Chim, Mueang district, Nong Bua Lamphu province on October 18, after going fishing. At first, police suspected foul play.…

  • Northeast Thailand loan sharks steal rabbit in debt dispute | Thaiger

    Northeast Thailand loan sharks steal rabbit in debt dispute

    Two men were arrested in Northeast Thailand after allegedly damaging a woman’s home and stealing her pet rabbit over an unpaid loan of just 4,000 baht. Police say 24 year old Sitthikorn Kerdsiri and 22 year old Charoensak Piawwong were detained last night, October 20, in Mueang district after weeks on the run. Both were wanted on arrest warrants for…

  • MV actress and friend killed in Udon Thani motorbike crash | Thaiger

    MV actress and friend killed in Udon Thani motorbike crash

    A young music video actress and her friend were killed when their motorbike crashed into a pole in Udon Thani, leaving one man seriously injured. The fatal accident occurred at around 5.20am yesterday, October 20, in Soi Kamnan, Mueang Udon Thani district. Emergency responders from the Udon Sawang Methadharm Foundation were alerted to a motorcycle crash involving a collision with…

  • Lottery hunters chase lucky numbers at Udon Thani Naga site | Thaiger

    Lottery hunters chase lucky numbers at Udon Thani Naga site

    A wave of lottery hopefuls has descended on Kham Chanod Island in Udon Thani province, believed to be the mystical realm of the Naga serpent, to seek lucky numbers ahead of the upcoming draw. The island, steeped in legend and spiritual significance, has long been a hotspot for those hoping to channel supernatural luck into winning tickets. In recent days,…

  • SRT sues to reclaim Khao Kradong land from political clan | Thaiger

    SRT sues to reclaim Khao Kradong land from political clan

    Thailand’s railway authority has filed a court case to reclaim land in Buriram, alleging it was unlawfully occupied by a company and a political figure. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has launched legal action to reclaim two plots of land in the Khao Kradong area of Buriram, allegedly occupied unlawfully by Karuna Chidchob and Silachai Buriram Co. Ltd. The…

  • Over 120 year old stupa in Nakhon Phanom collapses after heavy rainfall | Thaiger

    Over 120 year old stupa in Nakhon Phanom collapses after heavy rainfall

    A 120 year old stupa, Phra That Non Tan, in the northern province of Nakhon Phanom, has collapsed shortly before its scheduled restoration work due to heavy and continuous rainfall. Residents of Tha Uthen district were seen crying in footage shared by Channel 7 after the collapse of Phra That Non Tan, located within Wat Phra That Phanom, on Sunday,…

  • Thai woman struck by lightning while hiking in Mae Hong Son | Thaiger

    Thai woman struck by lightning while hiking in Mae Hong Son

    A 30 year old Thai woman sustained serious injuries after being struck by lightning while hiking on Doi Pui Luang mountain in the northern province of Mae Hong Son on Saturday, October 11. The woman, Phattharaporn, travelled from her home province of Nakhon Si Thammarat in southern Thailand to hike through a trail on Doi Pui Luang mountain, located in the…

  • Family suspects murder after Thai man found hanging with 7 stab wounds | Thaiger

    Family suspects murder after Thai man found hanging with 7 stab wounds

    Police are investigating the death of a Thai man who was found hanging in his bedroom in the northern province of Phetchabun, with seven stab wounds to his abdomen. His family believes he may have been murdered. Officers from Lom Sak Police Station were called to a house in Lom Sak sub-district, Lom Sak district, Phetchabun, at 7.23am yesterday, October 8,…

  • Confused woman locks herself in Udon Thani men’s loo | Thaiger

    Confused woman locks herself in Udon Thani men’s loo

    Emergency services were called after a woman locked herself in a men’s toilet at a local office in Udon Thani, refusing to come out for several hours. The incident unfolded yesterday, October 8, at the Ban Khao Subdistrict Administrative Organisation office, where staff noticed a woman had entered the men’s toilet around 2pm and failed to re-emerge well into the…

  • 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…

  • British cave rescuer recovering from pneumonia in Chiang Rai hospital | Thaiger

    British cave rescuer recovering from pneumonia in Chiang Rai hospital

    Officials from the Royal Volunteer Spirit under the 37th Military District paid a visit to a British explorer who played a crucial role in the Tham Luang Cave rescue mission in Chiang Rai, following his recent hospitalisation with pneumonia.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by The Thaiger (@thethaigerofficial) The Commander of the 37th Military District,…

  • Lottery fever grips villagers at shrine in Uthai Thani | Thaiger

    Lottery fever grips villagers at shrine in Uthai Thani

    Villagers in Uthai Thani gathered at a shrine to seek blessings and lucky numbers from a revered spirit ahead of the lottery draw, hoping for fortune and safety. Crowds gathered at the T-junction in front of Wat Nong Muang yesterday, September 30, paying homage to Chao Mae Somboon, a revered spirit long associated with the site. Among them was 58…

  • Pickup driver claims brake failure after crashing man twice in Chiang Rai temple | Thaiger

    Pickup driver claims brake failure after crashing man twice in Chiang Rai temple

    A Thai man accused a female pickup truck driver of intentionally crashing into his father, killing him as he sat within a temple in Chiang Rai province. CCTV footage captured the vehicle striking the victim twice. The incident occurred inside Mung Mueang Temple in the Wiang sub-district of Mueang Chiang Rai district on Saturday, September 27. The victim, 68 year…

  • South Korean man, Thai wife and child rescued from Lampang forest | Thaiger

    South Korean man, Thai wife and child rescued from Lampang forest

    Officials on Saturday, September 27, rescued a South Korean man, his Thai wife, and their 10 year old son from a forest in Doi Khun Tan National Park in the northern province of Lampang, after the family had been lost for more than five hours. Officials from Hang Chat District Office, together with Doi Khun Tan National Park rangers and…

  • Father admits to shooting son over violent behaviour in Udon Thani | Thaiger

    Father admits to shooting son over violent behaviour in Udon Thani

    A father, unable to endure his drug-addicted son’s violent behaviour any longer, fatally shot him in front of their home in Udon Thani. The 63 year old admitted he reached his limit and was unafraid of prison. The incident occurred at 8pm yesterday, September 27, at a house in Ban Non Yang, Mueang district. Police Colonel Ratchapol Morarat of Na…

  • Bags of cannabis dumped outside Udon Thani home baffle locals | Thaiger

    Bags of cannabis dumped outside Udon Thani home baffle locals

    Villagers in Udon Thani were shocked when sealed bags of cannabis were found dumped outside a house, prompting a police investigation into the source. Residents of Ban Si Wilai in Mueang district, Udon Thani, were left both alarmed and confused after discovering 16 bags of dried cannabis dumped outside a home yesterday, September 26. The incident was reported to local…

  • 100000 baht missing following suspicious house fire in Phrae | Thaiger

    100000 baht missing following suspicious house fire in Phrae

    A Thai man is suspected of theft after a fire broke out in his room in Phrae province, and 100,000 baht in cash he had hidden behind a picture disappeared. Officers from Phra That Cho Hae Police Station received an alert about the fire at 9.10am yesterday, September 25, and rushed to the scene, a house in the Bang Pa…

  • Hungry elephant raids Korat BBQ shop in midnight rampage | Thaiger

    Hungry elephant raids Korat BBQ shop in midnight rampage

    A wild elephant from Khao Yai wandered into a barbecue restaurant in Nakhon Ratchasima during the night, causing damage while searching for food. The elephant, named Plai Biang Lek, was caught on CCTV casually wandering into a pork barbecue restaurant in Nakhon Ratchasima province during the early hours of yesterday, September 25, rummaging through the kitchen in search of a…

  • Giant monitor lizard crashes dinner plans at Thai restaurant | Thaiger

    Giant monitor lizard crashes dinner plans at Thai restaurant

    A large monitor lizard wandered into a restaurant in Thailand, prompting staff to call rescue workers as startled customers fled the unexpected visitor. A large monitor lizard caused a stir at a restaurant in Nakhon Ratchasima on Wednesday, September 24, after it unexpectedly scaled a wall and entered the premises, prompting panic among early diners and staff. The reptile was spotted…

  • Howling dogs lead to grisly corpse find in Udon Thani hut | Thaiger

    Howling dogs lead to grisly corpse find in Udon Thani hut

    A decomposed body was discovered in an abandoned hut in Udon Thani after locals, disturbed by a foul smell and howling dogs, alerted the police. The body of a 67 year old homeless man, known locally as Khamnum, was found wearing nothing but black underwear, already swarming with maggots. The discovery was made in Ban Muang community in the Mueang…

  • Gunfire erupts as Cambodian troops target Thai border fence | Thaiger

    Gunfire erupts as Cambodian troops target Thai border fence

    Cambodian soldiers fired shots at a barbed wire fence along the Thai border in Sisaket, prompting Thai troops to hold fire while keeping watch on the area. The incident occurred yesterday afternoon, September 23, in Sao Thong Chai subdistrict, Kantharalak district. Reports indicate that between three and five rounds were discharged at around 1.20pm, with Thai troops stationed nearby choosing…

  • Tragedy strikes Sa-on Run 2025 as runner collapses and dies | Thaiger

    Tragedy strikes Sa-on Run 2025 as runner collapses and dies

    A 45 year old hospital staff member collapsed and died during the Sa-on Run 2025 in Nakhon Phanom today, September 21. The woman, identified as Vatchara from Sakon Nakhon, fell while running along the Mekong River. Her husband, a police officer at Tao Ngoi Police Station, is travelling from another province to receive her body. The Sa-on Run 2025 was…

  • Jealousy leads to fatal stabbing in Phichit truck incident | Thaiger

    Jealousy leads to fatal stabbing in Phichit truck incident

    A construction contractor has been accused of fatally stabbing his partner, a nurse assistant, inside a pickup truck in Phichit province. Following the incident, Sombat attempted to take his own life but was found and hospitalised with serious injuries. The tragic event occurred last night, September 20, along Route 117, in Nong Lum subdistrict, Wachirabarami district. At approximately 10.30pm, Police Lieutenant…

  • Northern Thailand machete attack leaves teen with severed wrist (video) | Thaiger

    Northern Thailand machete attack leaves teen with severed wrist (video)

    Police arrested a machete-wielding suspect at a Lamphun checkpoint after a violent Chiang Mai clash left several teenagers seriously injured. The suspect, identified only as Mong, was caught at a drug checkpoint in Mueang Tha district while attempting to flee on a motorcycle. Police said Mong was wanted for his role in a violent clash earlier this year that left…

  • Villagers in Northeast Thailand demand monk disrobe over woman | Thaiger

    Villagers in Northeast Thailand demand monk disrobe over woman

    Villagers in Kalasin in Northeast Thailand confronted an abbot after he was found with a woman inside his quarters at night, sparking demands for his immediate disrobing. The disturbance broke out around 11pm yesterday, September 16, at a temple in Kae Pae subdistrict, Mueang district. A temple boy raised the alarm by beating a drum to alert the community after spotting…