CHIANG RAI – The Earthquake Watch Division reported a 5.2 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar, about 132 kilometres from Chiang Rai. Residents in several parts of Chiang Rai, including Mae Sai, Wiang Chai, Mae Chan and the city area, felt the tremors.
No damage or injuries have been reported so far.
The quake was detected at 3.06 pm on 14 July 2025, with its centre at 21.626°N, 99.946°E and a depth of 10 kilometres. The quake’s epicentre is northeast of Mae Sai in Chiang Rai. Authorities will provide updates as more information becomes available.
People living in buildings in many parts of Chiang Rai noticed the movement, but there are no reports of property damage or people affected by this event.
Northern Thailand, including Chiang Rai, experiences relatively frequent but typically low-magnitude earthquakes due to its proximity to active fault lines, such as the Mae Chan Fault and the Phayao Fault Zone, and its location near tectonic plate boundaries, including the Sagaing Fault in Myanmar.
On May 5, 2014, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake (the largest recorded in Thailand’s modern history) struck Mae Lao District, Chiang Rai, causing one death, several injuries, and damage to homes, temples, and roads. Over 1,000 aftershocks followed, with the epicentre on the Phayao Fault Zone.
The region experiences about 123 quakes per year in or near Chiang Mai Province (close to Chiang Rai), with magnitudes typically below 4. Larger quakes (magnitude 6 or higher) are rare, occurring approximately every 40–45 years.
