CHIANG RAI – An earthquake struck Phan district on February 28, causing noticeable shaking in several areas. The Earthquake Observation Division of the Thai Meteorological Department reported the quake hit near Sai Khao Subdistrict, Phan District, Chiang Rai Province.
The event happened on February 28, 2569 (2026) at 4:08 p.m. local time. Officials measured it at magnitude 3.1, with a shallow depth of 1 kilometer. As a result, residents in multiple locations said they felt the tremor, including parts of Phan District and Mae Lao District.
Around the same time, the Thai Meteorological Department and the Department of Mineral Resources also confirmed the same details: magnitude 3.1, depth 1 kilometer, centered in Sai Khao Subdistrict, Phan District, Chiang Rai.
Authorities said the earthquake was linked to movement along the Phayao Fault group. This fault generally runs close to a north-south direction, and the motion matched a normal fault pattern.
Early reports said shaking was felt in Sai Khao, Tharn Thong, and San Klang subdistricts in Phan District. In addition, people in Dong Mada Subdistrict, Mae Lao District, also reported feeling it. For now, there are no reports of damage.
Earthquakes in Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai sits in northern Thailand near the Myanmar and Laos borders, so it sees occasional seismic activity. This is partly due to nearby fault systems such as the Mae Chan Fault, along with broader tectonic forces in the Golden Triangle area.
Thailand’s earthquake risk is usually considered low to moderate compared with some neighboring countries. Still, Chiang Rai has experienced some of the country’s most significant events, including the strongest earthquake in Thai history, the Mw 6.1 Mae Lao earthquake on May 5, 2014. That quake struck about 27 km southwest of Chiang Rai city.
The 2014 earthquake damaged buildings and infrastructure across the area. It also injured dozens of people and caused one death (from a heart attack), with shaking reaching MMI VIII near the epicenter.
Since then, the region has continued to see many smaller quakes, often below magnitude 4.0. For example, a 3.3-magnitude earthquake in Mae Sai District earlier that month was also shallow and widely felt, but it caused no reported damage or injuries.
These smaller tremors are a steady reminder of the area’s active faults. Even so, destructive earthquakes remain uncommon. Residents and local agencies continue to stress preparedness, building standards, and public awareness because Chiang Rai lies in an active seismic zone.
