Dinosaur Footprints Discovered in Thai National Park

A casual photograph snapped by a tourist during a family outing has led to the discovery of six fossilized dinosaur footprints in northeastern Thailand. The impressions, found along a dry stream bed in Phu Phrabat National Park, date back 120 million years to the Early Cretaceous period.

Editorial·October 23, 2026·reads: 487

Dinosaur Footprints Discovered in Thai National Park

The discovery began when 32-year-old Pichai Prathetsena noticed unusual marks while hiking through the Udon Thani province park. After posting his photographs to social media on October 18, the Department of Mineral Resources launched an investigation. By October 20, experts officially confirmed the site contained a trail of six tracks left by a theropod, a two-legged carnivorous dinosaur group.

Each footprint measures 29 cm by 26 cm, suggesting a creature roughly 1.42 meters tall at the hip and 6.3 meters long. This physical profile aligns with the Siamotyrannus isanensis, a theropod species previously documented in the region. To preserve the site, officials have restricted public access and are currently coordinating with the Department of National Parks and the Fine Arts Department to establish a protected zone under the Fossil Protection Act 2008. While the area remains under assessment, authorities hope to eventually transform the site into an educational facility for ongoing scientific research.