Thai PBS Verify investigated the case of a teacher in Chiang Mai who posted a TikTok video showing the “Water Spring” phenomenon in the areas of Ban Rin Luang, Ban Nong Khew, Ban Nong Bua Daeng, and Ban Arunothai, Muang Na Subdistrict, Chiang Dao District, Chiang Mai.
The phenomenon caused corn fields to flood and transform into a lake-like area. The video has since gained significant attention, with over 1.8 million views.
Source: TikTok
Verification process
Through image search, we Thai PBS Verify found that shared images related to the water springing event on other pages, such as here and here (link to the records here and here).
We also contacted the original clip owner, who posted on TikTok. and They confirmed to Thai PBS Verify that the location of the footage is in Ban Rin Luang, Muang Na Subdistrict, Chiang Dao District, Chiang Mai Province. As of now, the spring continues to emerge from the hole (link to the record).
Additionally, it was mentioned that in the past, the amount of water springing from the well was not as much as what is currently happening. The springing started to be noticed around September 2024, which was after the flooding event in the area.
As for the comments from other TikTok accounts, some mentioned that they had either visited or lived in the area, while others raised doubts about the event.
- Has it ever been dry in the past?
- Yes, but it takes a long time.
- Normally, there’s no water. It’s a dry area.
- I’ve passed through the basin, and there was no water at all.
- In the past, there was water springing up, but not as much as this. It happens every 8 years, alternating, but now the water can’t be drained.
- There will be a dry period. The water springing event happens every 5-6 years, but this year is the worst.
For the area where the footage was recorded, after checking nearby locations on Google Maps, we found that the flooding occurs along Road 1178 in Ban Mueang Na, Chiang Dao District, Chiang Mai Province. (record link)
And when we look back at the same location, we find that in August 2021, there was no water at all in the area.
In January 2012, it was found that the area at the same location had a higher water level than in December 2022, but it still wasn’t as high as the situation in 2024, which is currently occurring.
An academic speculates that the cause is the rain from two months ago.
Professor Dr. Santi Pailoplee, a faculty member of the Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, shared his expert opinion regarding the viral video.. He stated that the phenomenon of water bubbling up, or spring water, in several areas of Chiang Mai Province, especially around Ban Nong Kheow, Moo Na Subdistrict, Chiang Dao District, is likely the result of heavy rainfall in the northern region about 1–2 months ago, as also reported in recent flooding news. (record link)
“The result of heavy rainfall on the mountains caused some of the water to seep into the mountains or into the underground water system beneath the mountains.”
In terms of the groundwater system, the occurrence of spring water or seepage water can happen in two ways:
- Sedimentary rock layers that function as aquifers: If these aquifer layers are tilted due to geological structures, when water fills them, the tilted aquifer layers will cause the water to flow down, generating pressure. This is similar to tilting a water bottle and making a hole at the bottom — the water will spring or gush out.
- Limestone layers in the area: There is a possibility that underground cavities or caves may form due to erosion from groundwater. In many areas, when water enters the cave system, some of it can leak out to the surface or flood plains.
Geological data analysis in the area of Ban Nong Kheaw, Mueang Na Subdistrict, Chiang Dao District, reveals that the entire area is covered by limestone (highlighted in orange). Additionally, there are numerous geological fractures (red lines) in the area, which increases the potential for the formation of cavities or caves within the limestone, as well as the likelihood of water leakage or springing to the surface.
Therefore, it can be concluded that the spring water phenomenon in Ban Nong Kheaw, Mueang Na Subdistrict, Chiang Dao District, during this period is caused by the heavy rainfall that occurred in the area between September and October. This rain infiltrated the underground cavities or caves, which are composed of limestone, and due to the pressure of the water, combined with the numerous fractures in the rock, some areas experienced water seepage and springing up.
“It is believed that the spring water phenomenon occurring in several areas of Chiang Mai Province may be due to the presence of large amounts of groundwater that are being discharged under pressure resulting from the tilting of the underground water layers.”
Original source: https://www.thaipbs.or.th/now/content/1897
