Scientists Unearth Southeast Asia’s Largest Dinosaur in Thailand

Researchers have identified Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis as the largest-known dinosaur from Southeast Asia, following the discovery of its skeletal remains in Thailand’s Chaiyaphum province. Estimated to have lived approximately 113 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period, this plant-eating sauropod measured nearly 90 feet (27 meters) in length and weighed between 25 and 28 tons. The fossils, including spine, rib, pelvis, and leg bones, were initially spotted by a local villager. Lead author Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul from University College London described Nagatitan as a bulk browser that likely fed on conifers and seed ferns. Due to its immense size, the adult dinosaur faced little threat from predators, although juveniles remained vulnerable. The species belongs to a subgroup of sauropods characterized by lightweight skeletons with internal air sacs. This discovery provides significant insights into sauropod diversity in the region, marking Nagatitan as the geologically youngest and largest of its kind in Southeast Asia before the area transformed into a shallow sea.