Thailand’s ‘Last Titan’ Confirmed as Southeast Asia’s Largest Dinosaur

Scientists have identified a new dinosaur species in Thailand, named Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis, which is confirmed as the largest dinosaur ever found in Southeast Asia. Unearthed in Chaiyaphum province, fossils of this colossal long-necked sauropod indicate it measured approximately 27 meters and weighed between 27 and 30 tonnes. Living during the late Early Cretaceous period, roughly 100 to 120 million years ago, the species predates the Tyrannosaurus rex by about 40 million years. The discovery, published in Scientific Reports, was led by researchers from University College London and Mahasarakham University. Although the skeleton is incomplete, recovered bones including spine, rib, and leg fragments allowed for size estimation. Researchers describe Nagatitan as the last titan of Thailand, noting that subsequent geological changes turned the region into a shallow sea, making further large sauropod finds unlikely. The study highlights how warm, dry habitats during the Cretaceous period may have driven the evolution of gigantism in herbivores, with Nagatitan representing an early stage in this trend compared to later, even larger Asian sauropods.