A sandal-wearing foot next to a large, three-toed dinosaur footprint on rocky terrain, symbolizing the recent discovery of dinosaur footprints in Thailand.

120-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Footprints Unearthed in Thai National Park

2026-10-22

In a remarkable discovery in Thailand, a set of footprints belonging to a 20-foot-long theropod dinosaur were uncovered at Phu Phra Bat National Park.

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Pichai Prathetsena, while visiting the park with his family, stumbled upon the footprints near a stream. Captivated by the unusual marks, he photographed them and shared the images on a Thai Facebook page titled “What is this creature?” This caught the attention of the Thai government, prompting further investigation. The Department of Mineral Resources examined the site, finding six ancient reptilian prints dating back 120 million years.

The Importance of the Discovery

Each footprint measures approximately 11 inches (29 centimeters) in length and 10 inches (26 centimeters) in width, belonging to a dinosaur thought to have stood about 4.5 feet (1.42 meters) tall at the hip and stretched about 21 feet (6.3 meters) in length. “The find includes a single trail with six prints on the Phu Phan formation, dating to the Early Cretaceous period,” as stated by Thailand’s Department of Public Relations.

Person with slide sandals stands beside a wet, three-toed dinosaur footprint on a rocky surface. — A person wearing slides and athletic pants stands next to a large, three-toed fossilized footprint filled with water on a rocky surface.

With the park closed to tourists, researchers and officials are focused on preserving these invaluable trace fossils, including prehistoric tracks. Strategies are underway to protect the site from water erosion, enhancing its potential as a national center for education, research, and tourism in the geological and paleontological fields, the Department of Mineral Resources says on Facebook.

Sign reading 'Department of Mineral Resources' near a dinosaur footprint site. — Department of Mineral Resources

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Department of Mineral Resources sign at a location with dinosaur footprints. — Department of Mineral Resources

According to the Bangkok Post, the Department elaborated on the preservation process. Trace fossils, like this footprint, form when impressions left in soft ground harden over time. Layers of sediment covered the dinosaur’s imprint, preserving it as the sediment turned into rock.

Three-toed dinosaur footprint in rock, outlined in yellow chalk to highlight toes and heel pad. — A three-toed dinosaur footprint is pressed into rock, with yellow chalk outlines highlighting the toes and heel pad.

Unlike skeletal fossils, these foot marks provide insights into the locomotion and behavior of prehistoric creatures, allowing researchers to estimate gait, speed, and whether the dinosaurs moved in groups or alone. Public involvement often aids in these discoveries, as evidenced when a tourist’s photo led to the identification of a new plant species in Portugal, and an Instagram post in Colombia revealed a giant waterlily species.