Udon Thani:The Department of Mineral Resources has confirmed the discovery of 120-million-year-old footprints belonging to a carnivorous dinosaur from the theropod group in Udon Thani province. This marks the first finding of such footprints in the region.
According to Thai News Agency, fossilized footprints were found on the Phu Phan Formation sandstone layer, consisting of six distinct prints. These theropod dinosaurs, known for walking on two hind legs, left footprints characterized by three pointed toes, each measuring 29 cm in length and 26 cm in width. The analysis suggests that the dinosaur stood approximately 1 meter 42 centimeters tall at the hips and had a body length of about 6 meters 30 centimeters, comparable to the “Siamotyrannus isanensis,” another theropod from the same period discovered in Thailand.
The footprints were initially reported in the Facebook group “What is this” by Mr. Pichai Prathetsena, who discovered them near the Phu Phrabat Ranger Station in Muang Phan Subdistrict, Ban Phue District. The Department of Mineral Resources conducted a field visit to verify these findings.
To protect the site, the Department of Mineral Resources, alongside the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, and the Fine Arts Department, are implementing measures in accordance with Section 25 of the Fossil Protection Act B.E. 2551 (2008). These measures aim to prevent damage from tourism and water erosion, with considerations to develop the site into a significant geological and fossil research and tourism destination in the future.