New Thai Sauropod Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis Weighs 27 Tonnes, Largest Dinosaur Found in Southeast Asia

A newly described sauropod from Thailand, Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis, measured 27 metres long and weighed about 27 tonnes, making it the largest dinosaur ever found in Southeast Asia. That's roughly the weight of nine adult elephants.

Sauropods have long necks, small heads, and four column‑like legs. Researchers uncovered the fossils in northeastern Thailand, adding to the country's list of fourteen named dinosaurs.

The dinosaur stretched 27 metres and weighed approximately 27 tonnes. It lived between 100 and 120 million years ago during the Cretaceous period.

Based on related sauropods, Nagatitan likely fed on large amounts of conifers and seed ferns that required little chewing. Local residents first spotted bones about ten years before excavation finished in 2024.

University College London PhD student Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul led the study, and Scientific Reports published it. This find shows that giant sauropods persisted in Southeast Asia later than previously thought, indicating the region remained dry land before it became a shallow sea that ended sauropod habitation.

It also reinforces Thailand's growing importance in Cretaceous paleontology.

Researchers plan to examine bone microstructure and search for teeth to better understand growth rates and diet.