Fossils spur frenzy over dinosaur

Fossils more than 100 million years old discovered in Chaiyaphum last year are believed to belong to the largest herbivorous dinosaur found in Southeast Asia, according to the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR).

DMR deputy director-general Niwat Maneekhut yesterday said the remains belonged to a sauropod, a giant plant-eating creature.

Mr Niwat was speaking during a press briefing on the discovery at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment yesterday after spending more than a year studying the find.

The announcement came after the creature’s fossils were unearthed by Thanom Luangnan, a villager, in Nong Bua Rawe district of the province on March 2 last year.

He spotted the fossils while he was fishing near Ban Phanang Sua reservoir.

After the DMR was notified about the discovery, officials were sent to examine the catchment area where more than 20 fossil pieces have been dug up so far.

The remains include hip bones, a backbone and a 178-centimetre foreleg bone, which is the longest discovered in the country.

According to Mr Niwat, all the fossils believed to belong to the same dinosaur were found in sandstone layers, called khok kruat — one of the rock formations found in the northeastern region of the country.

The length of the creature was estimated at 23-30 metres. Therefore, the department is certain it was the largest herbivorous dinosaur ever to roam Thailand and Southeast Asia.

Mr Niwat said research will be conducted on the fossils to compare them to those of other dinosaurs found in other countries.

The research will take one to two years and the species could be a newly discovered one.