Photo courtesy of Tropical Natural History

T-Rex has a cousin. Say hello to Thai-Rex. Scientists in Thailand have uncovered three fossilized teeth of a dinosaur species related to the fearsome Tyrannosaurus Rex (T-Rex).

The teeth were the latest fossils found in northeastern Thailand, a region rich with dinosaur remains and an area that provides ample opportunities for research for paleontologists and other scientists.

“The species named “Tyrannosauroidea is a clade of theropods, including well-known carnivorous dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus rex from North America,” said Professor Chatchalerm Ketwetsuriya of Kasetsart University.

Chatchalerm was part of a team of archaeologists from Kasetsart University, Mahasarakham University, and the Sirindhorn Museum, and their findings were published in the journal Tropical Natural History.

The teeth found in the Phu Noi district of Kalasin province are estimated to be approximately 145 million years old. That would place them in the Tithonian age of the Jurassic period.

“This discovery notes the first report of Tyrannosauroidea in the Jurassic of Southeast Asia,” the archaeologists wrote in their paper. “This study sheds light on the possibility of finding new Thai dinosaur species in future excavations and studies.”

Dinosaur fossils were first found in Thailand in 1973. Since then, scientists have been discovering plentiful fossilized remains of 19 different species of dinosaurs in northeastern Thailand in an area known as the Korat Plateau. Some of the species had previously been unknown.

To educate locals and visitors to the Kingdom about Thailand’s place in the prehistoric world, Khon Kaen province has opened a Dinosaur Research Center and Museum. It houses a research and investigation section, fossil replication and conservation, a fossil collection house, a library and a permanent exhibition.

It is a highly popular place to visit in the region among tourists and schools, which organize trips for their students and classes to learn about the natural history of the Kingdom and the world.