Guides
Thailand guides on travel, culture, cuisine, and lifestyle—discover top destinations, hidden gems, visa information, and essential tips. Plan your journey with The Thaiger, your trusted source for expert Thailand guides.
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Sponsored 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Retiring in Thailand, most of the things you need to know
Please note: The information in this document is provided as a guide only. You should always check the latest information with a Thai Immigration official or professional visa agent. Thailand remains a popular world location for retirees – the beaches, climate, access to good medical care and great food. There may be a few more potholes in the roads and…
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Top 5 places to celebrate New Years Eve in Phuket (2020)
PHOTO: Kata Rocks Where better to spend your new year’s celebrations than the tropical island of Phuket. There’s such a variety of excellent choices you have some big decisions to make! From the insane to the family-friendly, busy Patong Beach to stylish beach clubs, they’re all here waiting to carry you into the new year. Forecast in Phuket for the…
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Top 5 places to celebrate New Years Eve in Bangkok (2020)
It’s hard to imagine a more vibrant city anywhere in the world, with warm weather and an entire population ready to party, to celebrate your New Year on December 31. Bangkok will host New Years Eve parties on almost every corner but we’ve listed the Top 5 locations for you to see in 2020. The links will take you to…
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Go easy on the antibiotics, warn Thai medical experts
Antibiotic resistance is a significant threat to the health of Thais, according to leading medical experts who are urging people to cut down their use of antibiotics. There has long been a practice of the drugs being all too readily prescribed – often completely unnecessarily or erroneously – by doctors in the Kingdom. The habit has then been learned by…
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Hospital in Bangkok first to open a specific medical cannabis clinic
A hospital in Nonthaburi, Bangkok, has opened its first medical cannabis clinic. The Phra Nangklao Hospital is under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Health. The Minister says that the clinic will be staffed by six doctors, a dentist, five pharmacists and four nurses. All have completed a specific training course in the use of cannabis in medical cases. The…
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Plant-based meat alternatives gain popularity in a fertile Asian market
PHOTO: delish.com Being a vegetarian, or vegan, in the land of smiles is a challenge. There are some excellent vegetarian options opening up, particularly in the tourist zones of Thailand. But outside of that you’re struggling to find dedicated vegetarian options and just have to ask for your favourite Thai food, but without the meat. But Asia, particularly south east…
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Top 10 benefits of living at a beach house
Living in a beach house is an ambition for many people, but the price is often too high in some counties. But in Thailand this dream remains affordable. Instead of 10 million Baht for a beach house in France or 7.6 million Baht for one in Spain, you can get a larger beach house on a tropical island for as…
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Kratom leaves to be declassified as a narcotic
PHOTO: Kraken Kratom Kratom, the controversial leaf used both medicinally and recreationally in Thailand, is to be declassified as a narcotic. Justice Minister Somsak Thapsutin says his ministry will propose new narcotics laws that will exclude kratom leaves from illegal drugs lists. Kratom is a tropical evergreen tree in the coffee family native to Southeast Asia. It’s common in Thailand,…
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What colour is your local hospital? Medical facilities to be colour-coded based on cost
PHOTO: Are they going to paint the hospitals in the coded colour? Three hundred Thai hospitals are being labelled green, yellow, or red, based on how much they charge patients for drugs and services. The Deputy of Internal Trade, Prayoth Benyasut, confirmed the move, with medical facilities labelled “green” having the lowest impact on your wallet. “We have listed 164 hospitals…
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Thai massage could get UNESCO heritage status
PHOTO: The Culture Trip The body-bending, bone-crunching, sharp-elbows and karate-chopping of Thai massage could soon be added to UNESCO’s prestigious heritage list. If you’ve ever walked a street in the kingdom, you’ll have been greeted with invitations for “massaaaaarge!” From upscale Bangkok spas to streetside shophouses in Pattaya and Koh Samui, “nuad Thai,” or Thai massage, is everywhere. An hour of…
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Chiang Mai – the wellness destination
Wellness Tourism Resorts in Northern Thailand are quick to adapt, as wellness tourism is on the rise. Many operators now offer packages that include anything from ancient spas, yoga in the forest, and monastery stays to farm-to-table produce, local cooking, Thai kickboxing classes, and mineral hot springs. And they have good reasons for it. Though wellness trips now account for…
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Top 10 things to avoid in Thailand
You’ll be spoiled for choice during your visit to Thailand. There is SO much to do. But there are a few things that may be worth avoiding, despite being available, during your time in the Land of Smiles. So, in The Thaiger’s opinion, don’t… 1. Swim at the southern Andaman beaches in the low season Every year about 50 or…
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New “Super Fund” to help Thais save gets green light from Government
PHOTO: Khaosod English The Super Savings Fund (SSF) introduced by the Finance Ministry has been given the go-ahead by Cabinet and is set to replace the older Long-Term Equity Fund. Thai PBS World reports that the new fund enables investors to deduct 30% of their savings, or up to 200,000 baht, from taxable income. It aims to boost long-term saving…
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Six-Pack Surgery offers painless solution to lazy gym goers
It’s time to banish those bums and tums thanks to an intriguing treatment that’s becoming increasingly popular in Thailand. Many of us have dreamed of strutting our stuff down one of Phuket’s golden sandy beaches. And now you can. If you want the ultimate beach body without pumping any iron, then six-pack surgery could be the ideal solution. Over the…
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Bangkok authorities aim to remove sugary soft drinks from schools
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration says it’s working to make all Bangkok schools soda-free (sugary drinks). The Nation reports that the BMA’s Permanent Secretary is consulting with municipal and district offices in an effort to improve the health of the city’s school children and protect them from the risk of diabetes from drinking too many sugar-packed juices and drinks. “According to…
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First clinic to offer medical cannabis opens in central Thailand
PHOTOS: The Nation Thailand’s first clinic to offer cannabis oil as a treatment option is now open in the central province of Ang Thong. The Nation reports that yesterday’s opening was presided over by the country’s Public Health Minister, Prapon Tangsrikertikul. It’s understood that cannabis oil will be offered at the hospital in the event that conventional treatments prove ineffective.…
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Fish sauce excluded from Thailand’s proposed tax on salty foods
PHOTO: Cook’s Illustrated Thailand’s Excise Department and Public Health Ministry is considering a levy on salty foods in an attempt to tackle the sodium-rich diets of Thai citizens, and the health consequences. The director general of the Excise Department, Patchara Anuntasilpa says the tax would be calculated based on the amount of salt in a product, with the proposal being…
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Top 10 ways to cope with Thailand’s humidity
It’s humid most of the year in Thailand. In the southern provinces during the ‘wet season’, it’s hot and humid all the time (May – November). You will sweat, a lot. Or in the case of ladies, you will perspire… or ‘glow’. Plenty of showers and common sense are your best advice. And drinking lots of water. You WILL get…
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Grab v Get v Food Panda – Delivery apps battle for the streets of Thailand
PHOTO: Tribune News “Like hotel bookings, travel, airline booking, news, banking and music, the food delivery business is starting to transform the restaurant business too.” Food delivery apps Get, Grab and Food Panda are locked locked in delivery war. But instead of flak jackets and guns, they’re wearing branded vests and carrying hot pizza on motorbikes. The pink Food Panda…
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Chinese Medical Tourists visiting Thailand set to exceed 1 million by 2020
With a flourishing medical tourism industry worth nearly $4 billion dollars annually, foreign patients are no strangers to enjoying Thailand’s cosmetic and plastic surgery treatments. From liposuction to laser hair removal, overseas travelers are continually driving the expansion of private clinics and hospitals across Thailand. Last year there were 35 million visitors, of which an estimated 9% were specifically for…
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Can you eat Bangkok’s biggest burger? 6 kilos and 10,000 calories – VIDEO
PHOTO: Chris Steaks and Burgers The gauntlet has been thrown down in Bangkok after a challenge started on You Tube to eat what is said to be the city’s biggest burger. Reuters reports that Chris Steaks and Burgers is offering diners a 10,000 baht prize if they can finish the 6 kilogram mega-burger, which is served with onion rings, bacon and…
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Sri Panwa welcomes returning Michelin-starred chef
Sri Panwa, a Phuket luxury resort famous for stunning ocean views, welcomes back Chicago’s two Michelin-starred chef Noah Sandoval of Oriole restaurant to display his contemporary American cuisine again on November 15-16. “We’re so thrilled to be collaborating with chef Noah to bring this truly special two Michelin-starred dining experience to our discerning guests in Phuket,” Sri Panwa’s managing director…
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Water shortage warnings in 22 provinces
People living in 22 Thai provinces are being warned to prepare for shortages of drinking water during the upcoming dry season, due to start on November 1. The warning was issued by the National Water Resources Office, citing low levels in reservoirs, which are the main sources for tap water production waterworks in 22 provinces. Areas at risk identified by the…
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Second phase of government’s economic stimulus package off to a good start
The government has launched phase 2 of its Chim-Shop-Chai scheme, aimed at boosting the country’s economy. The second phase is aimed at those who missed out on subscribing the first time round, with each person entitled to a 1,000 baht giveaway and a 15 – 20% rebate on spending between 30,000 and 50,000 baht. Thai PBS World reports that the…
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Three toxic farm chemicals to be banned from December 1
The National Hazardous Substances Committee (NHSC) resolved on Tuesday October 22 to ban the import, sale and use of paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos in Thailand from December 1. Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, a vocal supporter of the ban, hailed the resolution, saying the “heroic act” of the committee will be inscribed in the history of…
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Out of 37 countries, Thailand has the worst pension system, says Bloomberg
Thai Residents reports that on Sunday, Bloomberg published an article on the world’s best pension systems, using information gathered from the 2019 Melbourne Mercer Global Pensions Index. The survey looked at the pension systems of 37 countries with metrics including employee rights, savings, the number of homeowners, growth of assets, and growth of the economy. The purpose of the analysis…
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Top 10 most boring news stories
In the media we have ‘slow news days’. These days are when you scroll through countless feeds and articles to find something, anything, worth writing about. Then the deadline looms and you have to publish something. Then there are those glorious moments when something get published that really should never have been. But being the internet. these magic moments will…
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Sex Reassignment Surgery in Thailand (male to female) – a quick guide
MONTAGE: People Magazine Thailand has a well-deserved reputation for excellence in sex reassignment surgery and the before and after care of patients. The country has a long relationship with Kathoeys, affectionately referred to in Thailand as ‘ladyboys’, and consequently, a well-developed approach to quality surgery in this area. The following article has been prepared by My Medi Travel. Kathoey or…
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Top 5 reasons why Aussies choose medical tourism in Thailand
“With more than 15,000 Aussies travelling to Thailand each year for medical tourism, the country is a burgeoning market for cosmetic procedures. There are numerous Thai doctors who already have more than a 90% Australian client base. The landscape is certainly changing when it comes to price, surgical quality, convenience and post-recuperation.” Darren Lyons from medical information site MyMediTravel has…
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New Wellness venture in Thailand, Singapore multi-national teams up with Anantara Hotel Group
Verita Healthcare Group, a Singapore-based multinational company, just announced their collaboration with Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas. The two groups team up to provide a global network of coordinated and property-based wellness centers. As a result of modern lifestyle habits, the levels of chronic disease is increasing and the population is aging. This leads to a rapidly growing demand for…
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