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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  • Buddhists commemorate Visakha Bucha Day – Monday will be a holiday

    Buddhists commemorate Visakha Bucha Day – Monday will be a holiday

    Today is a public holiday in Thailand to mark Visakha Bucha Day, the most significant day in the Buddhist calendar, commemorating three defining events in the life of the Lord Buddha; his birth, attaining enlightenment at 35 years old, and then his death 45 years later, which all occurred on the full-moon day of the sixth lunar month. Visakha Bucha…

  • The Nation goes online-only from July 1

    The Nation goes online-only from July 1

    PHOTO: Somchai Meesen, CEO of Nation Multimedia Media Group, speaks to Nation TV yesterday about The Nation’s future. “Over the past five years, The Nation has lost 30 million baht a year on average.” The Nation newspaper will stop its print editions and go fully online from July 1, when the independent English-language daily turns 48, to focus more on…

  • Expat life in Thailand – a balancing act

    Expat life in Thailand – a balancing act

    We all come to live in Thailand for vastly different reasons. Sometimes love, sometimes an adventure, sometimes escaping something at home and sometimes for business. Our journey to the Land of Smiles, and then our settling in, can be fraught with shocks, cultural and financial. Here is one man’s story as told in ExpatLifeInThailand… by Shane Irvine I didn’t come…

  • University of Canberra urgently evacuates students after ‘gas leak’

    University of Canberra urgently evacuates students after ‘gas leak’

    …but Asian students wouldn’t have bothered rushing to the doors. Tertiary students have had to evacuate an exam room in the Australian capital of Canberra following a suspected gas leak and foul stench that was making the students ill. Staff at the University of Canberra library were forced to evacuate the building. But a search from security staff found that…

  • Top 5 places for foreigners to search for a job in Thailand

    Top 5 places for foreigners to search for a job in Thailand

    It’s about time you’ll stopped looking in all the wrong places. You have asked around, tried social media, asked all of your friends, left your details but no one really got back to you. What now? Let us make it easier for you. Here are the 5 best platforms in Thailand to look for a job and find one fast. JobCute…

  • We test drove the winner from the Phuket’s best burger competition

    We test drove the winner from the Phuket’s best burger competition

    by Carl Gulliver Last month Boat Lagoon hosted the annual Phuket’s Best Burger Competition (this year named ‘Dare to Dream’), and although we weren’t able to make it to judgement day, we made sure we test drove the winner. Phuket’s Best Burger Started in 2013, Phuket’s best burger competition has awarded the coveted first prize to Xana Beach Club, Kata…

  • Cannabis is not a cure-all, doctors warn

    Cannabis is not a cure-all, doctors warn

    “Even paracetamol can be lethal if it is wrongly used, so we should not idolise cannabis as a panacea and entirely replace conventional medicines with cannabinoid medicines.” Consumers are being warned that cannabis is not a panacea and cure-all for many illnesses and must be used cautiously under the management of health professionals. The warning comes from medical experts at…

  • Syphilis on the rise again in Thailand

    Syphilis on the rise again in Thailand

    Syphilis is again on the rise in Thailand. Although curable, this sexually transmitted disease can turn fatal if patients fail to recognise their infection and thus lose a chance to get timely treatment. The Bangrak STD centre, which is under the Disease Control Department, recently warned on its Facebook page that the number of syphilis cases had been rising at a…

  • Businesses rush in to capitalise on medical marijuana mania

    Businesses rush in to capitalise on medical marijuana mania

    The recent legalisation of medical marijuana in Thailand is spurring active efforts to investigate and develop the plant’s medicinal properties. Earlier this year, the government legalised medical marijuana citing research suggesting that cannabis may be beneficial in treating some chronic conditions. Despite the fairly ambiguous and unspecific wording in the legislation, many companies are now actively pursuing a profitable future…

  • Could cannabis cigarettes be available in your local convenience store?

    Could cannabis cigarettes be available in your local convenience store?

    Thailand’s Tobacco Authority is continuing to lobby for a license for the production of cannabis-based cigarettes but has a few legal, and moral, hoops to climb through before anything happens. Using the ‘health benefits’ argument, the Thai tobacco industry is hoping it can get the go ahead to manufacture cannabis-based cigarettes which could, if given permission, be as available in…

  • Phuket ranked sixth Best Destination in the World – Trip Advisor

    Phuket ranked sixth Best Destination in the World – Trip Advisor

    PHOTO: Patong Beach. Phuket was the only Thai destination in the 2019 list of the World’s Best Destinations Last year’s royal wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has put the Brexit-obsessed London on top of a list of the World’s Best Destinations in the TripAdvisor’s annual Traveler’s Choice Awards. London beat its close European counterparts, Paris and Rome in…

  • Two out of three Thai workers are happy at work

    Two out of three Thai workers are happy at work

    Most Thai workers say they have a happy work life but are hoping the new government will boost the minimum wage and provide better medical welfare benefits. Just some of the results of a recent National Institute of Development Institution (NIDA) poll. The poll was conducted around the country to gauge worker ‘happiness’ and ask what they expect from the…

  • ‘Fuell’ opens pre-orders on e-moto ‘Flow’

    ‘Fuell’ opens pre-orders on e-moto ‘Flow’

    In its first foray into the electric motorbike scene, Fuell has gone for a reasonably economical build – a side-step from designer Eric Buell’s race heritage (below). But despite its electric roots, ‘Flow’ is definitely not an around-town ‘cheapie’ which you have to charge three times a day. The Flow is a 180 kilogram serious bike with a chunky rear…

  • For the love of mangoes

    For the love of mangoes

    Thailand’s mangoes, famed for their smell and golden colour, often seen in the company of sticky rice and topped with coconut cream, are as local as you get when it comes to Thai cuisine. And is there anything better than a mamuang pun (mango smoothie) on a hot Thai day?! Mangoes have been cultivated around South Asia for thousands of years…

  • Na-Oh, taking off daily into a brand new culinary adventure

    Na-Oh, taking off daily into a brand new culinary adventure

    PHOTOS: The Nation | Na-Oh A restaurant with a theme, a grand gothic theme – a flying vessel taking survivors of a post-apocalyptic world to a safe zone. Na-Oh (a play on Noah and his journey-to-safety story) promises that its menu will constantly change to reflect a new theme set by the restaurant every three or four months, usually reflective…

  • Give your stretch marks a makeover – the tattoo solution

    Give your stretch marks a makeover – the tattoo solution

    Stretch marks, we’ve all seen them and many of us have a few. Both men and women can be affected. But Inked In Asia has a possible solution. Stretch marks are a natural indication that your body is growing and changing. It can be said that it’s your body’s way of ‘celebrating’ your growth – many would disagree. They are…

  • Thai suki restaurant customer injured as gas cooker explodes

    Thai suki restaurant customer injured as gas cooker explodes

    PHOTO: Facebook.com/สมพงษ์ เเก้วอาจ A gas canister has exploded at a Moo Katha or ‘suki’ restaurant in the Ram Inthra area of Bangkok. Moo Katha is a very popular kind of restaurant around the country. Thai Rath reports that Sompong Kaew-art posted on his Facebook that he had been near the restaurant when he heard an explosion. Passersby first thought a tyre had…

  • Private hospitals overcharging: 30-300 percent

    Private hospitals overcharging: 30-300 percent

    More than half the private hospitals operating in Thailand are overcharging for medical services and prescription drugs. Of the private hospitals alleged to be overcharging, the rates have been calculated to be 30% up to 300% over the actual production cost. The Director General of the Internal Trade Department claims that 295 of the 353 private hospitals have submitted their…

  • Thailand still in the world’s Top 14 for TB cases

    Thailand still in the world’s Top 14 for TB cases

    Thailand is struggling with tuberculosis, and remains in the list of the world’s 14 worst hit countries. Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but they can also damage other parts of the body. TB spreads through the air when a person with TB of the lungs or throat coughs,…

  • Hyatt Regency open new Spectrum Rooftop Bar in Bangkok

    Hyatt Regency open new Spectrum Rooftop Bar in Bangkok

    PHOTO: Award-winning Japanese architecture firm Super Potato tops off Hyatt Regency Bangkok Bangkok’s newest rooftop bar opens its doors this week as a sparkling new entry in the list of Bangkok’s top-shelf night spots. Designed by the Japanese design firm Super Potato, the Hyatt Regency Bangkok’s new Spectrum Lounge & Bar is a multi-faceted venue. On three different levels, the expansive…

  • STUDY: Daily marijuana use increases risk of psychotic disorder

    STUDY: Daily marijuana use increases risk of psychotic disorder

    The legalisation of medical-use marijuana continues to sweep across the globe, recently in Thailand where the roll-out and enactment of practical uses of the new legislation are underway. But this spread of a new legal credibility of the drug continues whilst possible health risks (or benefits) are not fully understood. Properly medically supervised or scientifically conducted studies continue to come…

  • Mummy makeovers rising trend in medical tourism market

    Mummy makeovers rising trend in medical tourism market

    Mummy makeovers in Thailand? You may not have heard about this phenomenon but it’s a real thing in the medical tourism market. Thanks to Thailand’s burgeoning medical tourism sector, more and more women are going under the knife to regain their pre-pregnancy stomach. Opting for lavish trips to South East Asia, female patients are travelling to Thailand for numerous treatments…

  • Top 10 restaurants in Phuket (2020)

    Top 10 restaurants in Phuket (2020)

    There are many excellent restaurant experiences in Phuket in 2020. Now Phuket has a broad and sophisticated range of restaurants that befit a Michelin guide dedicated to the region’s best. From floating restaurants to fine-dining, southern-style Thai cuisine to European fusion, Phuket’s got some of the best these days. Here, in no particular order, is the list of the Top 10 restaurant…

  • The 48 best cities in the world in 2019, have your say.

    The 48 best cities in the world in 2019, have your say.

    PHOTO: LA, one of the top five cities in the world What do New York, Melbourne and Chicago have in common? They’re listed as the top 3 cities in the world for 2019 in the latest Time Out Index survey. London, LA and Montreal fill up the next three places. So what’s the greatest city in the world? It’s not…

  • Top 10 tips for tattoos in Thailand

    Top 10 tips for tattoos in Thailand

    by Inked In Asia and Carl Gulliver We know for many it might be a holiday whim, while for others it may require months of planning and preparation. Here are some common topics and questions for getting a tattoo in Thailand. Why are you getting a tattoo in Thailand? Have you been following a Thai artist, or studio and want…

  • Is cooking endangered rays on ‘MasterChef Thailand’ OK?

    Is cooking endangered rays on ‘MasterChef Thailand’ OK?

    by Pratch Rujivanarom The cooking of what appeared to be spotted eagle rays during the MasterChef Thailand TV show on World Wildlife Day last night is sparking social media outrage over the appropriateness eating endangered species on mainstream media. Despite experts confirming that fishing, cooking and eating spotted eagle ray is completely legal in Thailand, as Thai law still does not…

  • A toast to female chefs – Women in Gastronomy 2019 Bangkok

    A toast to female chefs – Women in Gastronomy 2019 Bangkok

    Leading female chefs and wine makers will gather in Bangkok for the International Women’s Day culinary forum at Banyan Tree on March 8. The second edition of the global food forum Women in Gastronomy (WIG) organised by Gastronauts Asia will showcase an array of acclaimed female food personalities from Thailand and beyond. The full-day symposium will feature presentations and panel…

  • The marijuana amnesty. What does it mean and how can I apply?

    The marijuana amnesty. What does it mean and how can I apply?

    The Thaiger neither endorses, recommends or has any opinion on the possession or use of marijuana. This information is merely provided as a service to our readers. So, the big question, how can you RIGHT NOW, legally, smoke or use marijuana in Thailand? Thais and expats living in the kingdom now have new options following the enactment of a law…

  • Top 10 movies made in Thailand

    Top 10 movies made in Thailand

    PHOTO: tntdrama – Hangover 11 (2011) Thailand is active in attracting foreign movie makers to the Land of Smiles, and has been for decades. Many famous movies have been either partially or totally filmed around Phuket and other parts of Thailand. From ‘The Killing Fields’ to ‘Around the World in 80 Days’. Here is our list of the Top 10…

  • A cannabis amnesty could be endorsed this week

    A cannabis amnesty could be endorsed this week

    New regulations that offers amnesty to those in possession of, or using, cannabis are expected this week. The update comes from the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA secretary-general Dr Tares Krassanairawiwong also maintains that the recent legalising of medical marijuana doesn’t cover recreational use or allow cultivation by individual growers. He says the new laws…