Thai Life
Thailand guides, travel tips, cultural insights, and essential local information—discover everything you need to know about living, visiting, and experiencing the Land of Smiles. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for Thailand guides.
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Looking Back: The rise and fall of Chiang Mai
PHUKET: Chiang Mai has existed as a city for over 700 years. It is older than Bangkok and probably as old as Sukhothai. In the past, Chiang Mai was the capital of the Kingdom of Lanna, an independent kingdom rich in resources and unique in its culture and traditions. The city was founded by King Mengrai, who came to the…
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Across the Land: Evolution of high season property market
PHUKET: The last two months have been particularly ‘different’ from the past years’ norms in Phuket in more ways than one. Firstly, the weather has not been as predictable. Hot, sunny days are now interlaced with cloudy, rainy days and the weather forecast is hardly ever accurate. If you think the weather forecast in Phuket is sounding a little like…
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On Deck: Resurgence of sail boats in Phuket
PHUKET: Phuket’s marine destination reputation was, to a large part, built by the sailing fraternity. That statement is perhaps a red rag to some bulls, but in my opinion, the industry was built on the back of initial efforts by the sailing fraternity and for this, they should be grateful. Thirty years ago, back in 1987, the Phuket King’s Cup…
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Keep It Green: Opening the floodgates to a watery embrace
PHUKET: Southern Thailand has recently been in the watery embrace of floods that are unprecedented in their severity. A few statistics to clarify the situation: the inundation has affected 13 provinces in Southern Thailand, with Songkhla being the worst hit – 14 out of 16 districts have been declared disaster areas. There have been more than 40 recorded fatalities, while…
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Law, Life and Society: Becoming a professional teacher in Thailand
PHUKET: If there is one thing that impels young professionals to come and visit Thailand, it’s the idea that the grass looks greener on this side of the world. Thailand offers vast employment opportunities to foreigners, especially in the field of education. I recall being reluctant, yet interested, as I started looking into the possibility of becoming a teacher about…
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Phuket International Boat Show draws crowds
PHUKET: The 2017 Phuket International Boat Show (PIMEX) presented by Thailand Elite was held from January 5-8 and aimed to impress with an abundance of action in the marina and waterside Exhibition Hall – and a busy boardwalk at host venue Royal Phuket Marina. Despite the unexpected rainy weather on the last two days, visitor turnout was strong, with a…
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Profile: Tara Sudlow – A special connection with Phuket
PHUKET: Tara Sudlow is a Perth native who moved to Phuket 22 years ago, and for the last 13 years has been running her own real estate company here. “I first visited Phuket in 1986 at the age of 14. I was a very shy kid back then, always hanging around my mother. Then, I met this amazing Thai family…
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Property: Angsana Beachfront Residences attract global interest
Advertorial: PHUKET: The Banyan Tree Group’s launch of Angsana Beachfront Residences, its inaugural investment in resort style living in Thailand at Laguna Phuket, Bang Tao Beach, is already being hailed a success. Over 60% of the beachfront luxury branded condominiums have been sold since the project was announced last month (story here). “We are receiving a level of response in…
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Property: Banyan Tree redefines grandeur
Advertorial PHUKET: The Banyan Tree Group has unveiled designs for a selection of five-bedroom villas adjacent to Bang Tao Beach on the west coast of Phuket. With the infrastructure already complete, the Group is inviting interested parties to make appointments for private viewings of the newly-launched ‘Banyan Tree Grand Residences’. “The Banyan Tree Group is renowned around the world for…
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Gardening: Returning to the scene of the crime
PHUKET: I was recently asked to return to the scene of a crime. Well, not an actual one, but an on-site consultation at which I was asked how the neglected common parts of an estate might be given – literally – a new lease on life. This is a high-end residential estate with spectacular villas perched on a precipitous hillside…
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On Deck: Two voices are better than one
PHUKET: Recent comments from Weerasak Kowsurat of the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) caught my eye, and could have profound repercussions for Thailand’s yacht charter industry. The following is excerpted from a December 23 article in The Nation: “TCEB chairman of the board Weerasak Kowsurat said … providing MICE visas and MICE work permits to business travellers … could…
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Profile: Yoga for peace of mind, body and soul
PHUKET: Kanokwan Borunphan, 26, is a yoga instructor in Phuket. Although she started out in the field just two years ago, she already has her hands full with classes and students of various ages. “I love yoga and practice it every chance I get. When I first started out, I took classes in Phuket Town for two months, but it…
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On Deck: Yachting forum needs better exposure
PHUKET: We’ve had one regatta, two superyacht rendezvous and a yacht show in the last month in Phuket. Squeezed in between all of that was the little-discussed Thailand Yachting Forum (TYF). Held a day before the Thailand Yacht Show, the second TYF was this year hosted by Phuket Boat Lagoon. Juthaporn Rerngronasa, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing, kicked it…
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Angsana launches beachfront branded freehold residences
Advertorial PHUKET: The Banyan Tree Group has launched a new dimension in resort style living with its first branded condominiums in Thailand under the Angsana brand. Aimed at foreign buyers seeking high-quality freehold properties by the sea, the two and three-bedroom residences – each with a private swimming pool and expansive patio – are one of the last remaining ‘absolute…
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Excuse buster: Healthy holiday recipes
PHUKET: I hope you have had a great festive season and that those with children are enjoying their time with them during the holidays. I thought I would offer some healthy, tasty and easily made alternatives to the standard treats that will keep both kids and grownups happy. You’ll notice that the recipe is full of good fats such as…
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Looking Back: Planning a Royal funeral
PHUKET: Royal funerals are solemn affairs that take months to plan. When a monarch or a high-ranking royal passes away, their body is taken to the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall inside the Grand Palace complex. There, the body lies in state while craftsmen build the royal funeral pyre, an intricately crafted structure which takes up to nine months to…
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Keep It Green: Reefers, rogues and regulations
PHUKET: According to recent statistics, Thailand has the fourth largest seafood export industry in the world, valued at a massive 6.5 billion dollars a year. With its fleet of Phuket-based fishing vessels and substantial shrimp-farming industry, the island is a significant contributor to this figure. However, adverse international publicity in the last few years has caused some decline, following allegations…
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Profile: Thomas and Sonia Baumgartner – all eyes on the finish line
PHUKET: Thomas and Sonja Baumgartner may be two among thousands of athletes who competed in this year’s Laguna Phuket Triathlon, but their story is an inspiring one nonetheless. Hailing from snowy Switzerland, the couple are regular vacationers to Phuket. Although of an active and sporty disposition, they had never thought about taking part in a triathlon event until their daughter…
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By the book: Preparing your property for sale
PHUKET: The onset of high season is here again. The monsoon rains have passed, the sun is out and businesses are preparing for the influx of tourists to Phuket. The next six months are when most buyers will visit Phuket and when most property sales occur. Phuket real estate brokers will have already been short-listing those properties they will concentrate…
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Second phase of Cassia apartments attracts investors with assurance of 7 p/c returns
Advertorial World-class developer of premium resorts, hotels and residences, The Banyan Tree Group is enticing investors to Cassia Phuket apartments at Laguna Phuket with a promise of 7 per cent returns over three years for owners. With the first phase already sold out, the second phase of the contemporary upmarket two-bedroom apartments in the grounds of the Laguna resort are…
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Gardening: Learning to prune banyan trees
PHUKET: Recently I received a question about pruning from Franck de Lestapis, general manager of Koh Lanta’s Pimalai Resort and Spa, which boasts a massive banyan tree that dominates the pool and beach. May I say straight away that Pimalai is to be congratulated for allowing such a wonderful specimen to flourish unimpeded. But it needs pruning. Let Franck take…
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On Deck: Perfect time to be messing about in boats
PHUKET: I’ve never met Kenneth Grahame. It would be rather difficult, as he passed away in 1932. However, he seemed to have a good outlook on yachting. In his classic book The Wind in the Willows, Rat said to Mole: “Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing…
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Profile: ASR co-founder Gordon Fernandes talks superyachts
PHUKET: Gordon Fernandes, one of the best-known super-yacht professionals in Phuket, is the general manager of Asia Pacific Superyachts for Phuket and Myanmar. He is also the co-founder and organizer, along with Captain Charlie Dwyer, of the annual Asia Superyacht Rendezvous (ASR), which is this year celebrating its 16th event in Phuket. Having worked in Thailand for many years, Gordon’s…
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Property Watch: Not everything can be ‘unique’
PHUKET: No other word suffers as much abuse in the Phuket property market as the word ‘unique’, to the extent that the misuse itself is almost unique. The word is important for property investors, because the ‘Unique Selling Point’ is a factor that ought to be addressed at an early stage of investment. However, items that are not unique could…
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Blazing Saddles: All for the love of cycling
PHUKET: Born in the mountains of Switzerland and with the strength and resilience of a wiry mountain goat, it may have been Martin Brot’s destiny to become a champion cyclist. However, his journey to Thailand and his subsequent launch and management of Siam Bike Tours, now based at Canal Village in Phuket, is the stuff of adventurous legend. Martin was…
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Excuse Buster: Alternatives to the ‘white devil’
PHUKET: “This may seem exaggerated and far-fetched, but sugar is the most dangerous drug of the times and can still be easily acquired everywhere,” says Paul van der Velpen, the head of Amsterdam’s health service. This is the same Amsterdam where the sale of cannabis is legalized. Research that refined sugar is one of the main reasons for our current…
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Profile: DJ Kura draws crowds of thousands
PHUKET: DJ Kura, named as the 51st most popular DJ in the world, according to DJ Mag’s list of ‘Top 100 DJs of 2016’, performed for more than 3,800 partygoers at the Illuzion nightclub in Patong last night. A DJ and producer, Kura was born on August 21, 1987 and has been DJing for 11 years now. He is originally…
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Across the Land: Proposed 10-year visa for over-50s
PHUKET: Finally, after years and years of consideration and watching other neighboring countries benefit from attracting foreign residents for long-term resident stays, the Thai government has announced a long term (ten-year) visa for foreigners over the age of 50. The intention is to promote Thailand as an international hub for medical services. As Thailand plans to develop itself into a…
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Diving: Curate diving with kind words
PHUKET: You’re going to be hard pressed to find an easily accessible, warm water dive site anywhere in the world that wasn’t more glorious ten, twenty years ago. However, shallow tropical water sites, which have been most heavily transformed from global warming and other human impacts, are still capable of inspiring, mesmerizing and filling a diver’s heart and mind with…
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On Deck: Ready for a wet ‘n’ wild year end?
PHUKET: Are you ready for the busiest time of the year? Not Christmas and New Year, but the six or so weeks of marine industry madness that is upon us. Kicking things off is the Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show. From 24th to 27th November, eyes are on the Gulf of Thailand as boat brands from around the world join…
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