Best of
Thailand best-of guides on travel, lifestyle, entertainment, and property—discover hidden gems, top attractions, and expert tips. Explore with The Thaiger, your trusted source for the best experiences in Thailand.
-
7 best yoga teacher training courses in Thailand (2026/2027)
Thailand has no shortage of yoga teacher training courses. Between Phuket, Koh Phangan, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai and smaller retreat destinations, there are dozens of 200-hour programmes to choose from. This guide narrows them down to seven of the best yoga teacher training courses in Thailand, based on curriculum, teaching format, class size, location and what each programme actually offers…
-
Bangkok tops magazine’s 2026 city vote after missing last year’s list
Bangkok has been named the best city in the world for 2026 by readers of Condé Nast Traveller, topping the magazine’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards with a score of 97.68. The Thai capital finished ahead of Paris, Istanbul, Rome, Tokyo and Sydney, having missed the top 20 last year. The magazine attributed Bangkok’s rise to its mix of architecture, history,…
-
5 things to do in Bangkok this weekend (October 9 to 11)
Bangkok’s weekend begins with one of the city’s most recognisable annual traditions. Yaowarat is going vegetarian to mark the start of the kin jay festival, bringing food stalls, worship, and processions into Chinatown as the nine-day observance begins. Away from the crowds, there are more than a million books to dig through at Big Bad Wolf, an exhibition dedicated entirely to stationery, live…
-
MiVana launches SHOT DRINK made from organic coffee cherry
MiVana Company Limited, part of the Premier Group, has launched MiVana SHOT DRINK, a ready-to-drink wellness beverage made from organic coffee cherry pulp sourced from Chiang Rai’s watershed forests. The launch marks MiVana’s expansion beyond organic coffee into the wellness market, with a sales target of 100 million baht in the first 12 months. The new product builds on MiVana’s…
-
Thailand monitors suspected pneumonic plague death in Russia
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) said yesterday, October 5, that it is monitoring a suspected pneumonic plague case in Russia, but the risk of the disease being imported into Thailand remains low, with no evidence of spread beyond the affected area. Reports from Russia concerned 28 year old Darya Shipilova, a laboratory technician who worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague…
-
Health department debunks 5 leptospirosis medicine myths
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control has published five common misconceptions about medicine used to prevent leptospirosis, as flooding and standing water increase exposure risks in affected areas. The Ministry of Public Health agency said the guidance is intended to help people use preventive medicine correctly and avoid unnecessary antibiotic use. The first misconception is that the medicine provides 100% protection.…
-
Om Fashion Bespoke Tailor: Where Bangkok craftsmanship meets modern elegance
Looking for a top tailoring spot in Bangkok? Om Fashion Bespoke Tailor combines traditional craftsmanship with contemporary style, offering personalised suits, elegant Thai silk, custom shirts and bespoke garments created around the individual. Bangkok is a city where style, craftsmanship and hospitality naturally come together. For those looking to have something truly personal made, bespoke tailoring offers an opportunity to…
-
5 things to do in Bangkok this weekend (October 2 to 4)
Bangkok’s first weekend of October has a little more room to wander than usual. A former tobacco warehouse is filling up with vintage furniture and odd collectables, Sukhumvit is getting a small city farmers’ market, and classical guitarists from around the world are gathering for concerts and competitions. Elsewhere, Bangkok Climate Action Week begins with hands-on activities in Lumphini Park,…
-
MedPark Hospital receives Newsweek’s highest 5-Leaf rating for sustainability
MedPark Hospital has received international recognition for environmental sustainability after earning the highest 5-Leaf Performance Indicator in World’s Greenest Hospitals 2026, presented by Newsweek in partnership with Statista. The recognition highlights MedPark Hospital’s sustainability performance among hospitals worldwide. Launched for the first time in 2026, World’s Greenest Hospitals recognises hospitals that demonstrate strong environmental sustainability practices. More than 4,000 hospitals…
-
A second medical opinion halved the cost of this cancer treatment without changing the plan
There is usually more than one way to treat a condition, but most patients only ever see one. The plan arrives as a single option, with the diagnosis and recommended course presented together. Whatever alternatives the doctor considered along the way tend to stay with the doctor. One case in Bangkok this year shows how much difference those other options…
-
Why does Thai fruit come with chilli, salt and sugar?
If you grew up eating fruit plain, Thailand’s fruit carts can be a little confusing at first. You order green mango, guava, pineapple or rose apple, and instead of simply getting a bag of fruit, you are handed a small packet of seasoning. Inside might be chilli salt, sugar, dried chilli or a sweet and savoury dipping sauce. For many…
-
Ageing in Thailand means planning for treatment, not emergencies
If you have lived in Thailand for years, health insurance may not have been much of a priority, especially if you’ve rarely needed medical care. A check-up here, a prescription there and the occasional specialist visit can be easy enough to pay for out of pocket. But getting older means appointments start coming closer together, medication needs monitoring, and something that…
-
5 things to do in Bangkok this weekend (September 25 to 27)
Bangkok’s weekend does not need to begin with a major festival. One of the city’s small heritage museums offers a glimpse inside everyday life nearly a century ago, while elsewhere independent watchmakers, international cinema and an experimental take on southern Thai performance fill out the calendar. There is also a free Sunday screening of one of modern Japanese cinema’s most…
-
Pikachu grows up: Siam Center celebrates 30 years of Pokémon
Here’s a phrase that will make any Millennial feel old: the Pokémon franchise turned 30 this year. What that means is, if Pikachu were a real person, it would be settling down, buying a house in the Cerulean City suburbs, decorating it with Bellsprouts and calling itself a #PlantDad. While the news of Pokémon growing up will come as a…
-
Choosing the right cosmetic surgery clinic in Thailand starts with your safety
Choosing a cosmetic surgery clinic in Thailand can quickly become a comparison of surgeons, procedure prices and before-and-after photographs. Those things matter, but they do not necessarily tell you how seriously a clinic approaches the part that should come first: patient safety. Safety is harder to judge because much of it happens behind the scenes. It starts with the consultation…
-
5 things to do in Bangkok this weekend (September 18 to 20)
Not every weekend plan needs a ticket, a stage or a packed event schedule. This time around, one of Bangkok’s more overlooked green spaces offers the chance to walk among live butterflies for free, while elsewhere the city is filling the weekend with travel stories, photography, experimental art and international food. The mix moves from a quiet morning in Chatuchak…
-
The Tuna Truth documentary trailer released after first Asian screening in Bangkok
The trailer for The Tuna Truth documentary, a new ocean sustainability film directed by Sara Pipernos of Sunline Films and commissioned by the International Pole & Line Foundation, or IPNLF, has been released following the documentary’s first screening in Asia. The private screening was held at Blue Elephant Bangkok Sukhumvit to coincide with TUNA 2026, the major international tuna industry…
-
Why Thai ATMs do not dispense 20 or 50 baht notes
You have just arrived in Thailand and need money for a street-food stall, local bus or small shop. The ATM gives you a crisp 1,000 baht note, and the vendor looks at it as if you have handed over a government bond. Thailand issues banknotes in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 baht. Smaller notes are legal tender…
-
Should you close the toilet lid before flushing? Toto gives its answer
Japanese sanitaryware maker Toto told the website grape on September 8 that a closed lid cuts splashing and saves energy on heated seats. It stops short of claiming any protection from germs.
-
Why aftercare matters as much as the surgeon when you get cosmetic surgery in Thailand
Thailand has built a major cosmetic surgery industry over the past two decades, drawing international patients with experienced plastic surgeons, internationally accredited hospitals and costs that can be considerably lower than in Australia, New Zealand or the United States. Thailand’s medical and wellness tourism market was estimated at US$31.5 billion in 2024, with cosmetic surgery emerging as one of its…
-
Central Park Bangkok marks first anniversary with 25 million visits
Central Pattana plc is marking the first anniversary of Central Park, highlighting its growth from a new Bangkok landmark into what the company describes as “Bangkok’s World Stage.” The destination welcomed more than 25 million visits in its first year, including over 10 million visits from international tourists, while reaching nearly 100% retail occupancy. Located in the heart of Bangkok,…
-
FDA dismisses cancer fears linked to plastic water bottles
Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reassured consumers that PET water bottles are not made using BPA, after social media posts claimed bottles left in hot cars or direct sunlight could release dangerous chemicals and cause cancer. FDA deputy secretary-general Dr Pichet Puedkhunthod said today, September 10, that the information being shared online could give the public a misleading…
-
Why does rain make you tired during Thailand’s rainy season?
There is a very specific kind of tiredness that shows up during Thailand’s rainy season. You are not ill, and you may have slept perfectly well, but the sky is grey, your shoes are damp, Bangkok traffic is barely moving, and somehow it is only 2pm. If you have ever wondered why rain makes you tired, there is some science…
-
5 things to do in Bangkok this weekend (September 11 to 13)
Bangkok is offering plenty of reasons to do more than just browse this weekend. Artists will race against the clock in front of a live audience, creative technology will take over Cloud 11, and a riverside festival will mix handmade art with music and workshops. There is also a small Friday meetup for complete AI beginners who want to build…
-
10 popular lunch dishes in Thailand loaded with sodium that could wreck your kidneys
Many popular lunch dishes contain far more sodium than people may realise, from noodles, ramen and suki to khanom jeen, fried foods and processed meats. Eating high-sodium meals regularly can contribute to high blood pressure and may cause further problems for people with reduced kidney function. When the kidneys cannot efficiently remove excess sodium and water, fluid can build up…
-
Thai ER doctor dies after falling ill on duty. Her family donates her organs
Family of ER doctor donates her organs after sudden illness on duty The Thai Red Cross Society has paid tribute to an emergency medicine doctor in Chachoengsao whose family donated her organs after she fell ill while treating patients. Dr Ketjutha Makarod, known by the Thai nickname Mor Ju, was an emergency medicine specialist at Sanam Chai Khet Hospital, the…
-
Getting seriously ill in Thailand doesn’t have to derail everything
Most people planning a move to Thailand think about visas, housing, and cost of living. Fewer think about a cancer diagnosis, a heart attack, or a stroke – the kind of news no one plans for. These aren’t rare events, and knowing what each one actually costs and involves is far more useful now than it is from a hospital…
-
Phuket has a new place to be seen. It’s a sauna, and you’re mostly naked.
I went to have a look. I stayed for lunch, opened my laptop and did an afternoon’s work from the edge of a pool. Then I went back, did a yoga class and a sound bath, and briefly left the planet. Somewhere in between, something that has followed me around for twenty years went quiet. I liked it enough to…
-
Thailand Reports 53,362 Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease Cases in 2026
Health officials urge schools to screen for clustered HFMD outbreaks as rainy season cases continue, with over 53,000 cases and one death recorded this year in Thailand.
