Best of
Explore the various aspects of Thailand, from its vibrant cities to its serene beaches, with Thaiger’s Best-of Guides. Covering a wide range of topics including lifestyle, entertainment, travel, and property, these guides will help you discover the hidden gems and top attractions in the country. Whether you are a tourist, expat, or local, our Best-of Guides provide valuable insights and tips to make your Thailand experience truly unforgettable.
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Sponsored 5 hidden healthcare costs in Thailand and how to avoid them
Thailand's healthcare system is affordable and supported by the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) scheme, offering essential services to most citizens. However, hidden healthcare costs can surprise patients and lead to unexpected expenses. These include specialist fees, insurance gaps, emergency services,...
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Top 10 things NOT to do in Thailand (2020)
There are thousands of things to do in Thailand, on any budget and in a growing number of locations. But there are a few things that may be worth avoiding, despite being available, during your time in the Kingdom. Thailand has its own laws and guileless regarding many of the issues you’re about to read about. Some of the things…
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The Top 10 types of expat in Thailand (2020)
Being an expat in Thailand you’ll go through plenty of phases – from excitement, to astonishment, to bewilderment, to (eventually) acceptance. It’s all an exciting journey, and will rarely go to plan. But that’s why so many of us love living in Thailand. There are some particular sub-sets of Thai expat we can spot a mile away. Far from type-casting…
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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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Wellbeing, chronic disease and integrative medicine
Re-printed with permission from expatlifeinthailand.com by Sevcan Gast, MD Since 1946, the WHO (World Health Organisation) has defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (1). Wellness, a more recent term, is “the pursuit of overall health in a physical and mental matter. It is a multidimensional state…
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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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Thailand introduces “plain” tobacco packaging
Thailand has earned praise from The World Health Organisation over its latest efforts to make smoking less enticing. They commended the roll-out of “plain” cigarette packaging this week. Cigarette packets are now much less attractive under the new regulations approved by the National Tobacco Products Control Committee. But the new “plain’ packaging is anything but plain, including graphic images of…
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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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Number one cause of death among Thais is cancer-related diseases
The Ministry of Health has identified that cancer is the number one killer of Thai citizens since 1998, adding that out of 122,757 new cases diagnosed in 2019, 73,000 patients have died. The article did not list the specific cancers although other research indicates that lung cancer is a leading disease amongst Thais. In comparison, the number of road deaths…
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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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“Medical cannabis is no panacea” – Thai FDA
PHOTO: syntheticurinereview.com The Thai Food and Drug Administration is again warning the public that cannabis is not a magic medicine that can cure all illnesses. The FDA deputy secretary-general Dr Surachoke Tangwiwat has repeated the warning that cannabis cannot cure many illnesses, including diabetes, high blood pressure and heart problems as well as mental illness. The doctor has issued the…
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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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Top 10 places to visit around Chiang Mai, on a motorbike
by Ryan Astaphan from Panumart Tattoo One of the joys of visiting Chiang Mai is travelling around on a scooter or motorbike (as long as you have a license) as you explore the countryside. By doing so you’ll get to take in the natural wonders and local culture that northern Thailand has to offer. The main roads are mostly excellent. But do…
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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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US pushing for delay to Thai ban on glyphosate in order to protect imports
The US is urging Thailand to delay its forthcoming ban on glyphosate, saying it will have a significant impact on the country’s import of soybean, wheat, coffee, apples, grapes and other produce from the US and elsewhere, which totals around 51 billion baht annually. The Nation reports that the US Agricultural Department made the request after Thailand announced a ban…
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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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Your ultimate guide to Sex Reassignment Surgery in Thailand (male to female)
For those who want to match their physical gender with what they feel is their true gender, Thailand is the place for Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS) – also known as Gender Reassignment Surgery, Sex Change Operation, and MtF Surgery, to name a few. So, what makes Thailand such an attractive destination for this type of procedure? In short, it’s because…
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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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