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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Starting a new life abroad is exciting—new culture, new lifestyle, and new chances to grow. But living far from home also means taking steps to protect your health in unfamiliar surroundings. Without the right coverage, even small health issues can...
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In search of Cat & Dog Cafés in Phuket Town | VIDEO
Nimz, our Thaiger Vlogger takes you on a weekend tour of Phuket Town, in search of cat and dog cafés. Stroke the cats, tickle the cat’s tummy, pat the cats, take selfies with the cats. Whilst Phuket has a number of registered cat and dog cafés, only one appeared to open during Nimz’s search through the streets of Phuket Town,…
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Flying high and fine dining in a re-purposed old jet in Bangkok | VIDEO
This could actually be the only time you enjoy dining on a plane. Na-Oh Bangkok re-purposed a decommissioned L-1011 Lockheed aircraft, turning the old jet into a fine dining restaurant located within the ChangChui Project, just a few minutes away from downtown Bangkok. With it’s eclectic interiors and their signature Thai-fusion courses, the restaurant offers quite a memorable experience. Chris,…
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The all new ‘villa quarantine’ in Phuket, Thailand | VIDEO
Now you can do villa quarantine in Phuket. But it’s not you usual ASQ… this one has a view and a price to match. A select few VIP tourists arrived in Phuket to experience the new ‘swanky’ quarantine. It’s still 14 days (or is it 15?) but now with a view and nice linen. Tim Newton introduces us to the…
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DUMBO the rooftop bar in Bangkok, a hidden gem | VIDEO
Located in the heart of Bangkok City, Thailand. Just a few metres away from the Saphan Khwai BTS station, ‘DUMBO BKK’ offers a fine mixture of jazz, great food and original cocktails. Bringing you back to the urban tenors of the late 1940s – early 1950s, New York. Som, one of our new Thaiger Vloggers sneaks in, and brings us…
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Another Thai teacher accused of abusing young student
Another teacher is under harsh criticism after a student’s mother accused the educator of slapping her 5 year old child so hard that his lips cracked open causing him to be unable to each lunch. The alleged incident happened when the 5 year old kindergartner swore at his friend, admittedly saying the words, “You ass!” for stealing his pencil box,…
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What can you cook up from a 7-11? l Chef Kai Kauder | VIDEO
What can a great chef create with ingredients ONLY from a 7/11? The Thaiger caught up with some amazing local chefs to see what they could put together after 5 minutes in a convenient store with 1,000 baht budget. Not only did they come up with some surprising ideas, they tasted DELICIOUS! Join Tim Newton as he learns more about…
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Government crackdown on foreigners teaching without work permits
Thailand’s Ministry of Labour is cracking down on foreign teachers who may be working in the Kingdom without valid work permits. The ministry has instructed the Department of Employment to apply stricter criteria when issuing work permits to foreign teachers. According to department figures, Thailand currently has 6,129 foreigners teaching in 922 private and public schools. Of those, 2,667 are…
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The Great Convenience Store Gourmet Challenge l Chef Belinda Tuckwell
The Thaiger caught up with some great local chefs to see what they could put together after 5 minutes in a convenient store with 1,000 baht budget. Not only did they come up with some surprising ideas, they tasted DELICIOUS! Join Tim Newton as he learns more about the chefs, their inspirations and how they ended up in Thailand. Our…
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Starbucks Thailand to make drinking and shopping a “thing”
Thanks to Starbucks, it may now be possible to drink and shop at Bangkok’s Iconsiam mall, as long as the government grants its approval. The US company has introduced its first store in Thailand to offer an alcoholic beverage menu, one that surely will help visitors to the mall relax a bit. The managing director of Starbucks Coffee Thailand, Nednapa…
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Visa extensions in Thailand for stranded tourists, February 2021 | VIDEO
Stranded foreign tourists, either genuinely stuck in Thailand since April 2020, or stuck here by choice, are able to stay in Thailand until May 30. The order from the immigration department empowers local officers to grant a 60 day visa extensions from January 29 up to May 30. The order coincides with the world’s Covid-19 situation getting worse and more…
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“Yes, we want tourists back… but with quarantine” – Survey
Most Thai residents and tourism operators want Thailand to reopen its borders to international tourists, as long as a 14 day quarantine remains in place, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand survey. The TCT surveyed 785 operators in tourism-related business and 1,444 Thais from November 11 to December 10. 60% of surveyed locals and 50% of tourism operators agree…
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Visa Emergency Extension extended to May 30 this year for stranded tourists
Stranded foreign tourists, either genuinely stuck in Thailand since April 2020, or stuck here by choice, are able to stay in Thailand until May 30, according to an order signed by the Immigration Bureau last week. The order empowers local officers to grant a 60 day visa extensions from January 29 up to May 30. The order coincides with the…
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The Koh Pha Ngan party kept rolling at the local police station
Police have arrested 89 foreigners on the Gulf island of Koh Pha Ngan, breaking any number of laws related to the emergency decree about crowds, mask wearing and current restrictions. They raided a party at the ThreeSixtyBar. 22 Thais were also detained in the raid on Tuesday night after the well-publicised event attracted plenty of local party-goers. Koh Pha Ngan is…
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Thai herb studied for alternative Covid-19 treatment
A study on the efficacy of a Thai herb for treating Covid-19 will move forward after a trial which alternative medicine officials say had promising results. Although, the trial was basic and only involved 6 people. Initial results show that the herb “andrographis paniculata,” or “fah talai jone” in Thai, can improve patients’ conditions and relieve symptoms without major side…
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CCSA mulls the easing of Covid-19 restrictions
Late night diners rejoice. Your option to eat all that great Thai food around the country looks to be back on the table as the government looks to lift some of the current restrictions on dining and business operating hours. Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has announced that they’re likely to lift restrictions on dining, currently set…
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Thailand Retirement and Digital Nomads – Missed visa opportunities | VIDEO
Two visas Thailand should be promoting right now! If there were two more groups, more perfect suited for the Thai lifestyle, I don’t know what they are. Thailand’s immigration laws for long-stays have always been a challenge, retirement is just one of those categories. It would seem like a perfect win win situation to invite people to come and live…
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ASQ + Vaccine in Thailand proposal gets the thumbs down
OPINION A spokesperson from a Thai tourism association came up with the “cunning idea” yesterday to propose a ASQ + Vaccine package to travellers and tourists. So not only do you get your 14 day mandatory quarantine at an expensive hotel in Bangkok, the opportunity to submit copious amounts of paperwork and drill through the red tape. NOW you get…
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Efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines will drop during mass inoculations: Thai virologist
Thai virologist Dr. Yong Poovorawan from Chulalongkorn University, has spoken about claims that the efficacy of every vaccine available today, including Covid-19 vaccines, tend to lower after being used in mass inoculations, compared to the findings from the laboratory during human testing trials. He recommends that people should not rely solely on the vaccines alone because uncertainty will remain during…
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Covid-19 test NOT required for visa extensions (at least not today)
No, you don’t, yes, you do… Expats are scratching their heads over the mixed messages circulating in relation to the latest Thailand immigration requirements, not to mention the announcements (and retractions) published in the nation’s English-language media outlets. It all began over the weekend, when the nation’s favourite part time travel blogger, Bangkok Post fanboy and School staff in Samut…
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UPDATE: Confusion over Covid-19 tests for visa extensions
UPDATE: Khaosod English removed a story on Covid-19 tests for those seeking visa extensions and replaced it with the article “Immigration backtracks on plan to require Covid-19 test for visa extensions.” They say the previous report sparked uproar among expats and immigration police spokesperson has since apologised for the misunderstanding. Original article… Confusion reigns today over whether Covid-19 tests will…
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Thailand threw a tourism party. No one arrived.
OPINION The Thai Government, flushed with the success of their containment of Covid-19, decided to market the Land of Smiles to the world as the safe place to travel. With the annual wet season starting to weaken the tourists would flock back to the S E Asian country that had such remarkable success containing, then almost eradicating, itself of the…
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A guide to becoming an ex-pat nurse in Thailand
No one has a choice as to where they’re born, or even where they grow up, but once the growing up has taken place, there is plenty of choice – the world is much smaller now than ever before, and moving to a new country to start a career, or carry on an old one, has never been easier. Thailand…
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British arrivals ‘on hold’ after family confirmed with B117 Covid strain
In their latest proposal, Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health will request the CCSA to defer the entry of British visitors to the country after evidence of the faster-spreading B117 strain (aka. the “G strain”) of Covid-19 was found in 4 British travellers arriving in Thailand on December 21. Over 30 countries have reported cases of the highly-transmissible UK variant of…
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Can I avoid the 14 day quarantine in Thailand if I’ve been vaccinated?
Now that the Covid-19 vaccines are being rolled out in some countries, the next question relevant to Thailand is… if I’ve had a vaccine for Covid-19, can I come back without doing the 14 (or 15 in some cases) days of quarantine? The Public Health Ministry has issued a statement stating that, in the short to medium term, “everyone entering…
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Welcome to 2021 – Digital Covid Passports | VIDEO
Documentation, including your current Covid status and vaccination details, will become 2021’s biggest challenge as governments, businesses, and the travel industry try and re-establish some sort of workable way forward. Several companies and technology groups are developing smartphone apps or systems for individuals to upload details of their Covid-19 tests and vaccinations, creating digital credentials that could be shown in…
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Thailand extends short-stay visas by 15 days to allow for quarantine period
A proposal to extend short-stay visas by 15 days, to make up for time spent in quarantine, has been approved by the Thai Cabinet. The proposal was originally put forward by the Interior Ministry, who pointed out that foreigners entering the Kingdom on 30-day visas or visa exemptions, would lose 14 days as a result of mandatory quarantine. The 30-day…
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37 year old Egyptian arrested over an alleged protection racket
A 37 year old Egyptian is now in custody following his arrest over alleged “mafia ties” and “running a protection racket” in Bangkok. Police further alleged his dealings in illicit drugs and alleged ties to a foreign mafia gangs. He was also found to have overstayed his visa. Police say that the gang involved collected money from foreigners, mostly Middle…
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Golf ASQ facilities to be announced next week – green alternatives to mandatory quarantine
Now golfers will be able to come to Thailand, and presumably non-golfers, if they want to wander around large patches of manicured lawn during their 14 days of mandatory quarantine instead of the confines of a hotel room. The golf quarantine alternative could be used in conjunction with any of the visas allowing travellers back into Thailand at the moment,…
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Property developers eye Elite Card residence scheme, amid interest from nationals of China, Hong Kong, Germany
Around 20 development companies have shown interest in an Elite Visa scheme that offers residency to foreign investors. Of those, Sansiri, Nusasiri, Four Seasons, and Raimon Land have confirmed they will join the programme that offers 5-year residency to foreign nationals who invest 10 million baht in condos. Thai media reports also indicate increasing interest in the scheme from nationals…
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Want to come to Thailand? Special Tourist Visa open to visitors “around the world”
Visitors around the world can now apply for the new Special Tourist Visa. The visa was initially only open to people from countries considered at “low” and “medium risk” of spreading Covid-19. The visa allows a 90 day stay which can be extended twice, adding up to around 9 months. The visa costs 2,000 baht and 2,000 baht per extension.…
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