Guides

Discover the ultimate Thailand Guides from The Thaiger, your one-stop resource for all things Thailand. Immerse yourself in local culture, explore breathtaking nature, indulge in vibrant cuisine, and learn to navigate the country’s lifestyle with ease. Find informative articles to help plan your unforgettable journey to Thailand – from top destinations and hidden gems to visa information and essential tips. Our in-depth guides are expertly crafted and regularly updated to provide you with the latest insights. Experience Thailand like never before with our guides that cater to seasoned travellers and first-timers alike.

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    How to choose the best health insurance for expats aged 40-60 in Thailand

    Moving to Thailand as an expat brings exciting new experiences, but it also comes with the responsibility of securing quality healthcare, especially for those between 40 and 60. At this stage in life, it's important to find a health insurance...

  • Retirement living comes to Kamala

    Retirement living comes to Kamala

    Thailand’s four leading real estate developers – Nye Estate, Chewathai, L.P.N. Development and CH. Karnchang – have announced their plans to launch Kamala Senior Living, a new benchmark of luxury senior living village that will offer its residents a dynamic and exclusive lifestyle within a private and secure village. Located on the island’s west coast of Phuket, ‘Kamala Senior Living’…

  • Hail Caesars Palace. Dining in Rococo style overlooking Patong.

    Hail Caesars Palace. Dining in Rococo style overlooking Patong.

    The new ‘Caesars Palace’ is now open in Patong, three floors of kitch Italian plush with, arguably, the best view over Patong. We met up with the General Manager Michael who says they wanted to create a nice, relaxing environment with a warm and homely atmosphere. “This is a place where you can come to eat and drink or…

  • Kata Rocks mixing it up with the ‘Best of Mixology’

    Kata Rocks mixing it up with the ‘Best of Mixology’

    Kata Rocks’ Collective Series 10 ‘Best of Mixology’ returned on September 2 with some of Asia’s top mixologists pouring their hearts out into every signature handcrafted cocktail. Following an amazing Phuket sunset at the resort’s hip bar and infinity pool area, Collective Series 10 proved to be a huge success. 100 guests partied into the night with refreshing handcrafted cocktails…

  • The newest energy drink? ‘Kratom’

    The newest energy drink? ‘Kratom’

    Story by The Nation Dr Supaporn Pitiporn, head of the herb product development project at Chaopraya Abhaiphubejhr Hospital, said the benefits of kratom outweigh its drawbacks. Supaporn made the recommendation in an article she wrote that was posted online on Tuesday. Last week, Narcotics Control Board secretary general Sirinya Sittichai said the Narcotic Crops Survey and Monitoring Institute is studying…

  • The Myth of Happiness – chasing a more accepting relationship with self

    The Myth of Happiness – chasing a more accepting relationship with self

    The Myth of Happiness with The Thaiger Ask most people want they want from life and most will answer “I want to be happy.” What you need to remember is that happiness is a moment to moment choice. It can feel frustrating and disconnecting when it eludes us. In his book The happiness Trap Russ Haris points out how we…

  • The Ultimate Currency

    The Ultimate Currency

    “A human being, like a business, makes profits and suffers losses. For a human being, however, the ultimate currency is not money, nor is it any external measure, such as fame, fortune, or power. The ultimate currency for a human being is happiness.” TAL BEN-SHAHAR If the ultimate currency is happiness, why do we keep paying high interest rates to…

  • Top 10 Hamburgers in Phuket

    Top 10 Hamburgers in Phuket

    The winner was Thavorn Beach Village & Spa, Phuket Thailand 2. 2nd place Novotel Phuket Karon Beach Resort & Spa (Photo by real Life) 3. 3rd place Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon Beach 4. Kata Rocks 5. Renaissance Phuket Resort and Spa 6. Dewa Nai Yang Resort Phuket 7. Diamond Cliff Resort & Spa 8. Two Chefs Bar & Grill 9.…

  • Do we need a Last Will and Testament in Thailand?

    Do we need a Last Will and Testament in Thailand?

    With the growing number of people retiring in Thailand, our firm has received several inquiries for a Last Will and Testament. The primary question that we receive is, “Do I need a will?” What does a Last Will and Testament do? The purpose of a Last Will and Testament is to direct funeral arrangements, determine property distributions, assign a guardian…

  • Putting the fun back in Sunday

    Putting the fun back in Sunday

    PHUKET: Those who enjoy Sunday brunch will be happy to know that Xana Beach Club relaunched its ‘Sunday Fun Brunch’ last month. The brunch is set in a scenic location overlooking Bang Tao Bay, making it ideal for spending a relaxed Sunday afternoon with family and friends. It features the largest number of live stations in Phuket, including a salad…

  • Food: Fusion fare at Wok Pagoda

    Food: Fusion fare at Wok Pagoda

    PHUKET: Located 10 minutes from Chalong Circle along the road to Kata-Karon, Mom Tri’s Wok Pagoda fuses gourmet Western and traditional Thai dishes together over an open-air pavilion. Nestled in the steep slopes of Phuket’s mountainous East-West divide, Wok Pagoda’s vantage captures a nearly 180-degree view of Chalong Bay, Phi Phi island and the carpet of lush terrain rising into…

  • CoolSculpting: What is it and why is it so popular in Thailand?

    CoolSculpting: What is it and why is it so popular in Thailand?

    “There is a growing trend for alternative body contouring treatments. Consequently, many medical tourists turn to CoolSculpting with some incredible before and after results as well as reduced recovery time without the need for anaesthetic or incisions.” Darren Lyons from MyMediTravel has noticed the upward curve in alternative non-invasive liposuction and vaser liposuction treatments in Thailand. Known as Coolsculpting or…

  • Indulge your Italian cravings

    Indulge your Italian cravings

    PHUKET: My tastebuds had been tingling for some authentic Italian food for a few weeks, so I feel fortunate to have discovered Leonardo DaVinci restaurant located in Kata Hills. The restaurant recently launched a new menu, in addition to a sizable wine list offering a variety of sparkling, white, rose and red wines. The newly renovated restaurant can seat up…

  • Dining in secluded luxury at Big Fish

    Dining in secluded luxury at Big Fish

    PHUKET: You won’t know about Big Fish unless you’ve stayed at the Marriott Resort & Spa in Nai Yang. The upscale restaurant is tucked against the sea-side base of the modern hotel, and is nearly surrounded by Sirinath National Park. Even after arriving, would-be diners must speak with a bellhop to be driven down by golf cart to the restaurant.…

  • Indulge your cheesebuds at Only Cheese

    Indulge your cheesebuds at Only Cheese

    PHUKET: Three hungry Gazette editors with a craving for cheese descended on ‘Only Cheese’ in Kathu for lunch last week, and much to the annoyance of other editorial team members couldn’t stop talking about it for a week afterward. Whether you are a cheese lover or not, there’s something for everyone on the menu. At first glance, it looks like…

  • Authentic Phuket cuisine at Wanon restaurant

    Authentic Phuket cuisine at Wanon restaurant

    PHUKET: Located in the lush green surroundings of the Flying Hanuman eco-adventure park in Wichit, Wanon restaurant offers a truly unique and authentic local dining experience. Head chef Kittipong Jaramorn Burapong graduated from the Culinary Arts Institute in New York. He has extensive experience with Thai, Italian and Mexican cuisine, having lived and worked in the US for 20 years.…

  • Celebration of good food and good friends at Da Maurizio

    Celebration of good food and good friends at Da Maurizio

    PHUKET: It would best be described as a celebration of good friends sharing great cuisine when Rose Maitland-Smith, brand ambassador for Pommery, hosted an evening of fine dining at the beautiful Da Maurizio Bar Ristorante. Invited guests at the event last month included famed vintner Pascal Jolivet, who flew in from his Loire Valley estate in France to taste Chef…

  • Threesome at Chalk & Cheese

    Threesome at Chalk & Cheese

    Three Phuket Gazette editors descended on Chalk & Cheese – A Brasserie by Thong Dee, located in the heart of Kathu. Three hours and ‘several’ glasses of wine later, a single opinion for three different reasons was ready to be plated up. ISAAC LOVES THEM BALLS THERE are certain balls you remember, and certainly certain balls you crave. Made from…

  • Fusion food gets down in town at Surf & Turf

    Fusion food gets down in town at Surf & Turf

    PHUKET: December ushered in a new air of excitement to the island. The start of the holiday season brought the streets to an even busier bustle, as did the large number of arrivals at Phuket International Airport. Along with those arrivals was the appearance of new shops and restaurants open and ready to please the hungriest of patrons for the…

  • Menu changes mark new ‘season’

    Menu changes mark new ‘season’

    PHUKET: The soft sounds of warm hands playing on a baby grand in the bar area of Mom Tri’s Villa Royale rise gently above the sound of the waves splashing onto the rocks at the north end of Kata Noi Beach. It’s already high season, so the waves, catching the light of a three-quarter moon, are rolling in small and…

  • Discover La Gritta at Amari

    Discover La Gritta at Amari

    PHUKET: Recently awarded ‘Best Beach Resort in Asia-Pacific’ at the 26th annual Travel Trade Gazette Awards and the ‘2015 Best In Stay Elite Award’ by Orbitz Worldwide, Amari Phuket is a charming and elegant resort located at the southern tip of Patong. One of the greatest gems of this beautiful beach resort is the dining experience you will have within.…

  • Food: Buggy beverages – Isaan dream, health concern or mixologist magic

    Food: Buggy beverages – Isaan dream, health concern or mixologist magic

    PHUKET: If I found a bamboo grub in my tom yum rum and coke, I would either assume the health office hadn’t been through that particular bar in Phuket in a long time, or my bartender was adding some Isaan flare to an already Thai-style cocktail. As it turns out – health code concerns aside – it might just mean…

  • Confessions of a Caffeine addict

    Confessions of a Caffeine addict

    PHUKET: Located on the very busy Wichitsongkram Road, near Prince of Songkhla University in Kathu, is one of the best places in Phuket to satisfy all Italian cravings. Caffeine Food and Coffee Bar has been part of the Kathu community since October 2013. Opened by Andrea Capucci and his wife Kui, Caffeine offers up some of the best authentic Italian…

  • Food: Welcome to the dark side

    Food: Welcome to the dark side

    PHUKET: The black burger is all the rage in Bangkok lately, but unless one is actively paying attention to food trends from around the nation, one might not have had any idea that such a trend even existed. What makes this particular burger special, and gives it its color identifier, is its black bun, which has edible charcoal powder mixed…

  • Head to hotcake heaven

    Head to hotcake heaven

    PHUKET: Ever wonder what life would be like if all of your favorite foods were made with pancakes? Well, wonder no more. With the moto ‘If there is no pancakes in heaven, I am not going’, the Pancake Corner is making flapjack fantasies a reality with their inventive and creative menu of pancake-themed delights that are available all day, and…

  • Serving Indian soul food

    Serving Indian soul food

    PHUKET: The dishes served up by Spice Box’s chef, Savita Sriram, are the Indian version of the Southern American soul food that makes New Orleans a must-stop destination on any foodie’s travels – they are simply everything you want from Indian food and nothing you expect. “We are not a fancy restaurant. We are not tandoori chefs. We are none…

  • They say: “A pizza a day’

    They say: “A pizza a day’

    PHUKET: At a mere seven months old, the OSOT Apotheke Cafe and Pizzeria on Phuket Road in town has already begun to stand out as one of the best places to grab a coffee, all-day breakfast and, yes, even a pizza. With fresh ingredients, homemade food and a very cool atmosphere, OSOT has locals and expats excited and full of…

  • A Phuket high from Smokin’ Fish

    A Phuket high from Smokin’ Fish

    PHUKET: THERE has been a lot of buzz lately about new and upcoming restaurants popping up all over Phuket Town, but there is one restaurant that made its mark long ago and has locals and expats alike lined up at the door. Smokin’ Fish on Phang Nga Road is a sight for sore eyes and a haven for the hungry.…

  • The art of Food Gallery

    The art of Food Gallery

    PHUKET: In Phuket Town, there are many options for your culinary taste buds to explore. In one block, you can find street food, Thai cuisine, Chinese-inspired dishes, breakfast and an array of coffee shops, so it’s nice when you find a place that you want to go to over and over again. For many people, this place is The Food…

  • Going cuckoo for quality cocoa in our chocolates

    Going cuckoo for quality cocoa in our chocolates

    PHUKET: Though the week-long Classic Belgian Gourmet Chocolate Of Legend event hosted by the JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa came to a close on March 13, some of the delicious creations remain. French chocolatier and pastry chef Jean-Marc Bernelin not only led classes and chocolate-making demonstrations, but he also created a number of creamy and dark chocolate masterpieces to…

  • From brunch to beach: Nikki Beach Club’s Amazing Sunday Brunch

    From brunch to beach: Nikki Beach Club’s Amazing Sunday Brunch

    PHUKET: At the end of most Sunday brunches, as the meal winds down and champagne diminishes, you start to think about the day ahead, and how to make the most of it, so the impending doom of an inevitable Monday doesn’t seem so bad. The focus of the event is often only the food – as delicious as it may…