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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Sponsored Top 10 reasons for expats to get a comprehensive health insurance in Thailand
Moving to Thailand offers plenty of excitement and adventure, but the local healthcare system can be complex to navigate as an expat. From unique health risks to high costs at private hospitals, having a comprehensive health insurance plan is essential....
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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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Top 10 things to avoid in Thailand
You’ll be spoiled for choice during your visit to Thailand. There is SO much to do. But there are a few things that may be worth avoiding, despite being available, during your time in the Land of Smiles. So, in The Thaiger’s opinion, don’t… 1. Swim at the southern Andaman beaches in the low season Every year about 50 or…
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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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First clinic to offer medical cannabis opens in central Thailand
PHOTOS: The Nation Thailand’s first clinic to offer cannabis oil as a treatment option is now open in the central province of Ang Thong. The Nation reports that yesterday’s opening was presided over by the country’s Public Health Minister, Prapon Tangsrikertikul. It’s understood that cannabis oil will be offered at the hospital in the event that conventional treatments prove ineffective.…
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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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Chinese Medical Tourists visiting Thailand set to exceed 1 million by 2020
With a flourishing medical tourism industry worth nearly $4 billion dollars annually, foreign patients are no strangers to enjoying Thailand’s cosmetic and plastic surgery treatments. From liposuction to laser hair removal, overseas travelers are continually driving the expansion of private clinics and hospitals across Thailand. Last year there were 35 million visitors, of which an estimated 9% were specifically for…
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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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Second phase of government’s economic stimulus package off to a good start
The government has launched phase 2 of its Chim-Shop-Chai scheme, aimed at boosting the country’s economy. The second phase is aimed at those who missed out on subscribing the first time round, with each person entitled to a 1,000 baht giveaway and a 15 – 20% rebate on spending between 30,000 and 50,000 baht. Thai PBS World reports that the…
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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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Sex Reassignment Surgery in Thailand (male to female) – a quick guide
MONTAGE: People Magazine Thailand has a well-deserved reputation for excellence in sex reassignment surgery and the before and after care of patients. The country has a long relationship with Kathoeys, affectionately referred to in Thailand as ‘ladyboys’, and consequently, a well-developed approach to quality surgery in this area. The following article has been prepared by My Medi Travel. Kathoey or…
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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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New Wellness venture in Thailand, Singapore multi-national teams up with Anantara Hotel Group
Verita Healthcare Group, a Singapore-based multinational company, just announced their collaboration with Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas. The two groups team up to provide a global network of coordinated and property-based wellness centers. As a result of modern lifestyle habits, the levels of chronic disease is increasing and the population is aging. This leads to a rapidly growing demand for…
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Singha grabs a 90% stake in Thailand’s Santa Fe restaurant chain
(…or is that a 90% ‘steak’?) PHOTOS: Wongnai DealStreetAsia, an investor news site reporting on Asian business, confirms that Singha Corporation has purchased a majority stake in the Thai restaurant chain, Santa Fe. It’s understood that Singha purchased the shares held by Lakeshore Capital for approximately US$50 million or 1.53 billion baht, giving it a 90% stake in the chain seen…
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21% of Thai teenagers are gambling
PHOTO: Gambling, local style, Rai Et, north-east Thailand – Pinterest Early in October the Thai Health Promotion Foundation met to discuss the gambling situation in Thailand in 2019. Also present were the Centre for Gambling Studies, Stop Gambling Foundation and related groups. The meeting was set up after a report revealed that more than half (57%) of the Thai population,…
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Top 10 spas and massages in Phuket
One of the best things about living in Asia, and in particular Thailand, is the abundance of fabulous places to have spa treatments. From the true local experience on the beach, to the ultra chic five star luxury treatments here is, in no particular order, our Top Ten Phuket Spa Experiences. 1. Let’s Relax (Boat Lagoon) Let’s Relax’s latest addition…
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57% of Thais gamble – new report
The Thai Health Promotion Foundation has hosted a meeting today to discuss the gambling situation in Thailand in 2019, as a report indicating that a whopping 30.42 million Thais, or 57% of the population, gamble. The meeting was also represented by the Centre for Gambling Studies, Stop Gambling Foundation and related associations. The director-general of the Centre for Gambling Studies,…
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Your Top Tips for Breast Augmentation in Bangkok
In recent years, Bangkok has become a hub for cosmetic tourism. Many women are traveling to the City to get naturally-shaped breasts to enhance their appearance without burdening themselves with debt. You might be wondering whether it’s safe to undergo a breast augmentation in this city. But don’t worry, you can have peace of mind because the quality of the…
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Toxic skin-whitening creams still available on shelves
“Skin creams containing banned ingredients are very dangerous and could seriously damage your health, scar you for life and even kill you, so they should be avoided at all costs.” – LGA report. The UK’s Local Government Association claims that skin-whitening creams can be as “toxic as paint strippers” and should be “avoided at all costs.” The skin creams are…
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Hair loss. Is there a real solution?
ADVERTORIAL You can wash your hair with the latest German shampoos, you can increase your vitamin and supplement intake, you can do some creative combing. But none of this will prevent the gradual retreat of your hairline or the ever-increasing circumference of that bald-patch at the back of your head. Genetics are genetics. If your Dad’s balding, your uncles are…
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Fire up the barbecue – red meat’s ok. New study.
“They added that the quality of evidence linking processed meat with cardiovascular diseases and diabetes was very low.” by Ivan Couronne Cutting back on red meat is standard medical advice to prevent cancer and heart disease over recent decades. But a review of dozens of studies now concludes that the potential risk is low and evidence “uncertain”. In new guidelines…
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