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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    This Christmas, give the gift of health: essential options for expats in Thailand

    The holiday season is here, bringing warmth, joy, and a chance to reflect on the year gone by. As an expat in Thailand, this Christmas is a great time to invest in something that truly matters: health. Whether for you...

  • Is cooking endangered rays on ‘MasterChef Thailand’ OK?

    Is cooking endangered rays on ‘MasterChef Thailand’ OK?

    by Pratch Rujivanarom The cooking of what appeared to be spotted eagle rays during the MasterChef Thailand TV show on World Wildlife Day last night is sparking social media outrage over the appropriateness eating endangered species on mainstream media. Despite experts confirming that fishing, cooking and eating spotted eagle ray is completely legal in Thailand, as Thai law still does not…

  • A toast to female chefs – Women in Gastronomy 2019 Bangkok

    A toast to female chefs – Women in Gastronomy 2019 Bangkok

    Leading female chefs and wine makers will gather in Bangkok for the International Women’s Day culinary forum at Banyan Tree on March 8. The second edition of the global food forum Women in Gastronomy (WIG) organised by Gastronauts Asia will showcase an array of acclaimed female food personalities from Thailand and beyond. The full-day symposium will feature presentations and panel…

  • The marijuana amnesty. What does it mean and how can I apply?

    The marijuana amnesty. What does it mean and how can I apply?

    The Thaiger neither endorses, recommends or has any opinion on the possession or use of marijuana. This information is merely provided as a service to our readers. So, the big question, how can you RIGHT NOW, legally, smoke or use marijuana in Thailand? Thais and expats living in the kingdom now have new options following the enactment of a law…

  • Phuket’s Top 10 Beach Clubs (2021)

    Phuket’s Top 10 Beach Clubs (2021)

    Lounge, chill, relax by the beach to the soothing sounds of waves crashing in from the Andaman Sea with some cool beats tapping out the rhythm of another Phuket night. Here are Phuket’s best beach clubs, our top 10 list. All are great, all have their own personality, all deserve a visit…when the most recent outbreak has subsided and it’s…

  • A cannabis amnesty could be endorsed this week

    A cannabis amnesty could be endorsed this week

    New regulations that offers amnesty to those in possession of, or using, cannabis are expected this week. The update comes from the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA secretary-general Dr Tares Krassanairawiwong also maintains that the recent legalising of medical marijuana doesn’t cover recreational use or allow cultivation by individual growers. He says the new laws…

  • Top 10 Phuket fitness options – get fit on a tropical paradise

    Top 10 Phuket fitness options – get fit on a tropical paradise

    by Krix Luther Living and working in Phuket for more than 11 years as a full-time Personal Trainer, I have had the pleasure of watching the island develop and make its mark on the wider Health and Fitness industry. I can comfortably say it is becoming an important Health, fitness and wellness hub of South East Asia. The island has…

  • Plastic surgery furore and first transgender contestant at Miss Universe in Bangkok

    Plastic surgery furore and first transgender contestant at Miss Universe in Bangkok

    PHOTO: Spain’s Angela Ponce becomes first trans woman to compete for Miss Universe After the beauty dust has settled and the glitter is wiped away, it seems all is not well with the latest Miss Universe Pageant. Taking place in Bangkok recently, new revelations have surfaced surrounding one of its entrants and, notably, her plastic surgeon. Aesthetic and rhinoplasty surgeon,…

  • “Self-myofascial release” – what is foam rolling?

    “Self-myofascial release” – what is foam rolling?

    by Krix Luther The word is out about self-myofascial release – foam rolling – and, no, Thailand people, this doesn’t have to do with a ‘soapy’ or ‘happy-endings’. So what is foam rolling you ask? Well, it was once a secretive technique used by professional coaches and therapists but has become a regular practice for people across the spectrum of…

  • Private hospital patient? You are free to buy your medications outside.

    Private hospital patient? You are free to buy your medications outside.

    Patients at private hospitals can buy their prescriptions and medication anywhere outside the hospital after getting a prescription from their doctors, according to the Health Service Support Department (HSSD). The clarification clears up an old myth that you had to buy your medications at the over-priced dispensary at your private hospital. But the department has no plans to force private…

  • Why is Thailand so popular for medical tourists?

    Why is Thailand so popular for medical tourists?

    Considered to be one of the most popular destinations for contemporary medical tourism, Thailand continues to see a surge in patients seeking top-quality, affordable care. From Bangkok to Chiang Mai and the beaches of Phuket, thousands visit annually, combining luxury travel with first-rate quality care, for the ultimate medical tourism holiday. It appears convenience is one key component as to…

  • Olta is the newest ‘olternative’ in Bangkok’s Suan Phlu

    Olta is the newest ‘olternative’ in Bangkok’s Suan Phlu

    Scottish Chef Jamie Wakeford, of noted Phuket restaurant Bampot Kitchen, is rolling out a new restaurant in Bangkok. Themed as ‘modern British’, and named Olta, the outlet has just opened in the Suan Phlu neighborhood. The Suan Phlu area is described as one of Bangkok’s latest dining enclaves, with new fashionable openings arriving every month. Currently, Suan Phlu is currently…

  • Top 10 things to know about Phuket for beginners (2019)

    Top 10 things to know about Phuket for beginners (2019)

    1. Welcome to Phuket Phuket is an island and a province. It’s the largest island in Thailand – 48 km north to south, 21 km east to west. It’s about 20% smaller, in area, than Singapore but much less densely populated. Whilst the island nation of Singapore boasts a population of nearly 6 million, Phuket has a permanent population of…

  • Agency calls for 200 million baht to tackle Thailand’s unwanted pregnancies

    Agency calls for 200 million baht to tackle Thailand’s unwanted pregnancies

    An agency has proposed that Thailand’s National Health Security Office (NHSO) budgets 200 million baht to purchase and distribute condoms and contraceptive implants as a possible solution to the country’s unwanted pregnancies. The AIDS and Unwanted Pregnancy Hotline 1663 Centre says the money, which amounts to only 3 baht per head, could come from the NHSO’s health promotion and disease…

  • Thai Tapas at Ginja – a truly remarkable taste sensation

    Thai Tapas at Ginja – a truly remarkable taste sensation

    I am invited to special dinners many times a week and most are wonderful nights exploring new flavors and presentation at some of the island’s best restaurants. Last night was exceptional and beautifully presented at the award-winning Ginja Taste in Mai Khao. JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa invited Chef Prasertchai Trongvanichnam (aka. Chef Jack, Chef de Cuisine of Flavor…

  • Ice ice baby! Social Egg Freezing arrives in Thailand

    Ice ice baby! Social Egg Freezing arrives in Thailand

    Could 2019 be the year of the egg? It may very well be thanks to a recent growing trend into “social egg freezing.” For less than $3 a day a major healthcare provider could see many infertile patients reaping the rewards. According to recent reports, Borderless Healthcare Group are set to launch their unique fertility services in the Thai capital.…

  • Top 10 world’s busiest flight routes

    Top 10 world’s busiest flight routes

    … and the rising stars So where is the world’s busiest airline route? Beijing to Shanghai? New York to Los Angeles? Eight of the Top 10 routes are based in Asia and nine out of ten of the world’s fastest-growing flight routes are also in Asia. You get the idea. Whilst the US has the world’s largest aviation market it’s…

  • Will the West embrace the South Korean male beauty product industry?

    Will the West embrace the South Korean male beauty product industry?

    PHOTO: ‘V’ or Kim Tae Hyung from Korean band BTS Over the past decade South Korean men have become the world’s biggest male spenders on skincare and beauty products. The market has grown by 44% in the country in the six years before 2017, according to Euromonitor. This figure is even higher for Gen Z respondents (the ones born after…

  • 2019: It’s all about you

    2019: It’s all about you

    2019 comes with all sorts of expectations – a new beginning, a renaissance, a rebirth. You may be looking ahead for individual tweaks and improvements or perhaps you want to change something altogether. From cutting out chocolate to saturated fats, many will look at altering their figure. Thanks to numerous technological advancements and greater accessibility to overseas travel, you may…

  • Phuket’s Top 10 Brunches

    Phuket’s Top 10 Brunches

    Brunch has become a weekend staple on the island and its seems everyone has their own take on this beloved mix of two meals… a chance to slow down, enjoy some amazing food and try a little bit of everything. Whether you want something casual or prefer taking a boat to a private island, Phuket gives you the options to…

  • Pattaya ranked fourth healthiest city in the entire world

    Pattaya ranked fourth healthiest city in the entire world

    Pattayatoday.net has the enthusiastic headline…. “Pattaya ranked fourth healthiest city in the entire world by UK website” The study, carried out by UK travel site TravelSupermarket, saw Chiang Mai ranked in second place and Pattaya ranked fourth out of 100 other cities around the world. Paris was in first place, while Barcelona came in third. The study ranked each city based…

  • Bare your sole. The benefits of barefoot training.

    Bare your sole. The benefits of barefoot training.

    It’s hard to complain about life when you’re sweating it out with sand between your toes, the tropical sun on your back and the stunning blue of the Andaman ahead of you. It’s a good thing that barefoot training is catching on and becoming more popular with trainers and coaches. Many people are aware that barefoot running has been gaining…

  • Bangkok Tonight: La Casa Nostra restaurant pop-up at Small’s Bar

    Bangkok Tonight: La Casa Nostra restaurant pop-up at Small’s Bar

    If you live in Bangkok I know that it can be easy to very overwhelmed by all the choices around you, whether it is food, drink or partying, you have a lot of options, but not tonight. Tonight head down to Sathorn’s Soi Suam Plu, for a very special pop-up event being hosted at one of Bangkok’s most celebrated and…

  • The Top 10 Beaches in Phuket

    The Top 10 Beaches in Phuket

    Phuket’s beaches have undergone a substantial upgrade since the 2014 military government swept commercial businesses from the sands of west coast Phuket. Little shanty restaurants, the ubiquitous plastic sun lounges and tatty old umbrellas were removed. After the dust settled we’ve now got limited sun lounges and umbrellas for rent along most of the beaches, not all. You’ll still find…

  • Battle of the Buddha Bulge – Tackling the monk obesity crisis

    Battle of the Buddha Bulge – Tackling the monk obesity crisis

    Or “Too Much Junk for Chunky Monks” “Monks often live an unhealthily, sedentary lifestyle but exercise is a particularly sensitive subject. They must not be seen to be vain, and also cannot wear shoes, two factors that make working out and fitness something of a spiritual minefield.” Contrary to the well-known depiction of a Buddha as a man with a…

  • Melbourne loses its crown as the World’s Most Livable City

    Melbourne loses its crown as the World’s Most Livable City

    PHOTO: Not the world’s most livable city anymore 1. Vienna, Austria 2. Melbourne, Australia 3. Osaka, Japan 4. Calgary, Canada 5. Sydney, Australia 6. Vancouver, Canada 7. Toronto, Canada (equal 7th) 7. Tokyo, Japan (equal 7th) 9. Copenhagen, Denmark 10. Adelaide, Australia Australia’s southern capital of Melbourne has finally lost the title of world’s most liveable city after a seven-year reign at…

  • Maravilloso. Taco Bell is coming to Bangkok, but we have options

    Maravilloso. Taco Bell is coming to Bangkok, but we have options

    PHOTOS: BK-Asia, Taco Bell A media release says that Taco Bell is opening its first Thailand location on the first floor of Mercuryville mall in central Bangkok. Partnering with Siam Taco Company, part of TTA (Thoresen Thai Agencies) they bring the Mexican-inspired cuisine to the big mango in early 2019. Although we are all waiting on the edge of our…

  • Medical marijuana approved in Thailand

    Medical marijuana approved in Thailand

    Photo: South China Morning Post “This is a New Year’s gift from the National Legislative Assembly to the government and the Thai people,” Somchai Sawangkarn, said chairman of the drafting committee. Thailand will be the first country, in a region with some of the strictest drug laws, to approve cannabis for medical use. In an extra-parliamentary session addressing bills before…

  • Hemp being proposed as alternative to medical marijuana

    Hemp being proposed as alternative to medical marijuana

    The UN is considering whether to downgrade the classification of cannabidiol – currently a narcotic under international law, says Kasetsart University agronomy lecturer Vichien Keeratinijakal. Vichien claims the UN was considering reclassification because cannabidiol, found both in hemp and marijuana, had been shown to have medical benefits without the intoxicating properties of other cannabinoids, such as psychotropic tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Some…

  • 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 medical.thethaiger.com has noticed the upward curve in alternative non-invasive liposuction and vaser liposuction treatments in Thailand. Known as Coolsculpting or…

  • Fighting age with exercise

    Fighting age with exercise

    by Krix Luther The female beauty industry in 2017, was worth US$265 billion. That’s 8.7 trillion baht, with a further US$21.9bn (719bn baht) spent on cosmetic surgery. The desire to stay forever young dates at least as far back as the ancient Egyptians, many of whom used an ointment made from myrtle plants to avoid getting wrinkles, while Cleopatra bathed…