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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Sponsored Thailand health insurance that covers chronic conditions: What expats need to know
The Thaiger key takeaways Managing chronic conditions in Thailand requires health insurance that covers specialist visits, medications, tests, and hospital stays. Cigna offers high-coverage plans with access to top hospitals, direct billing, and telemedicine support for convenient long-term care. Expats...
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Floating clinic opens in Kanchanaburi
PHOTO: Pattaya Mail Last week saw residents and visitors to Srinakaring Dam in Sri Sawat district, Kanchanaburi, in Thailand’s west, witness the first day of operations of a new floating medical unit. The Bangkok Post reports that the dam is a huge tourist magnet which attracts 800,000 tourist a year in an area where 140 businesses operate and over 600…
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Top 10 most popular Asian cities 2018 – Agoda
Bangkok ranks on top of the list of most-visited Asian city tourist destination for 2018. This is from Agoda, a fast-growing online travel booking platform. With millions of online bookings each year they have the data to back up their findings. Other cities in the top 10 include Tokyo, Kuala Lumpor, Hong Kong, Osaka, Taipei, Seoul, Singapore, Bali and Pattaya.…
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Thailand urged to shun single-use plastic
by Pratch Rujuvanarom Thailand’s environmental experts are urging people to make small changes in their lifestyle to help tackle the huge plastic waste menace. They say it’s important for people to make small changes in their daily lives in order to cut down on the huge amount of plastic waste being generated. Thailand faces critical problems caused by plastic pollution.…
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Light me up! Like the human animal that I am
by Hayden Rhodes @ Healthy Richuals Sunlight is one of the best medicines for your brain and body Think of it like this… The light bulb has been around since 1879. In other words, human beings have only benefited from this invention for 140 years. (Give or take) Prior to that, our main source of bright light was from the…
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Hua Hin seafood sellers told not to overcharge customers
“Sea Write author Somchai Liewwarin complained that he was charged several thousand baht for just a few plates of seafoods.” PHOTO: Downshiftology Food-shop owners and street food sellers in Hua Hin say they will sign an MoU with the Hua Hin municipal office which will require them to strictly abide by trading rules and not to overcharge their customers, especially for…
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Time for a street food makeover – Tourism Ministry
The Thai Tourism Minister says it’s time for an upgrade of Thai street food. The Nation reports that Weerasak Kowsurat says he would hold talks with the Public Health Ministry and the BMA on how to upgrade the quality of dishes sold by street vendors in the capital. He has revealed plans to bring together stakeholders to discuss how to…
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Thailand Medical Tourism 2018: REVIEW
It continues to be another busy year for Thailand’s private hospitals, clinics and dental facilities, with the seemingly endless arrival of international patients from across the globe. Whilst the volume begins to subside a little as the year comes to a close, the guys at MyMediTravel put together their analysis from a sample of 1,000 of their English-speaking, non-Thai based…
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New additions to the Thailand Michelin foodie guide
by Khetsirin Pholdhampalit Thai street food eatery Jay Fai has retained its one Michelin star for the second consecutive year and the legendary Thai restaurant Methavalai Sorndaeng is among the new 10 additions to have been awarded one star, according to the announcement of eateries making it the second edition of Michelin Guide Bangkok. No restaurant has achieved the coveted…
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Top 10 Luxury Homes in Thailand (that you can buy)
HEAVENS (Koh Samui) This exclusive home, to be completed in October 2019, is one of only 6 villas in The Heavens project located on Koh Samui island, in the sheltered Gulf of Thailand. While this 5 bed and 5 bath villa is in walkable distance to the famous Lad Koh Viewpoint, the views from the villa itself are even better.…
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Thailand, third biggest medical tourism destination in the world
In the process of shrugging off its reputation for cheap back-alley plastic surgeries, Thailand is quickly catching up to South Korea as the world’s prime destination for cosmetic surgeries and treatments. Home to 64 JCI-accredited medical facilities – three times more than Singapore and 6 times more than Malaysia. JCI is the industry standard in global healthcare, where facilities are…
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“Don’t rush to legalise marijuana”
by Chularat Saengpassa A medical lecturer is cautioning policy-makers against rushing to legalise marijuana, even if it’s just for medical use. “Beware of becoming stupid, poor and hurt” read the title of a social-media comment posted by Assistant Professor Dr Thira Woratanarat in response to calls to fast-track medical-marijuana legislation. The Nation reports that Thira, who works at Chulalongkorn University’s…
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Is ‘cross fit’ still a thing?
Even today in 2018 CrossFit continues to become more and more popular worldwide, I am often faced with the questions: Is CrossFit good, or is it bad? Have I done it? Would I recommend it? In short, I think it’s both good and bad. Yes, I have done it and still do. And yes, I would recommend it, but not…
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New rooftop dining experience overlooking the Andaman at The Nai Harn
Red alert Phuket foodies. The Nai Harn is once again raising the bar on island gastronomy with the launch of Prime @ Rock Salt, a new rooftop venue that promises exclusive dining experiences with spectacular views of the beach and sea. The new restaurant will begin welcoming diners from the end of November 2018. Perched on top of Rock Salt, The…
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The art of Thai massage – Chann Wellness Spa, Kamala
Time to relax, time to be pampered. You deserve some ‘me’ time to get refreshed and be indulged at the Chann Wellness Spa at Thavorn Beach Village Resort & Spa, Phuket in Kamala. Tim Newton headed to Kamala for an hour of well-deserved pampering. Chann Wellness Spa is one of the island’s most established spas combining experienced staff, the right ‘mood’…
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Savoury staples with a touch of the finest Swiss chocolate
Chocolate… mmmmm. But did you consider it as part of a broader savory menu? I enjoyed an evening of chocolate-infused cuisine and, well, it really works! Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket is treating guests to a new menu of savoury dishes with a sweet twist as Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts launches its ‘Chocolate on the Salty Side’ promotion.…
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Embrace ‘slow travel’ this Vegetarian Festival
PHOTOS: Airbnb Airbnb’s tips to travelling well, eating clean and supporting local farming communities… Thailand’s Vegetarian Festival is one of the country’s largest and most colourful annual festivals attracting locals and international travellers each year. A festival about spirituality and food, at its core is the cleansing of mind and body – a common theme amongst travellers today. Travellers now…
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Top 10 World Cities for Overnight Stays 2017
PHOTO: Bangkok, the world city attracting the most overnight stays Where is the world traveling and where are they staying overnight? There is a big move towards Asia in the latest figures out of the MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index 2017. Travel and tourism in Asia Pacific is showing no signs of slowing down, with the region dominating visitor arrivals…
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Medicinal marijuana by next year in Thailand
Thailand’s Governmental Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) is starting researching to develop medicines from marijuana in acknowledgement of evidence that the outlawed substance has health-enhancing properties. It is also seeking to initiate a legal amendment that would permit cannabis for medicinal use, possibly by May next year. Recreational use will remain illegal. GPO chairman Dr Sopon Mekthon yesterday says that with the…
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Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts unveils a global menu of savoury dishes and finest Swiss chocolate
ADVERTISING Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, part of the AccorHotels Group, is celebrating Swiss cuisine and the culinary versatility of chocolate with a new global menu of savoury dishes featuring a sweet twist. In Phuket the promotion will be at the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach. The brand’s talented ‘food artisans’ have made Mövenpick chocolate the hero of seven dishes in…
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Pavilions Phuket welcomes Chef Rey
ADVERTISEMENT From humble beginnings in New Zealand, Chef Rey developed his profession with guidance from industry leaders, he has since taken his craft to Australia, Malaysia, Abu Dhabi and Vietnam. Before joining the team at The Pavilions Phuket, Chef Rey worked for well-known luxury restaurants and hotels, including the award-winning ‘2016 Top 50 restaurant’, Bracu, in New Zealand, under the watchful…
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Blood tests shows contamination with toxic farm chemicals
“Several farmers have visited Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital since late last month, seeking treatment for exposure to farm chemicals.” Traces of toxic chemicals have been detected in the blood of 1 in every 20 farmers in Nakhon Ratchasima. This is the result of tests across 132 villages in the Bua Yai district. The Bua Yai district’s public-health office arranged blood…
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Are people living in major tourism destinations happy?
Are people living and working in major tourism destinations happy and content, or miserable due to tourism? Or somewhere in between? A new global survey of local residents’ happiness in World Heritage sites called Planet Happiness has been launched to address the issue. In an age of escalating overtourism, the initiative aims to show that measuring community wellbeing and happiness…
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Clean The Beach Bootcamp heads to Surin Beach for World Clean Up Day
On Saturday, September 15, the Clean The Beach Boot Camp crew (CBBC) will be heading to Surin Beach to take part in another of their regular clean-ups. Now in its sixth year, the team and its dedicated followers will help celebrate World Clean Up Day, which also happens to fall on the same day, by cleaning Surin Beach. Clean The Beach…
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M Beach Club makes waves at Mai Khao
ADVERTISING Sip champagne by the sea at the new M Beach Club. Set on the broad, sandy shores of the island’s northern coast, M Beach Club welcomes you to drink, dance, dine, lounge and swim against an eminently Instagrammable backdrop. This stretch of Mai Khao Beach, just 14 kilometres north of the international airport, comes with sprawling sea views…
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eSports – legitimate sport or teenage addiction problem?
PHOTO: China Daily The Thai Mental health department is urging the government to rethink any decision to recognise online gaming. Moves to officially recognise eSports (electronic gaming sports) could lead to children becoming addicted to online games, according to health experts. A Mental Health Department adviser Dr Yongyud Wongpiromsarn says the promotion of eSports would likely do more harm than good.…
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Kata Rocks joins the World Wellness Weekend 2018 global event
The Infinite Luxury Spa is hosting an exclusive yoga session to relax the body, mind and mood in celebration of World Wellness Weekend 2018, taking place this year on September 22 to 23. The special ‘Sunset Rocks Yoga’ experience is scheduled to be held on Saturday, September 22 from 5:30 to 6:30pm and is complementary for 10 participants on a…
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Bahrain # 1. Thailand #18. Expat Insider Survey 2018.
Where is the favourite place for expats to settle in the world? Bahrain has won the distinction again in the annual Expat Insider survey of 68 countries in the world where expats like to live. How about Thailand and ASEAN countries? Thailand didn’t even get a podium position this year in the survey. It scored fourth behind perennial favourite, the…
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Surviving Phuket’s rip currents: everything has changed
(12 minute read) By Associate Professor Robert Brander, PhD, Coastal Geomorphologist, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia Daren Jenner, Marine Safety Officer, International Surf Lifesaving Association. Rip currents are strong, narrow seaward flowing currents, like ‘rivers of the sea’, that exist on many beaches when waves are breaking across wide areas. These potentially deadly currents are also responsible for…
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Monsoon Valley Dinner @ Ginja Taste Restaurant, JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa
JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, in collaboration with Siam Winery, is hosting the ‘Monsoon Valley Dinner’, an extraordinary 5 course Thai set menu. The food, atmosphere and service are, as you’d expect, spectacular. But there’s a twist to this gastronomic experience. Each course is paired with a Thailand wine. The special dinner is being served until September 7 at the…
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Where do you live? Planet Earth or Planet Sloth?
“Houston … we have a problem” “What’s going on up there?” “Well Sir… we’re just floating around… we want to sit down sir” “Enjoy it up there, we’ve got enough to deal with down here, gravity is pulling everyone down” Let’s face facts. Planet earth is suffering from The Sloth. Remember in the movie SEVEN (SE7EN) – starring Brad Pitt…
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