Expats

Thailand expat news, visas, work permits, property, and healthcare—stay informed with essential updates and insights for foreign residents. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for expat news in Thailand.

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  • Boob job and Thailand: Kerry Katona’s big move unveiled (video) | Thaiger

    Boob job and Thailand: Kerry Katona’s big move unveiled (video)

    Former Atomic Kitten star Kerry Katona vowed to quit England for Thailand and to get her boobs done after naming the Land of Smiles as her “happy place.” The ex-singer, reality TV star, and OnlyFans creator, shared an emotional video in which she spoke about her desire to move her five children to Asia, swap catfights for cannabis retreats and…

  • How to find English-speaking doctors and hospitals in Thailand | Thaiger

    How to find English-speaking doctors and hospitals in Thailand

    One minute, you’re wading through the thick heat of Bangkok, Phuket, or Chiang Mai. The next, you’re woozy from food poisoning or a motorbike mishap. Suddenly, you realise that you are in a country that does not speak your language, in a place where the words for hospital and doctor and help do not slip easily off your tongue. And…

  • Booze cruise: Drunk foreign man rescued from drowning in Pattaya | Thaiger

    Booze cruise: Drunk foreign man rescued from drowning in Pattaya

    Locals safely rescued an drunk foreign man from drowning yesterday after he swam out into the sea at Jomtien Beach in Pattaya. According to a report by Channel 7, the rescue took place last night, April 6, near the Dong Tarn booth of the Mueang Pattaya Police Station. Locals observed the foreign man walking into the dark waters and appearing…

  • Brits told to log on or bog off as Thailand rolls out digital arrival card | Thaiger

    Brits told to log on or bog off as Thailand rolls out digital arrival card

    British travellers planning a Thailand getaway next month are being told to fire up the laptop before packing their flipflops because from May 1, every foreign visitor must register online before setting foot in the Land of Smiles. The UK government issued a fresh travel warning to Brits heading to Thailand: don’t get caught out by the country’s new Thailand…

  • Thai me down: Bangkok opens new visa expat and investor hub | Thaiger

    Thai me down: Bangkok opens new visa expat and investor hub

    Thailand is making moves to woo foreign investors and expats, rolling out a brand-new one-stop shop for investment and visa services in the heart of Bangkok. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra cut the ribbon on Monday at the grand opening of the Thailand Investment and Expat Services Centre (TIESC), housed in the sleek One Bangkok building in Pathum Wan. Located on…

  • Quake rumbles Thailand but Phuket stands firm | Thaiger

    Quake rumbles Thailand but Phuket stands firm

    Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat reassured residents and tourists that the island remains untouched by the powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that rocked Myanmar and sent tremors through Bangkok. The quake, which struck Mandalay on Friday, March 28, was felt across northern Thailand, but Governor Sophon confirmed that Phuket, nearly 2,000 kilometres away, has seen no impact on its infrastructure or tourism industry.…

  • British couple jailed for running drugs empire from Thailand villa | Thaiger

    British couple jailed for running drugs empire from Thailand villa

    A British couple who orchestrated a massive drugs empire from their plush villa in Thailand have been banged up for 10 years. Brian Pitts and Katie Harlow masterminded the production and distribution of millions of fake Xanax pills, raking in a staggering £4 million (176 million baht) through the dark web. Operating from their luxurious Thai hideaway between 2018 and…

  • Health insurance cost in Thailand for expats – update | Thaiger

    Health insurance cost in Thailand for expats – update

    No one likes thinking about health insurance. But if you’re an expat in Thailand, it’s one of those things you need to have sorted. Maybe you move to Thailand because the sun is warmer, or because you’re chasing your dream job, or because you want to spend your retirement days by the ocean. Whatever the reason, you don’t move here…

  • Drunk British man allegedly insults Thais in restaurant (video) | Thaiger

    Drunk British man allegedly insults Thais in restaurant (video)

    A drunk British man reportedly insulted Thai workers and customers at a restaurant in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima after his favourite alcoholic beverage was not available. The restaurant’s owner, Thai man, Apinan, called officers from Phimai Police Station to the scene in the Phimai district of Nakhon Ratchasima on Sunday, March 16. The 49 year old restauranteur was…

  • Dope busted: British nationals caught in Kho Samui cannabis caper | Thaiger

    Dope busted: British nationals caught in Kho Samui cannabis caper

    Four British nationals were collared in Thailand for their alleged role in a colossal cannabis smuggling scheme. The suspects were apprehended at Koh Samui Airport with a staggering 131 kilogrammes of marijuana as they prepared to jet back to the United Kingdom. The bust, yesterday, March 16, was a coordinated effort by the Surat Thani Immigration Investigation Unit, Koh Samui…

  • Bugged out! Mosquito bite leaves British dad in Tourette’s grip | Thaiger

    Bugged out! Mosquito bite leaves British dad in Tourette’s grip

    A British father’s dream holiday in Thailand took a nightmarish twist after a vicious mosquito bite not only gave him Tourette’s syndrome, but set off a series of bizarre, life-altering health issues. Ross Constable returned from a family holiday to Phuket, never expecting a simple insect bite to transform his life in the most shocking way. The 48 year old…

  • Wheel of misfortune: Hungarian bike boss in hot seat in Thailand | Thaiger

    Wheel of misfortune: Hungarian bike boss in hot seat in Thailand

    A Hungarian national has been nabbed on Koh Pha Ngan for allegedly running a motorbike rental business in a job reserved for Thai citizens. Police Colonel Apichart Chansamret, head of Koh Pha Ngan police, reported that 40 year old Laszlo Meszaros was arrested at his rented home in Tambon Koh Pha Ngan. During the operation, officers seized an air gun…

  • Elderly British couple’s Thailand nightmare goes from bad to cell | Thaiger

    Elderly British couple’s Thailand nightmare goes from bad to cell

    An elderly British couple face time in a Thailand jail despite being victims of a savage beating, caught on CCTV, in their own back yard. One of the victims described the past year as a “living hell.” The couple, Des and Mary Byrne, from Middlesbrough, in the North-East of England, envisioned a peaceful retirement on the “Thai Riviera,” but their…

  • Splish splash splendour: Pattaya preps for a Wan Lai soaking (video) | Thaiger

    Splish splash splendour: Pattaya preps for a Wan Lai soaking (video)

    Pattaya City is gearing up for a splash-tastic 2025 with its iconic Wan Lai Naklua and Wan Lai Pattaya festivals. Known for their thrilling water-pouring ceremonies, dazzling cultural performances, and energetic parades, these events promise a spectacle like no other. The vibrant preparations were discussed in a meeting led by Deputy Mayor Wuttisak Rermkijakarn at Pattaya City Hall. The festivals…

  • Cheers! Thai health minister pushes for designated booze zones | Thaiger

    Cheers! Thai health minister pushes for designated booze zones

    The Minister of Public Health highlighted the necessity of establishing designated areas for drinking alcohol for certain groups of tourists visiting Thailand. The government aims to support tourism, which is expected to see over 35 million visitors this year and the ministries have been tasked with proposing suitable locations for alcohol sales. The National Alcohol Beverage Policy Committee convened to…

  • Boom to bust: Chinese investment in Thai property hits rock bottom | Thaiger

    Boom to bust: Chinese investment in Thai property hits rock bottom

    Once a beacon of opportunity, Thailand’s vibrant condo market for Chinese investors is now dimming, as economic clouds gather over China’s middle class. Stephen Yao, a former Chinese investments broker in Bangkok, and Pattaya, has seen his formerly bustling schedule dwindle. In 2017 and 2018, he made a staggering 32 trips from China’s Guangdong province to Thailand. But recent years…

  • Quad tragedy: Scottish man’s high-speed horror plunge in Thailand | Thaiger

    Quad tragedy: Scottish man’s high-speed horror plunge in Thailand

    A Scottish man’s life met a sudden end after his quad bike smashed into a concrete barrier after skidding on a treacherous road in Thailand, sending shockwaves through the local community. The unnamed 62 year old, believed to have been living in Thailand for over a decade, was catapulted from his vehicle and plunged 30 feet to his death after…

  • Northern Irishman fights for life after Thailand holiday accident | Thaiger

    Northern Irishman fights for life after Thailand holiday accident

    Friends, family, and co-workers are rallying behind a Northern Irishman left fighting for his life following a shocking accident while on a dream holiday in Thailand. Ryan Daly, from Portadown, had set off on an ambitious round-the-world trip when tragedy struck, leaving him on life support and his loved ones in turmoil. The 27 year old care attendant, known for…

  • Irish diver’s fate revealed on Thailand’s ‘Death Island’ (video) | Thaiger

    Irish diver’s fate revealed on Thailand’s ‘Death Island’ (video)

    In a heartbreaking twist that has sent shockwaves through a small Irish village, the tragic fate of a young Irish diver discovered lifeless on a Thai island has been made public. The body of Robert “Robby” Kinlan was found on January 9 in Koh Tao, ominously dubbed “Death Island” due to a chilling pattern of tourist fatalities. Initial post-mortem examinations…