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.
-
Sponsored Limited-time deal: Save 20% on Cigna's expat health plans forever
Starting a new life abroad is exciting—new culture, new lifestyle, and new chances to grow. But living far from home also means taking steps to protect your health in unfamiliar surroundings. Without the right coverage, even small health issues can...
-
When next in Thailand, don’t do these things – VIDEO
Most of the time you’re spoiled for choice with things to do in Thailand. It’s what makes the country so popular for overseas visitors, and as a place to live. But there are a few things that may be worth avoiding, despite being available, during your time in the Land of Smiles. Here’s The Thaiger’s Top 10 list of potential…
-
100+ foreigners ripped off in education visa scam on Koh Pha Ngan
A language school in Koh Pha Ngan has ripped off more than 100 tourists claiming that they were able to issue them with a 1 year education visa. A group of the victims have made an official report with the local police over the scam. The tourists were from the US, UK, Germany, France and Russia. Manager Online report that more…
-
Some immigration offices open tomorrow for last minute visa extensions
The latest amnesty is up tomorrow (October 31) and some immigration offices will be open for those who still need to apply for visa extensions. Those who miss the deadline could face fines for overstay, immigration officials warn. The extensions all go into effect on November 1 and allow a 60 day stay. Some immigration offices that are typically closed…
-
Reminder from Thai Foreign Affairs about staying in Thailand after October 31
The following was sent by Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reminding foreigners about staying in Thailand after the current visa amnesty expires… “Mr. Tanee Sangrat, Director-General of the Department of Information and Foreign Ministry Spokesperson reiterated that all stranded foreign nationals who wish to stay in the Kingdom of Thailand beyond 31 October 2020 need to submit an application for…
-
145 more on Special Tourist Visa arrive in Bangkok
145 people on the new Special Tourist Visa arrived in Bangkok yesterday from Guangzhou, China, the second group after Thailand’s 7 month ban on international tourists. 39 people on the new long stay visa arrived last week, a small, yet significant step forward for Thailand as it pries open the borders for tourists, albeit with a lot of paperwork, restrictions…
-
TAT announces update to compulsory Covid-19 insurance for foreign visitors
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has announced today an update about compulsory Covid-19 insurance. They say it’s now “conveniently” available online in a one-stop-shop. Up to now the compulsory Covid-19 insurance, a pre-requisite before foreigners can come to Thailand, under any visa, was through selected insurance providers at their own websites. The Thailand Office of Insurance Commission has allowed the…
-
The World’s 50 Best Foods… Thai massaman curry tops the list
The humble Thai massaman curry has topped a list of the World’s 50 Best Foods, compiled by the CNN Travel team. Thailand’s smooth coconut milk and potato-based curry (add meat, tofu or vegetables of your choice) comes in at Number 1, with 2 other popular Thai dishes also making it into the World’s Best food list. The hot and spicy…
-
Chinese travellers CAN depart China and travel to Thailand on the STV
Another day and another day of confusing news and discussion about the Special Tourist Visa and, specifically, the Chinese arrivals. BKK Post posted this yesterday, without clarification. The headline said… “China says will maintain ban on outbound tours due to virus risk” The story, whilst not incorrect, confused a lot of readers who thought that meant ALL Chinese travellers and…
-
Top Gastric Treatments in Turkey
You might have heard positive chat regarding plastic and cosmetic surgery in Turkey, but you might not have heard that the country is also an attractive destination for other medical procedures. Like Thailand, Turkey’s popularity for medical tourism is not limited to just plastic surgery – besides treatments such as hair transplants and cosmetic dentistry, you can also undergo gastric…
-
41 foreign tourists to arrive in Bangkok today on Special Tourist Visa after 7 month ban
Just 41 foreign tourists are expected to arrive in Bangkok today, a small, yet major step forward after a 7 month ban on international tourists which was put in place in late-March to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The visitors are said to be travelling on the new Special Tourist Visa, which allows a 90 day stay that can…
-
So, how’s Thailand doing with Covid-19? – OPINION
OPINION by “Issan John” According to some, Thailand’s a leading success story, with minimal deaths and an equally minimal effect on daily life. According to others, it’s fudging the figures and on the brink of economic collapse, and the only solution is to “open the borders”, take a risk with Covid-19, and welcome back the tourists it allegedly relies on…
-
Now they’re coming… Special Tourist Visa flight set for Tuesday – Tourism and Sports Minister
After much confusion and a few apparent ‘misunderstandings’, Chinese tourists on the Special Tourist Visa will actually arrive on October 20 and 26. At least that’s what Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says, according to the Bangkok Post. The first group is said to arrive 4 days from now in Bangkok (if they actually applied for the visa this…
-
“Administrative issues” delayed Special Tourist Visa flight
A senior tourism official told Reuters reporters that “administrative issues” are the reason for the delayed trip of foreigners on the Special Tourist Visa. Other officials claimed the postponement was done to help ease Covid-19 fears for Thai tourists planning on travelling to Phuket for the annual Vegetarian Festival later this month. A group of 120 to 150 foreigners on…
-
Foreign Ministry to work with Tourism Authority to speed up entry paperwork for foreigners
Foreign Ministry officials plan to coordinate with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to make the processing of international arrivals more efficient. The Bangkok Post reports that hundreds of foreigners are awaiting approval to enter the Kingdom, whether through the Special Tourist Visa scheme or as Elite Card holders, or one of the other handfuls of visa-type allowed to return to…
-
Special Tourist Visa flight postponed, National Security Council confirms
After much confusion about when the group of Chinese tourists will arrive in Phuket, the secretary general of Thailand’s National Security Council confirmed that today’s flight has been deferred to October 25. Officials decided to postpone the flight and reschedule it after Phuket’s Vegetarian Festival is finished. The annual spectacle is known to draw large crowds. The council’s secretary general…
-
Covid-19 testing units ready for tourists at Phuket International Airport
Covid-19 mobile testing units are now stationed at the Phuket International Airport, ready to test foreign tourists, but there’s been some confusion exactly when they will arrive. Foreign tourists on the Special Tourist Visa were set to fly in from Guangzhou, China and arrive in Phuket today, then the Phuket governor said the trip is postponed, and then the Thai…
-
Special Tourist Visa flight to Phuket delayed, tourists to arrive after the Vegetarian Festival
The country’s first tourists to arrive since April’s border closures are not arriving tomorrow as originally expected. Phuket ‘s governor now says they’ll be arriving after the island’s annual Vegetarian Festival which runs from October 17 to 25. He hasn’t clarified when he requested the delay for foreign tourists to start coming back to Phuket, and he hasn’t confirm exactly…
-
60 day visa extensions, filed during amnesty, go into effect November 1
Foreigners currently on visa amnesty, who didn’t make the initial September 26 deadline to file for extension, can extend their visa between now and October 31. The Immigration Bureau is trying to reduce overcrowding at local immigration offices and say that no matter what day the 60 day extension is made, it will go into effect on November 1. In…
-
Thailand now accepting applications for permanent residency
Thailand is now taking applications for permanent residency from now until December 30, 2020. The number of expats who can apply is capped at 100 per nationality plus 50 stateless individuals. But permanent residency isn’t easy to get in Thailand and applicants need to speak Thai. Local blogger and Samut Prakan school employee Richard Barrow posted on Facebook saying he tried applying…
-
Hard truths about travelling to Thailand, right now
OPINION Just a year ago, you could book a flight, booked a hotel, and in many cases, just arrived to receive a visa-on-arrival stamp in your passport. A few hours later you were sitting on a beach sipping colourful drinks out of tall glasses. Just one year later and being a tourist in Thailand is very difficult, if not impossible…
-
More evidence of abuse found on Nonthaburi private school’s CCTV cameras
Parents say they have found more evidence of their children being abused on CCTV at Nonthaburi’s Sarasas Witaed Ratchaphruek School. Ronnarong Kaewphet, lawyer and chairman of the Justice-seeking Advocacy Network accompanied the parents of 10 students to the police station to file charges against the teachers that were seen allegedly beating up the students. “Parents saw CCTV footage of two…
-
Teacher blames stress over dog killing for slapping student
A teacher in the northeastern Buriram province has reportedly blamed slapping a student on being stressed after killing a dog accidentally with his car. The teacher, who works at a famous school in the province, allegedly slapped Fuse, a grade 8 student, after he found him waiting to go on stage to sing for retired teachers. Fuse was reportedly confused…
-
How to Succeed in the Business World
Starting a new business is a thrilling and rewarding adventure. However, making a success of your new venture hinges on a number of factors. If you are keen to boost your profits, keep your customers happy, and continuously innovate to retain an ‘edge’ over your competitors, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind. Further your education While it…
-
The Special Tourist Visa is now official and allows tourists in from October 1
The Thai Government Gazette has officially recorded that long-stay tourists would now be allowed to come back to Thailand. The Cabinet approved the measure based on CCSA recommendation on September 15. Some people have already made early enquiries for the new Special Tourist Visa, or STV, which can be officially processed. Whilst the official announcement is the start of Thailand’s…
-
Man arrested for fake immigration documents operation at Bangkok grocery store
A Burmese man was arrested after he allegedly faked work permit documents and stamps, operating at a produce shop in Bangkok near the Myanmar Embassy. After a number of cases involving Burmese migrants with fake visa documents and bogus stamps, immigration officers investigated the grocery store, posing as customers. Many customers entering the grocery store didn’t buy vegetables and were…
-
Get a new stamp! Foreigners on a current 30 day visa extension can stay until November 30
Details are emerging about the new visa amnesty that was announced by the Thai PM and the CCSA yesterday afternoon. Foreigners who recently paid 1,900 baht for a 30 day visa extension are now clear to stay in Thailand until November 30 at no extra cost, but those foreigners need to report to immigration to get their visa stamp corrected.…
-
The first tourists to arrive next week on the Special Tourist Visa
The first group of foreigners under the new Special Tourist Visa will be arriving to Thailand next week after a 6 month travel ban on international tourists. About 120 people are set to fly from Guangzhou, China and land in Phuket on October 8. As some would say, at least it’s a start! The new tourist visa scheme comes after…
-
Want to stay in Thailand? Get your visa figured out by October 31
In a very last minute decision, foreigners stuck in Thailand will have another grace period until October 31 to get their visa in order. The Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, in announcing the new visa amnesty, recognised that travel restrictions are still in place around the world and the coronavirus continues to spread with global deaths surpassing 1 million. After rumours…
-
New visa amnesty allows foreigners to stay in Thailand until October 31, with 60 day extensions
The visa amnesty, twice extended, expired on September 26. Then another amnesty was launched yesterday which allows foreigners, without visas or with lapsed visas, until October 31 to sort out their visa situation. The grace period acknowledges the problems many foreigners are having organising flights back to their home countries at a time much of the world has an acceleration…
-
Update on rumoured extension of Thailand’s visa amnesty
UPDATE: There has been no confirmation of the rumour that was circulating earlier today. Some publications even said it was a “done thin” but that is not true. The latest developments… Speaking to khaosodenglish.com, Col. Phakkhaphong Saiubon told them that an extension should be officially announced this week and that “those who failed to renew their stay after the September…
Don't forget to check out some other things to do in Thailand - get help starting a business or finding a job in Thailand, buy Thailand property, rent a yacht or book a medical procedure worldwide.