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 vs. the West: What expats save on healthcare each year
Healthcare in Thailand is much cheaper than in Western countries, making it a great choice for expatriates looking for affordable medical care. Both public and private healthcare options offer high-quality services, with savings of up to 80% on procedures like...
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Chikungunya virus mutates – “mosquitoes can carry chikungunya and dengue”
A Thai respiratory and critical care specialist at Bangkok’s Vichaiyut Hospital is claiming that the chikungunya virus, spread through the bites of an infected Aedes mosquito, has mutated where one mosquito could be the carrier of both the chikungunya and dengue viruses. Dr Manoon Leechawengwongs reported that in the past 30 days his hospital has treated 13 chikungunya patients compared to…
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Noodle shop ‘taking the piss’ with special ingredient
PHOTOS: sanook.com Thai Facebook page ‘Return.v12’ has posted a storey about people who believe in the “power of urine” and that it can heal body pain and diseases. The noodle shop owner admitted that he has been using his own urine as a “secret ingredient” and that he has a lot of customers because of it. He claims that his…
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Smoking at home in Thailand has been banned from today
The ban on smoking at home in Thailand comes into effect today. From today people can be prosecuted for “domestic abuse” by lighting up a cigarette inside a home. People can call Family and Protection centres on 1300 to report a smoker. According to the new law, women and children are often the recipients of second hand smoke and the…
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Thai Department proceeds with crackdown on shameless price gouging on medications
Despite a lot of resistance from the local Thai private hospital networks, The Department of Internal Trade says they will proceed with its crackdown to control prices of medicines now that it has received their price lists. Once legislation is enacted, hospitals selling medicines above the median price set by the department will face fines and/or imprisonment. Since August 16,…
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Ten things the Thai Government could to do right now
OPINION Thailand is a proud country with a rich cultural tradition. And great food. Expats and visitors have been flocking to the Land of Smiles for a century, especially the last 20 years when tourism has surged to become a major contributor to the country’s GDP. But the veneer of a never-ending rise in tourism numbers lost some of its…
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Thai anti-alcohol campaigners demand stricter controls on underage drinking
PHOTO: “Don’t allow the children in the pubs!” – The Nation Anti-alcohol campaigners and youth networks, are calling on Metropolitan Police to check on shops in Bang Sue district’s Soi Wongsawang 11 that are allegedly selling alcohol to youth under the age of 20 in a location adjacent to an educational institution. The group, led by Alcohol Watch coordinator Khamron…
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Top 10 things the internet is changing forever
The internet continues to change everything. Whilst it’s creating entire new industries and jobs it’s also putting a lot of people out of work and killing older business models. Accelerating the changes is the rise and rise of smartphones as a source of just about everything. It’s an evolutionary digital disruption, as profound as the Industrial Revolution. The genie is…
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Health Minister pushes the availability of cannabinoid oils to Thai hospitals
The new Thai Public Health Minister, and deputy PM, Anutin Charnvirakul will allow hospitals to prescribe marijuana to some patients in a move to make the alternative medicine more publicly available. “This week I will sign an order to allow ministry-run hospitals to prescribe the cannabis oil extracts,” he told the Bangkok Post. The minister says he vows to push…
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Thailand’s job market – popular job sectors
by Cita Catellya A new report on the most popular job in Thailand shows how the country’s job market is evolving. In this digital age, it may come as no surprise that IT roles are now one of the most popular job areas. Everyone is moving to a digital outlet, and companies continue to implement technology in the workplace to be able to…
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Tobacco giant lobbies Thai government to reverse vaping laws
PHOTO: Sampan.org Leading Thai cigarette importer Philip Morris Trading wants the new government and policymakers to start talking with the tobacco industry to find constructive solutions to reducing harm caused by smoking. The tobacco giant is hoping the new government will consider innovative “smoke-free products” (vaping) for smokers, who would otherwise continue smoking. Cut to the chase – Philip Morris,…
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Thailand’s food delivery business up 14% in 2019
“Diners are increasingly ordering food online platforms, and eating out at restaurants less.” We’re eating in more and dining out less. But we can still enjoy our favourite restaurant food. Welcome to the latest ‘disrupter’ making inroads to our eating habits. KResearch (a part of Kasikorn Bank) estimates that the food delivery business in 2019 will amount to 33-35 billion…
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6 benefits of morning walks
…that will stop you hitting that snooze button! Although Thailand has some charming locations for a morning stroll, even around parts of Bangkok, we know how difficult it can be to wake up early, especially to wake up early and exercise? However, if you’ve had the chance to go walking around Nai Harn Lake in Phuket, Lumpini Park in Bangkok…
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Thai FDA refuses to endorse Decha’s cannabis oil
PHOTO: Decha Siripat from the Khao Kwan Foundation and supporters Patients who were looking forward to gain access to medicinal cannabis oil, produced by the Khao Kwan Foundation’s Decha Siripat, learned yesterday that the Thai Food and Drug Administration have declined to endorse his own version of the drug. 12 organisations have now accused the FDA of procrastination and mismanagement…
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Thailand’s marijuana and massage-led tourism recovery
The new Thai minister for tourism and sports says he can lure Europeans and Americans back to Thailand with the promise of massage and marijuana – medical marijuana! The newly sworn-in political “newbie” told the media on Wednesday that he is well aware of the drop in visitors from the US and Europe. He says he hopes plans to promote the…
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Could flexible work hours ease the loads and stress of Bangkok’s peaks?
Original article by Daniel Lorenzzo | Magazine Hong Kong A study by navigation company TomTom conducted tests on metropolitan congestion. It’s used data from Bangkok, Mexico City, Jakarta and three Chinese cities – Chongqing, Beijing and Chengdu. The study points out that wherever there is an economic hub, congestion follows and frustration among commuters along with it. 40% of people…
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Top 10 tips for marketing if you’re a small to medium business
The marketing and advertising world is evolving quickly. And you need to evolve with it. How you used to successfully market your business ten years ago… five years ago… even last year, needs to be different today so you can reach more customers for less. Things are moving REALLY fast and the terminology and science of advertising is moving along…
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Thai PM warns about patients relying on medical marijuana as magic cure
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday spoke up about the current flood of interest as Thai public health authorities roll out the first phase of medical cannabis to patients. Read The Thaiger story HERE. The PM cautioned patients against being totally dependent on marijuana-based medicines, saying this practice may lead to their illnesses getting worse in the future. Prayut cited several…
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Thailand’s highest restaurant and bar open at the Mahanakhon building
Mahanakhon Bangkok SkyBar, Thailand’s highest restaurant and bar is now open at Bangkok’s landmark, the King Power Mahanakhon building. Located in the heart of Sathorn and directly connected to Chong Nonsi BTS station, the new dining venue is situated on the 76th and 77th floor of the famous pixelated building. Inspired by the Chao Praya river and the concept of an eclectic journey, a visit…
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Top 10 world locations where people go to play
Where do people travel in the world for ‘play’, not business? Mastercard unveils the Top Ten locations where people travel to play. International travel continues to grow at an incredible rate, transforming local economies and enabling people to broaden their horizons – whether they travel for work or for play. Building on nearly a decade of insight into international travel trends,…
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First roll out of prescribed medical marijuana to start end of July
PHOTO: Chao Phraya Abhaiphubejhr Hospital Thailand’s first quantities of legal medical cannabis will be prescribed and dispatched to registered patients from next month. Dr Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn, the public health minister, say that the first 10,000 bottles of cannabis (marijuana) oil extract will be produced by the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation and another 5,000 bottles by Chao Phraya Abhaiphubejhr Hospital. These authorised practitioners…
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Thai attempted suicide rates are on the increase
The Thai Department of Mental Health has released disturbing research showing the shockingly high rate of attempted suicides and pointing out the need for better education about depression and coping with stress. The research indicates that about 53,000 Thais attempt suicide each year. That’s an average of more than six attempts per hour. Sadly, 4,000 will succeed in taking their own…
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Chiang Mai makes it into the world’s top ten locations to find a vegan burger
Being vegan may have been a bit ‘out there’ ten years ago, but in 2019 it’s all the rage and specialist vegan eating establishments are popping up around the world, including Thailand. Dutch online moving platform ScanMovers.com decided to do some serious research into the matter, to determine the best place to find a vegan eating experience. They compiled a…
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Is sleeping with your fan making you sick?
How do you get a good night’s sleep in Thailand? Do you sleep with the air-con, leave the windows open (with fly-wire screens!), turn the air-con on before you go to bed to cool down the room? Or do you use a fan? A new story from life.gomcgill.com suggests that sleeping with a fan could actually be dangerous to your…
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Top 7 Thailand expat myths
If you read the internet, particularly one particular website we won’t name (thaivisa.com)… whoops, then you’d think that Thailand is a dreadful place to visit, filled with hate-filled ex-pats who live in fear and loathing of, well, everything. According to many, the sky is likely to fall in at any moment and everything in Thailand is too expensive, too corrupt,…
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Phuket in the Top Ten list of Best Places to Visit
Paris topped the US News list of the World’s Best Places to Visit, Phuket gets into the top 10 destinations this year. The annual rankings list the World’s Best Places to Visit, along with region-specific and niche lists. Paris, a long favourite with its world-renowned attractions, excellent cuisine and charming atmosphere, scored the top spot in the Best Place to Visit…
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Top Ten tips to tipping in Thailand
How much is appropriate in Thailand or should you tip at all? There is no rule of thumb although tipping is not common amongst Thais whilst it remains reasonably common with some westerners, but certainly not all. Americans almost tip by habit. Tipping in Thailand is not mandatory but will always be welcomed with a ‘wai’ and a smile. Our…
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New ‘no smoking law’ is not banning smoking in homes – Thai health official
Health official Lertpanya Buranabanthit has been forced to clarify the situation about the so called ‘ban’ on smoking in Thai homes reported over the weekend. He has hit back at claims on social media that the new law is trying to stop people smoking in their own houses. Read the story HERE. Thai social media has made the story the top-trending…
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Passive smokers at home are suffering ‘domestic abuse’ – new law
Smoking in your own home in Thailand may now be considered a crime, if the smoke is considered harmful to other people in the house. The move to ban smoking in homes with other people, and the subsequent inhalation of second-hand smoke, is part of the new Family Protection and Development Promotion Act which will come into force on August…
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Top 10 Thai foods you must try
Thailand is known around the world not only for it’s breath taking scenery, beautiful hosts but also for their food. Fresh and vibrant, the local food in Thailand is cheap and it is amazing. On the street or in a fancy restaurant, it’s all good. Be brave. Buy from the side of the road like the locals do, it will…
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Sephora brings new beauty experience at Central Phuket
PHUKET: Sephora is opening its eleventh store in Thailand at Central Phuket, using over 400 square meters on the first floor at the Festival area. This is the very first Sephora store outside of Bangkok. The new concept will ensure that customers and tourists in the South of Thailand can gain new experiences in discovering new beauty items from more than…
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