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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    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...

  • New and improved Smart Visa to make life easier for digital nomads in Thailand

    New and improved Smart Visa to make life easier for digital nomads in Thailand

    The government is considering proposals to reform the Smart Visa to make it easier for digital nomads to legally work from the Kingdom. According to a Pattaya Mail report, the Tourism Authority of Thailand says the Board of Investment and the government’s Covid-19 task force have already agreed on the detail of the proposal. Digital nomads have fallen through the…

  • International Living magazine ranks Koh Samui among 15 best islands to retire

    International Living magazine ranks Koh Samui among 15 best islands to retire

    Thailand’s popular Gulf island of Koh Samui is basking in glory as it is listed as one of the best islands to retire by International Living magazine. The island is ranked number 10 out of 15 islands listed by the magazine, and is said to be affordable for retirees. Peace, privacy, a simpler way of life and strong communities are…

  • Massaman curry named world’s #1 food by CNN Travel

    Massaman curry named world’s #1 food by CNN Travel

    Massaman curry has once again topped CNN Travel’s list of the World’s 50 Best Foods, with 2 more Thai dishes gracing the list. CNN Travel first published its list of the best meals and snacks from around the world in 2011 and just updated it this month. Massaman curry – which the list described as spicy, coconutty, sweet, and savoury…

  • Thailand’s healthcare sector may become overwhelmed with increasing Covid infections

    Thailand’s healthcare sector may become overwhelmed with increasing Covid infections

    Thailand’s healthcare sector could get overwhelmed with the increasing number of daily Covid-19 infections. Today, the country is reporting the highest amount of daily infections at 2,070 with 4 deaths, leading many to wonder if the nation will have enough medical facilities to treat Covid patients. Recently, health authorities have began responding more to the situation by launching additional field…

  • Foreigners advised to do 90 day reports by mail while Thai Immigration system is down

    Foreigners advised to do 90 day reports by mail while Thai Immigration system is down

    While the Thai Immigration’s online system for 90 day reporting is down (it’s been down for many of our readers who have been trying to do their 90 day reports for over 3 months), foreigners living in Thailand still need to report their address every 3 months. Deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Natapanu Nopakun says there are…

  • 17 medical staff isolated due to dishonest Covid-19 patient

    17 medical staff isolated due to dishonest Covid-19 patient

    The already-strained Samut Prakan provincial hospital isolated 17 medical staff members today after a patient was dishonest about interaction with a Covid-19 infected patient. The patient was not forthcoming with details about coming in contact with a person that had been diagnosed with the Coronavirus. As a result, the hospital announced the mandatory quarantine of 17 medical staff members who…

  • 2 emergency decrees provide businesses financial help

    2 emergency decrees provide businesses financial help

    Thailand enacted 2 new emergency decrees today aimed at providing assistance to businesses and reducing default interest rates to help people affected by Covid-19. A deputy government spokeswoman confirmed the needed action was critical to protect and aid entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises during the time of pandemic-driven economic crisis. The goal was to combat unfair interest rates on…

  • Proposals to get rid of 90 day reporting and ease investment rules in Thailand

    Proposals to get rid of 90 day reporting and ease investment rules in Thailand

    In amongst a sea of bad new over the past week, a glimmer of hope for expats and long-stay travellers. You better sit down… The Thai government are looking into changing the long standing 90 day reporting for people staying in Thailand longer than 90 days on a long-stay visa. But don’t get out the champagne just yet. For the…

  • Latest guidelines for all non-tourist visitors to Thailand, through Phuket

    Latest guidelines for all non-tourist visitors to Thailand, through Phuket

    Phuket’s provincial government has issued a 48 page order for non-tourists entering Thailand, via Phuket. The order covers everyone from repatriating Thais, foreigners who are permanent residents or on long-term visas, students, workers passing through and consular visits. In real terms, as it says, anyone who isn’t visiting, or travelling through, Phuket as a tourist. If you were looking for…

  • The challenges for the digital nomad in Thailand | VIDEO

    The challenges for the digital nomad in Thailand | VIDEO

    Ah yes, the challenges of being a digital nomad in Thailand. What is a digital nomad? People who can do their job anywhere in the world with just a laptop, tablet and wi fi (preferably free wi fi). Thailand has the scenery, wi fi access, speed and lots and lots of coffee shops (with excellent coffee these days). But there…

  • Thai Airways food landing in 7-Eleven next month

    Thai Airways food landing in 7-Eleven next month

    Warning. Some low-altitude turbulence is coming to a 7-Eleven near you. Thai Airways has cooked up a new money-making scheme during Covid-19 to sell its airline food in 7-Eleven. Set to take off on April 15, the mostly grounded and indebted airline will attempt to offset its losses during the pandemic by selling food in the ubiquitous convenience store and…

  • Thailand visa extension explained, April 2021 | VIDEO

    Thailand visa extension explained, April 2021 | VIDEO

    Some clarification about the 60 day extensions to visas that had been extended in the past as part of the Covid visa amnesty for foreign travellers in Thailand who were ‘stuck’ in the country or wished to stay for whatever reason. Caitlin Ashworth from The Thaiger explains the details. For the latest details on everything about the re-opening of the…

  • Thailand introduces help for LGBT families

    Thailand introduces help for LGBT families

    Thailand is introducing help for those families with LGBT children who suffer from bullying. The Thai Health Promotion Foundation and the Foundation of Transgender Alliance for Human Rights created a manual titled, “This House Has Gender Diversity.” Phoranee Phuprasert, director of the Office of Vulnerable Group Support, says the manual aims to create a better understanding of LGBT issues, especially…

  • Tourists in Thailand can apply for another 60 day extension, allowing a stay until July 27

    Tourists in Thailand can apply for another 60 day extension, allowing a stay until July 27

    Thailand’s Immigration Bureau is allowing visa extensions for tourists who have been in stuck in Thailand since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Royal Thai Immigration Bureau announced the news through an urgent public memo yesterday. The previous order allowed those foreigners to apply for an extension until the end of March, but now they can apply for another extension…

  • Thailand’s first female Education Minister targets bullying in schools

    Thailand’s first female Education Minister targets bullying in schools

    Thailand’s first female education minister is targetting bullying in schools as part of 3 policies she says she will start implementing today. Trinuch Thienthong, an MP from the coalition – core Palang Pracharath Party, says she will promote safety at schools, access to digital resources and knowledge and campaign for vocational education. Trinuch says Thailand’s schools, must be free of…

  • Russians in Pattaya arrested for allegedly selling fake bank statements for retirement visas

    Russians in Pattaya arrested for allegedly selling fake bank statements for retirement visas

    Police in Pattaya arrested a Russian man and woman for allegedly creating fake bank documents for retirement visas and selling the fraudulent paperwork to other foreigners. The suspects allegedly sold the fake documents to foreigners who did not have enough money in their bank account required under Thai law for a retirement visa, police say, according to Pattaya News. Retirement…

  • Thai students want university entrance exams postponed citing fears over their futures

    Thai students want university entrance exams postponed citing fears over their futures

    Thousands of Thai students are wanting their university entrance exams postponed over fears of their futures being impacted by Covid-19. #Courtpetitionsforexampostponement is now trending on Twitter after 6 students submitted a plea to the Central Administrative Court. The Mathayom 6 students received help for their plea from Pheu Thai Party spokeswoman Arunee Kasayanond in lieu of exams scheduled to begin…

  • Thai-language teacher suspended for throwing books at her students

    Thai-language teacher suspended for throwing books at her students

    A Thai-language teacher was suspended after she was caught on video throwing textbooks at her students and even hitting a teenage student in the head with a book. Khun Sudawan, a teacher at the Manchasuksa State Secondary School in the Isaan province Khon Kaen, had been checking over class assignments and noticed many students had not finished. As Sudawan started…

  • Thailand is re-opening. When can I travel there? | VIDEO

    Thailand is re-opening. When can I travel there? | VIDEO

    There are many moving parts in the Thailand travel situation right now – new visa options, changes to the quarantine, ASQs, area quarantines, golf quarantines. The road back to a healthy tourist industry in Thailand, even ANY tourism industry, will be a long slog. But Bill Barnett from c9hotelworks.com is optimistic that we’ve turned the corner and Thailand is now…

  • Thai Visa Centre accuses former employee of stealing from a family seeking to travel to Thailand

    Thai Visa Centre accuses former employee of stealing from a family seeking to travel to Thailand

    Thai Visa Centre sent out a warning about a former employee, saying they discovered that he not only stole money from the company and staff members, but he also stole 130,000 baht from a family overseas who were planning to travel to Thailand. The centre claims the former staff member, Asim Muhammad Mehran, has been stealing money from other employees…

  • Phuket Thai food treats you need to try | VIDEO

    Phuket Thai food treats you need to try | VIDEO

    Nimz, our new Thaiger Vlogger takes you on a tour of some uniquely Phuket foods, although you may find them in other provinces these days as well. A lot of southern Thai food can be very spicy and features a lot of seafood, but Nimz went for the ‘less’ spicy (mai phet) options. Tell us about your favourite Thai treats…

  • In search of Cat & Dog Cafés in Phuket Town | VIDEO

    In search of Cat & Dog Cafés in Phuket Town | VIDEO

    Nimz, our Thaiger Vlogger takes you on a weekend tour of Phuket Town, in search of cat and dog cafés. Stroke the cats, tickle the cat’s tummy, pat the cats, take selfies with the cats. Whilst Phuket has a number of registered cat and dog cafés, only one appeared to open during Nimz’s search through the streets of Phuket Town,…

  • Flying high and fine dining in a re-purposed old jet in Bangkok | VIDEO

    Flying high and fine dining in a re-purposed old jet in Bangkok | VIDEO

    This could actually be the only time you enjoy dining on a plane. Na-Oh Bangkok re-purposed a decommissioned L-1011 Lockheed aircraft, turning the old jet into a fine dining restaurant located within the ChangChui Project, just a few minutes away from downtown Bangkok. With it’s eclectic interiors and their signature Thai-fusion courses, the restaurant offers quite a memorable experience. Chris,…

  • The all new ‘villa quarantine’ in Phuket, Thailand | VIDEO

    The all new ‘villa quarantine’ in Phuket, Thailand | VIDEO

    Now you can do villa quarantine in Phuket. But it’s not you usual ASQ… this one has a view and a price to match. A select few VIP tourists arrived in Phuket to experience the new ‘swanky’ quarantine. It’s still 14 days (or is it 15?) but now with a view and nice linen. Tim Newton introduces us to the…

  • Great Thai Food Convenience Store Challenge l Chef Cyril Mougin | VIDEO

    Great Thai Food Convenience Store Challenge l Chef Cyril Mougin | VIDEO

    Another chef to the challenge. What can a great chef create with ingredients ONLY from a 7/11? The Thaiger caught up with some amazing local chefs to see what they could put together after 5 minutes in a convenient store with 1,000 baht budget. Not only did they come up with some surprising ideas, they tasted DELICIOUS! Join Tim Newton…

  • Another Thai teacher accused of abusing young student

    Another Thai teacher accused of abusing young student

    Another teacher is under harsh criticism after a student’s mother accused the educator of slapping her 5 year old child so hard that his lips cracked open causing him to be unable to each lunch. The alleged incident happened when the 5 year old kindergartner swore at his friend, admittedly saying the words, “You ass!” for stealing his pencil box,…

  • What can you cook up from a 7-11? l Chef Kai Kauder | VIDEO

    What can you cook up from a 7-11? l Chef Kai Kauder | VIDEO

    What can a great chef create with ingredients ONLY from a 7/11? The Thaiger caught up with some amazing local chefs to see what they could put together after 5 minutes in a convenient store with 1,000 baht budget. Not only did they come up with some surprising ideas, they tasted DELICIOUS! Join Tim Newton as he learns more about…

  • Government crackdown on foreigners teaching without work permits

    Government crackdown on foreigners teaching without work permits

    Thailand’s Ministry of Labour is cracking down on foreign teachers who may be working in the Kingdom without valid work permits. The ministry has instructed the Department of Employment to apply stricter criteria when issuing work permits to foreign teachers. According to department figures, Thailand currently has 6,129 foreigners teaching in 922 private and public schools. Of those, 2,667 are…

  • Global medical tourism in 2020 and the impact of Covid-19

    Global medical tourism in 2020 and the impact of Covid-19

    2020 was a tough year for business, unless you’re Amazon or Zoom! But certain industries were hit harder by the impact of Covid-19 than others, with the Tourism Industry taking one of the heaviest blows of them all. Hospitality and airlines are the industries we mostly hear about, with the niche tourism sectors not getting much of a mention. One…

  • Starbucks Thailand to make drinking and shopping a “thing”

    Starbucks Thailand to make drinking and shopping a “thing”

    Thanks to Starbucks, it may now be possible to drink and shop at Bangkok’s Iconsiam mall, as long as the government grants its approval. The US company has introduced its first store in Thailand to offer an alcoholic beverage menu, one that surely will help visitors to the mall relax a bit. The managing director of Starbucks Coffee Thailand, Nednapa…