Thai Life
Thailand guides, travel tips, cultural insights, and essential local information—discover everything you need to know about living, visiting, and experiencing the Land of Smiles. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for Thailand guides.
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Sponsored 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Phuket’s vegetarian nirvana at Lotus restaurant
PHUKET: The Vegetarian Festival is a yearly religious event held in honor of the nine Taoist Gods (Kiu Ong Iah), who are revered for their power to protect Phuket island and its inhabitants. For ten days during the ninth lunar month, the Chinese community observes a strict code of conduct to purify the body and mind: celibacy, cleanliness of the…
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Pinky’s Place in Phuket: Why it’s hip to be seen there
PHUKET: This place is so laid back the staff come here to hang out when they’re not working. The Gallery Café By Pinky is straightforwardly cool. Simple but delicious menu items, music to suit the hipster tone of the décor, and staff who know how to mix business with pleasure. It’s like ‘Cheers’, but with better looking, petite staff, and…
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Phuket Life & Style: Cassie’s colorful cotton collection in Phuket
PHUKET: Island Bliss sits next to the upscale wonders of Surin Plaza and features the designs of Cassie McMillan, an Australian who has settled on Phuket for the wonderful island lifestyle. She is no stranger to Asia as she lived in Hong Kong as a child where her father worked in import/export. She set up her own clothing and interior…
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Phuket Gardening: They’ve got it made in the shade
PHUKET: Planting some ground cover plants is a practical move that will add exceptional interest to your garden. For now, I’m going to pass on the most common ground cover plants in Thailand, such as the spider lily and the spiral ginger, both of which attain heights of over 50 centimeters and are practically employed in undercover environments all over…
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Phuket petrol names fuel confusion
PHUKET: Filling up with fuel in Thailand is a lot like ordering food for the first time in a foreign country – you point to the most visually appealing choice and hope for the best. The types of fuel on sale in Thai gasoline stations – known locally as petrol pumps – are different to what you’re used to at…
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Building a future in Phuket
PHUKET: Three young boys from a government school in Phuket Town will fly to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates to compete in the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) 2011 in November. Pakin “Paper” Boonlom, Tipok “Nueng” Kinkobsin, and Boonyarit “Tel” Pulsen – all 11 years old – won their age category in a national competition in Bangkok last month.…
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“Going ape’ in the trees of Chalong
PHUKET: Phuket’s new Xtremadventures park offers a full-on arboreal experience. Zipping, climbing, crawling, balancing and swinging through the trees of Phuket is no longer left to the domain of the monkey. The island is now home to an adventure park unrivaled by others in size and an innovative first in all of Asia. Xtremadventures Phuket – owned by Frenchman Gilles…
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Looking back: Prah Mongkol Visut of Phuket – a lifetime
PHUKET: Prah Mongkol Visut is one of Phuket’s most revered monks. Locals fondly refer to him as ‘Luang Pu Supha’. On September 17, Luang Pu Supha celebrated his 115th birthday, unofficially making him the oldest living man in the world. Luang Pu Supha was born in 1896. Since then, the revered monk has seen drastic and unimaginable change in his…
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Phuket books – Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff
PHUKET: Mitchell Zuckoff is a hack journalist and a very good one. His specialty is dredging up old forgotten stories and making them new again. His latest effort is Lost in Shangri-La (Harper Press, New York, 2011, 384pp). “Escape from a Hidden World – A True Story” is the subtitle of this tale of a plane wreck and rescue in…
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Brand Andara and investing in Phuket
PHUKET: The American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) Greater Phuket chapter held an event last week where record crowds turned out to hear Hong Kong billionaire Dr Allan Zeman give his thoughts on what it takes to make a business venture successful. Hundreds of Phuket developers, resort industry professionals and business people packed into the chic Silk restaurant at Andara Resort…
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Phuket’s architects at the helm of development
PHUKET:Discussing the future of Phuket property is often left to analysts, investors and developers. Rarely do we receive insight from the professionals who turn these ideas into reality. The Phuket Gazette sat down with two successful architects, each at different points in their career, to talk about what makes Phuket unique and what the future holds. Pisit Aongskultong, design director…
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Uniforms: fashion or ‘fitting in’ around Phuket?
PHUKET: It’s not unusual to see people in starched uniforms all over Phuket or even Thailand – on the job, after work and during the weekend. For reasons of safety and convenience, certain professions or groups in every culture call for a uniform, whether it be police officers, fireman or school children. But in Thailand, it’s taken a step further,…
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Phuket’s “Tri Tim’ – the surprises of dedication
PHUKET: Tim Haddon is on a mission to change his life, and hopefully the lives of others. In six months, Tim, under the guidance of his trainer, Darren Hancock aims to change from a man with heart problems and diabetes to a man who can complete the Laguna Phuket Triathlon 2011. TIM: What stands out most about the early days…
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Phuket cinema: ‘Friends with Benefits’
PHUKET: Friends with Benefits will appeal especially to those who have lived or would like to live under the circumstances implied by its title. You can almost hear the echoes of Harry Burns from 1989’s When Harry Met Sally cautioning, “Men and women can’t be friends because the sex part always gets in the way.” Thankfully for showbiz, the young…
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Riding works of art in Phuket
PHUKET: A thriving little business in Patong called “Metal Arts” produces metal sculptures for customers from Australia, Europe, America and more. Their most recent projects include painstakingly assembled rideable motorcycle sculptures. Currently, there is one at Jungceylon priced at 130,000 baht. Mr Sornthong Yimyai, owner of Metal Arts, has a vocational certificate in mechanics and has been creating metalwork projects…
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Phuket’s time machines
PHUKET: Phuket moves forward into the 21st century, striving and struggling to maintain its name and reputation as a world-renowned destination, island and home. Along with progress have come problems. A sharp rise in population and increased traffic congestion are among the downsides of rapid urbanization. One of Phuket’s most pressing issues is public mass transport, or lack thereof. Indeed,…
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Phuket Gardening: Going back to your roots
PHUKET: Recently I went in search of spice seeds to photograph. I needed them for pictures that could accompany my scribblings about herbs and spices, and, in addition, to try out in the garden. I found more than I had bargained for, including such exotic stuff as dried butterfly pea flowers (clitoria ternata), liquorice root, star anise and fenugreek. Not…
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Phuket Gardening: Take a leaf out of my book
PHUKET: As anyone who lives here in Phuket can testify, green leaves are as crucial to Thai cuisine as lettuce is to a western salad and mint to English roast lamb. Indeed, the edible leaves of at least three herbs – coriander, basil and mint – are present in many international dishes, both east and west of the Indian Ocean.…
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Therapy giving hope to people battling fear and phobias in Phuket
PHUKET: Heavy rains are expected in all regions along the Andaman coast until tomorrow afternoon, an officer at the Thai Meteorological Department told the Phuket Gazette this morning.Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Trang and Satun will all be affected. Tourists should avoid swimming in the sea for the next two days, as the surf is likely to be particularly dangerous, the…
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Phuket Lifestyle: Dream voyage with Silver Lining
PHUKET: A superyacht made in Thailand has left Phuket’s shores on a circumnavigation of the World. It has taken more than three years and 375 workers to build, but at last the superyacht Silver Lining has begun its round-the-world voyage. And for Canadian owner Chris Lenz, 45, it’s a dream come true. Formerly one of Hong Kong’s most successful food…
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Phuket gardening: Goodness gracious, great buds of fire
PHUKET: Blooming ‘flame trees’ have Phuket ablaze with scarlet flowers all over the island, particularly in July. Trees, like flowers, often remain unnoticed until they burst into bloom. The seasonal rains stimulate a number of trees into showing off their wares. The flame trees, for example, are aflame with their brilliant scarlet flowers everywhere during their season. Less dramatic, but…
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Phuket gardening: Help with growing pains
PHUKET: Garden centers in Phuket like the curate’s egg; they are good in parts. Some suffer from neglect, others are overpriced, especially those nearest to the fashionable west coast resorts. The centers that supply plants to hotels are likely to offer the best value. This gardener recently acquired a calliandra, the botanical name meaning “beautiful stamens” and the common name…
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Phuket gardening: Let them grow wild
PHUKET: WHEN enthusiastic gardeners who have lived in Europe or North America first come to Phuket, they need to understand the very different requirements that plants have in this habitat. Because it is much hotter and, during the monsoon, much wetter, few temperate plants can survive these conditions. They may be able to endure several degrees of frost but, on…
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Phuket gardening: Going bananas
PHUKET: Bananas come in many shapes and sizes and grow readily in Phuket. Some readers may remember an old pop song that opens with the phrase “Yes! We have no bananas.” This is, however, not true of Thailand. The Kingdom has many kinds of banana (botanical name musa). Nobody knows for sure, but Southeast Asia may have been where the…
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World class rehab center opens doors in Phuket
PHUKET: Sex, gambling, drug and alcohol addictions in Asia are on the rise as a by-product of the region’s rapid economic development. Until recently, treatment facilities in Asia for those suffering from substance addictions, compulsive behavior and resulting mental issues have not kept pace with societal changes. “We are seeing a big rise in the use of alcohol, drugs and…
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Phuket’s Brush film fest a must
PHUKET: THE film and music festival being held this month at Brush on Kalim Beach may well be one of Phuket’s best kept secrets. The art restaurant is hosting screenings of films from Hollywood veterans and up-and-coming members of London’s art circles in addition to music performances from local talent, throughout August. This is good news for those who enjoyed…
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Phuket’s Tin man with a heart of gold
PHUKET: THE Hongyok family have one of Phuket’s most prominent and prestigious names. They have made their mark as a successful business family and established a strong presence in local politics. The Hongsyoks are indeed a big part of Phuket’s inspirational history. Luang Anuphasphuketkarn is the member of the Hongyok family whose life story resonates the most. The local nobleman…
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Phuket says farewell to priest of 40 years
PHUKET: The Catholic Christian community in Phuket has lost a great pastor and friend. Father Richard Woodarek passed away on Friday. He was 82 years old and had spent more than half of his life in Thailand, most of it in Phuket. Father Richard was born on December 3, 1928 in Salamanca, New York. His parents, both deceased, were Walther…
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Phuket Yacht Chefs are Franke-ly brilliant
PHUKET: SIX Senses Phuket Raceweek not only enjoyed great competition on the water this year, but also witnessed a great culinary challenge to celebrate the 100th anniversary of kitchen appliance supplier Franke Kitchen Systems. The ‘Franke Yacht Chefs Cooking Challenge’, a first for Thailand, was organized in Phuket to test the cooking skills of yacht chefs, with 100,000 baht worth…
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Phuket Property Watch: Hooray for Koh Sireh as prices rise
PHUKET: FOR THOSE of a certain age, the never-ending, tortuously-lingering melody of the song “Que Sera, Sera” ignites throughts of waterboarding at Guantanamo. It’s like the nerve-screeching act of sawing a frozen turkey with a violin bow. For most of us, commercials and advertising jingles stuck in our subconscious outnumber memories of more profound events in our lives. Anyone who…
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