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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Across the land: Age of the robotic butler
PHUKET: Robot butlers could soon be seen in modern homes. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly building an artificial intelligence system to operate and control his entire home, and the system will apparently be ready to perform a demo in the very near future. When we think of butlers, we usually envisage a man traditionally dressed in a white-wing collar…
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On Deck: A look inside the Royal Pavilion
PHUKET: I recently attended the National Science and Technology Fair in Bangkok at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani. The attraction for me was a Royal Pavilion that included boats made by His Majesty the King of Thailand. Many will know that His Majesty has built a number of boats in his time. Twenty-five to be precise, all dinghies. His first was…
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Profile: Montree Todtan – Rescuing nature’s gentle giants
PHUKET: Phuket native Montree Todtan is the CEO of the soon-to-open ‘Phuket Elephant Sanctuary’ in Pa Khlok. The sanctuary is a dedicated last home for Asian elephants rescued and rehabilitated from life in the captive elephant tourism industry. Now 46 years old, Mr Montree grew up in Phuket and after completing high school went to Ramkamheang University for three years…
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CPN invests B20bn into new Central Phuket
PHUKET: Central Pattana PCL (CPN) recently confirmed long-awaited expansion plans for Phuket, announcing a 20 billion baht investment to build a second mega complex opposite Central Festival Phuket shopping mall. The new world class mega project in Phuket, to be named Central Phuket, is part of a 60 billion baht plan to develop and renovate 10 shopping centers nationwide between…
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By The Book: The British love affair with Phuket
PHUKET: For a long time, the British have been coming to Phuket on vacation, for their retirement, and to set up businesses here. For a lot of Brits coming from aboard, Phuket is an attractive location for a holiday home or investment property, and UK buyers have established themselves as a permanent segment of the island’s property market. For the…
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Getting your Aussie visa application right
PHUKET: Often you will hear people say getting a visa to Australia is very hard, but the reality is, as long as you meet the basic criteria, it could not be easier. Many people make it much harder for themselves than is necessary, and hopefully this article will assist people to be successful the first time. 1. Make sure you…
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Second TYS to feature more small boats
PHUKET: Organizers of the second edition of the Thailand Yacht Show (TYS) at Ao Po Grand Marina from December 15-18 are looking to add new features to attract different visitors. One of these, the ‘Premier Display’ is intended to give visitors the opportunity to view the latest small boats and other watercraft on offer in Southeast Asia. “At the first…
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Law, Life and Society: The real cost of incarceration
PHUKET: Last month, Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya announced that methamphetamine will be removed from the list of Category 1 hard narcotics. It was met with controversy but it is a welcome change to a policy that has devastated Thai society. According to the Corrections Department, Thailand has a prison population of 371,347 which is the 8th largest prison population in…
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Indonesian yacht to kick off Asia Superyacht Rendezvous
PHUKET: Indonesian charter yacht S/Y Dunia Baru will help kick off the 16th annual Asia Superyacht Rendezvous for the first time this year. The 51m phinisi-style sailing yacht will be hosting the opening cocktail reception. Running from 16-18 December in Phuket, the Asia Superyacht Rendezvous is one of the largest gatherings of extra-large sailing and motor-yachts in the region, bringing…
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Profile: Mitr Kokopan – Around the world and back
PHUKET: Mitr Kokapan, or ‘Koko’, as he is better known to his friends and family, may look like your run-of-the-mill Phuket restaurant owner, but his life has been far from ordinary. Born in Isarn, he is the second of eight siblings. After moving to Bangkok at an early age, Koko started working at hotels to support himself and further his…
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Supicha targets locals with Sino style
PHUKET: Local developer Supicha Property is set to begin construction of a mixed-use commercial and residential development near the British International School (BIS) in Koh Kaew in December. The construction company has sunk 300 million baht into the Supicha Sino Koh Kaew project, situated on eight rai opposite the international school in Koh Kaew and backing on to a lake.…
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Culinary fest, tourism fair to be held in Phuket
PHUKET: Mark your calendars for two fun festivals coming to Phuket next month. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket Office is hosting the ‘Phuket Tasty Fest 2016’ and ‘Andaman Hotelier and Tourism Fair 2016’ from September 9-11 at Limelight Avenue. The Tasty Fest will include live cooking demonstrations, as well as celebrity chefs creating their own dishes with local…
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On Deck: Local sailors making their mark
PHUKET: In sailing circles, attention is more often than not focused on the big international sailing events full of professionals: the America’s Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, World Match Racing Tour etc. Locally though, and in the region, the focus is on the keelboat and multihull sailing events. As I write this, my 30th column (yep, hard to believe), the Olympics…
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Property Watch: Hiring a property expert
PHUKET: Sometimes the obvious is worth pointing out, because the obvious is very often overlooked or ignored. For example, driving safely reduces road accidents, injuries and deaths, so it is something worth repeating, over and over. Similarly, if you are looking for information on property investment in Thailand, then look to proven experts with a track record of success as…
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Profile: Walter Brown – committed to helping travellers in need
PHUKET: Walter Brown, or ‘Wal’ as he is popularly known, is the founder and coordinator of the Region 8 Police Volunteers. Originally from Australia, Wal has been in Thailand for about 10 years now. He had already been retired for 15 years before he arrived here. Living on a 40ft motor cruiser in the tropics of north Queensland, Thailand was…
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Property Inspector: Preventing mold growth in your home
PHUKET: Phuket seems to be the mold capital of the world. We all battle the mold. It surrounds us 24 hours a day in the form of spores in the air and those that have settled onto every surface inside a home. These spores are time bombs waiting to go off. In almost all instances, they already have two of…
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Young sailors cruise to victory at Topper World Championships
PHUKET: Young Phuket sailors are making a splash at international events, with two local youngsters from the Phuket Youth Sailing Club (PYSC) winning gold and bronze at the 2016 Topper World Championships held at Ballyholme in Northern Ireland last month. While this is a big deal in itself, the fact that these children come from underprivileged backgrounds makes this even…
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Excuse Buster: The flaws of nutritional science
PHUKET: I recently had a session with a gentleman who from the outset spoke about his frustration with the health industry, particularly in regard to the constant opinion changing about what is healthy and unhealthy. I agree with his sentiment – seems every few years the ‘experts’ change their minds. I remember eggs were bad, then good again 10 years…
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Blazing Saddles: Bicycles as positive ‘change agents’ in Phuket
PHUKET: As so often happens in the frenetic super-connected era in which we now live, new terms and expressions go from obscurity to inhabiting the tips of our globally-connected tongues almost overnight. So it is with the term ‘change agent’ which Bill Clinton memorably used to describe his wife Hillary at the Democratic Convention last week. Bill let us in…
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Ajarn A and his ‘magical’ tattoos
PHUKET: With the answer to any question just a few taps away on a mobile phone, why do certain superstitions and beliefs in the supernatural still exist? If you’re one of Phuket’s magic tattoo masters, the answer is in the currency of belief. “Things exist only because people believe in them,” said Bunphet Limlai, who goes by the name ‘Ajarn…
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Listing your property on social media
PHUKET: During the green season in Phuket, most real estate brokers spend their time listing new properties to boost up their listing stock ahead of the high season. Good & varied listings across the market segmentation of the property market are ideal to appeal to a wider spectrum of clients. Property listings need not necessarily be large in numbers, but…
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Phuket mother presented ‘Outstanding Mother 2016’ award
PHUKET: A hardworking single mother from Phuket was presented the ‘Phuket Outstanding Mother 2016’ award today. Suksan Promthong, 68, travelled to Bangkok for the ceremony, where HRH Princess Somsavali graciously presented awards to her and other winners. The awards were part of an annual event to honor Her Majesty Queen Sirikit on her 84th birthday, which is being celebrated as…
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On Deck: Advancing sail tech in Phuket
PHUKET: It’s often said that technology starts at the top, at the most advanced businesses developing cutting-edge products, and then trickles down to everyday life objects and activities. The same can be said for sailing. In particular, sail technology. Observing at the recent Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek and the vast variety of sail materials and brands used by the…
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Melting your worries away at Breeze Spa
PHUKET: Breeze Spa, located in the four-star Amari Phuket hotel in Patong, recently announced its partnership with leading American dermatologist Dr Howard Murad. Combining Dr Murad’s innovative skin therapies with Breeze Spa’s facilities, the partnership introduces five new facial treatments this month, which I, of course, had to try. Once I arrived at the reception area, I was welcomed by…
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Banyan Tree launches new luxury villas
PHUKET: Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts launched ‘Angsana Villas Resort Phuket’ as an addition to the Angsana family on August 1. It was rebranded from the former Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas. The resort has 48 villas and suites, with all rooms featuring living areas. Guests can opt for one, two and three-bedroom suites or three and four-bedroom villas…
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By The Book: Pricing your property accurately
PHUKET: When listing your property for sale, one of the most important things to do is establish an asking price. As the seller, you don’t want to set the price too low and miss out. Equally, you must not price too high as you can put off potential buyers. The first step to correctly pricing a property is to have…
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Laguna to hold charity concert
PHUKET: Laguna Phuket is holding a charity concert at Laguna Grove on Saturday, August 13. The ‘Big Body + Charity Concert’ and will feature Thai rockers ‘Bodyslam’ and ‘Big Ass’, as well as up and coming artist Justin Pongumpai. Part of the proceeds of the concert will go to Phuket Punyanukul School located in Pa Khlok, a special school for…
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Municipality to hold mini-marathon in honor of HM Queen’s birthday
PHUKET: Cherng Talay Municipality will stage the ’12th Cherng Talay mini-half marathon’ on August 12 in honor of HM the Queen’s 84th birthday. The purpose of the marathon is to encourage locals to stay healthy. “About 800 people registered for the race last year,” said Somsak Limpawitthayanon of the Cherng Talay Municipality. “We are expecting about the same number this…
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Movenpick Karon certified as Asian leader in sustainability
PHUKET: Movenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket was named Asia’s top performer in certified sustainable practices by Green Globe, an industry renowned certification body. Green Globe’s 2015 report on Movenpick Hotels & Resorts revealed that the Karon-based resort has an overall compliance score of 86 per cent, while the group’s overall average compliance score is 84 per cent, 2.5…
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Diving: Becoming a super dive master
PHUKET: If you’re going to be a super Dive Master (DM), going from zero to hero isn’t the ticket – at best you’ll end up as Aqualad, making his debut in the 60s as the sidekick of the already lame Aquaman. However, that doesn’t stop the trend of people going from non-divers to professionals in a couple of months in…
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