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.
-
Sponsored 9 most common health issues covered by insurance for expats in Thailand
Thailand is a popular destination for expats due to its affordable lifestyle and excellent healthcare system. However, settling in a new country often brings health concerns. To ensure you’re covered for the most common medical needs, understanding what expat health...
-
Skeletons from Phuket’s past
PHUKET: In 1992, a peculiar discovery was made in a village on Phuket Island. Baan Khok-Tanod, situated in Chalong sub-district in the south of Phuket, was the site of the strange discovery when a local company that owned a piece of land in the village decided to dig up the area in order to build a wall around the land.…
-
Phuket Retirement: The ‘Use it or lose it’ hypothesis
PHUKET: New findings suggest that retiring later in life can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Studies by French public research institute INSERM, presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference last month, suggested that for each year after 60 that a person is retired, the risk of subsequently developing the disease is lowered by 3.2%. The research included analysis…
-
Pampering yourself – Phuket Lifestyle
PHUKET: Beauty and relaxation therapies such as massage, facial, and body wraps remain popular spa treatments for those who want to relax their mind and body, and melt away the stress of a busy work schedule.Spa treatments have a huge range of benefits, which include: increased relaxation, reduced stress, relief from headaches, relief from muscle tension (including facial muscles), improved…
-
Logos Hope visits Phuket
PHUKET: Logos Hope which docked in Phuket recently, is operated by the German charity GBA Ships, and has made over 1,400 port visits in over 150 countries and territories. During these port calls, since 1970, it has welcomed over 42 million visitors on board – bringing knowledge, help and hope to people around the world. The book fair is on…
-
Passing on your condo – Phuket Property Legal
PHUKET: Pursuant to the current Condominium Act of Thailand, and per the common practices used at the Thai land offices, the transfer of ownership of your freehold condominium unit to your spouse or children, in whole or in part, can pose a problem to those who wish to make such a transfer. Section 19 of the Condominium Act of Thailand…
-
Phuket Books: An entrepreneur’s journey in life – Don Battles
PHUKET: A book that is self-published is called a vanity project. Don Battles shows a big chunk of vanity. Subtitled An Entrepreneur’s Journey in Life, his autobiography Merchant of the Orient (Xlibris Corp. 2013, 292pp) is printed on glossy A4 sized paper and costs over 60 American dollars. The text is clear and free of typos, yet weakened by the…
-
Adventure on Koh Yao Noi – Phuket Explore
PHUKET: Koh Yao Noi is a little island located in between Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi and is part of the Phang Nga province. The island has not yet seen a massive invasion of tourists and it has gained a reputation as a quiet place to escape from the buzz of Phuket, in particular for local expats and for all…
-
Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut
PHUKET: Governor Maitri Inthusut has just come back from a long meeting – part of the “fin free” campaign to dissuade the public from consuming sharks’ fin. The day before it was a group discussion with various government agencies on tsunami awareness and early warning systems. The whole week prior to this has followed more or less the same pattern…
-
Happy Ukrainian Independence Day, Phuket!
PHUKET: With all the Russian writing on Phuket signs and in beachside restaurants’ menus, you might think that there are many Russians in Phuket…and you wouldn’t be wrong. But keep in mind that not all of them are actually Russians. With some 30,532 Ukrainians having visited Thailand since the beginning of this year, chances are that the Russian family you…
-
Phuket Explore: Blazing saddles – Capering “round the cape
PHUKET: Seeking quieter backwaters where the cycling is relaxed and relatively traffic-free, the locals laid-back and the scenery dramatic, is a challenging task these days in Phuket. However, one corner in the island’s southeast certainly ticks all these boxes with the added bonus of offering one of the island’s cleanest, most beguiling swimming beaches. Last week I took a trip…
-
Our neighbors, the Sikhs – Phuket Culture
PHUKET: Travelling is my thing. And chances are it’s yours too. For many of us it was the love of travel that brought us here to Phuket.But what’s the point of living on one of the world’s most famous islands if you end up leaving it every weekend? Khao Sok, Khao Lak, Phang Nga, Phi Phi… all very tempting. But…
-
Bitcoin ban in Thailand
PHUKET: Bitcoin is only one among hundreds of its kind, collectively known as cryptographic protocol currencies or cryptocurrencies, which are only a small part of all digital currencies. More than 90% of almost every single currency in the world today is digital. Still, cryptocurrencies are unique while having only existed for four years, the total value of Bitcoins alone surpasses…
-
Hedging your bets – Phuket Gardening
PHUKET: Few of us don’t relish the sense of ownership, of having our own pad or plot. And since we want to feel secure, we build walls around us to ensure that we can enjoy some privacy, as well as for a feeling of protection. As the saying goes: “An Englishman’s home is his castle.” But there are dissenters to…
-
Condo commercial compliance
PHUKET: There are a number of condominium developments in Phuket where commercial entities do business, be it a travel agency, rental agency, spa or restaurant. Although such businesses may benefit the owners, juristic persons should make sure that commercial use of space in residential condominiums is compliant with the Condominium Act. Compliance with the building regulations will help ensure transparency…
-
Savitri plans Phuket hotel
PHUKET: Savitri Ramyarupa, managing director of Chatrium Hotels and Residences, shared her vision and plans for the next three years. She said she is planning to add two more properties in Bangkok and Phuket, along with expanding an existing property in Yangon, Myanmar. This is an attempt to cash in on the expected influx of international business and leisure travellers…
-
Indonesia celebrates Independence Day
PHUKET: In the last 10 days, numerous nations celebrated their national days – Singapore, Pakistan, India, Laos and today, it’s time for Indonesians to celebrate theirs – Independence Day.On August 17, 1945 Indonesia declared its independence from the Netherlands. It took four more years for the Dutch to recognize Indonesia’s sovereignty and 56 more years for them to accept August…
-
Tuk tuks go green, global – Phuket Tech
PHUKET: Dutch company Tuk Tuk Factory, which builds electric three-wheeled tuk tuks modelled on the classic Thai form of transportation, has developed a new webtool enabling customers to design their own customized, electric tuk tuk.When they began supplying electric e-Tuks all over the globe, from Greenland to the Caribbean, it became clear to the manufacturers that practically all three-wheelers produced…
-
Dennis Rodman saves the world
PHUKET: Dennis Rodman, the bad boy of basketball, recently visited North Korea and became great pals with its youthful leader, Kim Jong-un, an ardent basketball fan. Rodman declared Kim to be an “awesome kid” and his “friend for life.” The two were photographed laughing and clapping at a basketball game and giving each other a series of warm hugs. Below…
-
Blame it on the rain – Phuket Property Watch
PHUKET: I was channel surfing the other night when the Hollywood classic “Singin’ in the Rain” came up on screen. Settling deep into my comfy TV chair as my dog Koko lay nearby chasing dream rabbits across imaginary landscapes, things came to an all-too-sudden and conclusive end. Lightning struck near to the house and within seconds a torrential downpour ensued…
-
Welcome to Phuket, baby!
PHUKET: My daughter, now 7 months old, was born in Bangkok. And even though several months have passed since that life changing event, I clearly remember every minute of that day. But what lead to it I’d be happy to forget. The pain of choosing the right hospital, the perfect doctor we could trust. I was spoiled for choice. Bangkok…
-
Thais’ time in the sun – Phuket Diving
PHUKET: The obsession with light colored skin in Phuket and Thailand among Thais has led to a boom in many industries, most notably cosmetics, where a variety of skin-whitening products, from deodorant to face cream, are readily available. In at least one industry, however, this aversion to the sun has created an incredible lack of local staff and entrepreneurs –…
-
Singapore National Day – Phuket Lifestyle
PHUKET: It’s party time…again. And for Singapore it’s the 48th time – today the small Southeast Asian country celebrates its National Day marking the anniversary of independence from Malaysia. A speech by the Prime Minister, a colorful procession presenting the island’s multicultural character and naturally, fireworks, are all planned for this special day. Looking BackBefore Singapore got its current name,…
-
Phuket In focus – Dreams do come true
PHUKET: Terminally sick nine-year-old, Pakjira “Aom” Jamlongpan had never seen Thailand’s Andaman coast before. Now her wish to swim in the sea was finally about to come true. “Life is precious, so do your best today as you don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow,” was the sentence echoing in my head as I waited for her at Chalong…
-
Kamala to get Hyatt Regency
PHUKET: Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced last week that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management agreement with Kamala Bay Ventures Co Ltd for a Hyatt Regency branded resort in the Kamala area. The hotel will be the first Hyatt-branded resort to open in Phuket, one of Southeast Asia’s premier resort destinations. Expected to open later this year, Hyatt Regency…
-
Thai realtors prepare for Asean integration
PHUKET: The Real Estate Sales and Marketing Association of Thailand (RESAM) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR), a leading global real estate association, joined forces recently to host a networking event in Phuket. The international real estate business network event, called Thailand CIPS (certified international property specialist) 2013 was an education and work program held at Royal Phuket City…
-
Born from the ashes of war – Phuket History
PHUKET: The Nine Armies’ War started in 1785 when the Burmese, taking advantage of internal strife and the overthrowing of King Taksin in Siam, invaded the country with forces numbering approximately 150,000 soldiers, divided into nine army groups. One of those armies marched straight for Thalang, then the largest town in Phuket, and laid siege to it. During that time,…
-
C is for colorful palette – Phuket Gardening
PHUKET: Both cordylines and crotons have been considered fairly recently in these columns. Time only for a whistle-stop tour. Suffice to say that they are two of the first foliage plants most tropical gardeners would choose, both for their dramatic and permanent leaf color and their trim form, which means that they can be put in large groups, lined up…
-
Phuket Health: Some like it hot!
PHUKET: Yoga Republic, Phuket’s most contemporary hot yoga studio, is launching in Bang Tao Place on Monday, August 12. Its mission is to provide Hot Yoga and Power Yoga in a green and clean contemporary environment, with state-of-the-art infrared heating and internationally certified teachers. Yoga Republic will be the only hot yoga studio in Phuket to have an infrared heating…
-
Classical concert for an urgent cause
PHUKET: An ensemble of 10 top-flight classical musicians accompanied by 100 students performed a free concert in Phuket recently to raise funds for Myanmar refugee children living near the border town of Sangkhlaburi, in Kanchanaburi province.The two-hour concert was held at the Andaman Embrace Resort and Spa on Haad Patong Road. The ensemble of Korean musicians operates under an organization…
-
Celebrate HM Queen Sirikit’s 81st birthday by donating blood
PHUKET: The Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC) is celebrating Her Majesty Queen Sirikit’s 81st birthday with a special blood donations event. “This event will be held to show our respect to HM Queen Sirikit on her birthday and it will help us stock up more blood,” PRBC acting director Pornthip Rattajak said. “We will give young plants to the first…
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.