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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    Do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?

    Thailand’s healthcare system is well-regarded across Southeast Asia, with options ranging from public hospitals to world-class private facilities. But when it comes to foreign residents or tourists, healthcare access isn’t as straightforward. So, do foreigners get free healthcare in Thailand?...

  • Man finds 4 metre python in his garage | Thaiger

    Man finds 4 metre python in his garage

    Yesterday, a dream (nightmare) came true for a Pattaya man when he found a python that weighed 30 kilograms in his garage. At 1 am rescue were workers were dispatched to the man’s garage, a second-hand car shop/house in Nongprue. The rescue workers and local media got to the scene to find a 4 metre (or 13 feet/about 2 Michael…

  • Man gets marriage certificate tattooed on his forearm, ink presumably permanent | Thaiger

    Man gets marriage certificate tattooed on his forearm, ink presumably permanent

    Yesterday, a Facebook post went viral after a man took his declaration of love one step further and had had his marriage certificate tattooed on his arm. On Monday, Om-Aim Daraployphan shared several pictures of her husband’s arm tat/proof of marriage on Facebook. The tattoo is bordered with green and pink flowers and takes up the majority of the man’s…

  • Wife wins case against police husband’s mistress, awarded 200,000 baht | Thaiger

    Wife wins case against police husband’s mistress, awarded 200,000 baht

    She has been shamed by the whole country all throughout the media. This is worth more than the money that she must pay. A woman in the Central province of Chai Nat, has won a case against her husband’s mistress with Juvenile and Family Court ordering ordering the mistress to pay 200,000 baht in damages to the “rightful wife”. 33…

  • 121 arrested in raid of “restaurant” clubs violating Covid-19 rules | Thaiger

    121 arrested in raid of “restaurant” clubs violating Covid-19 rules

    A raid around Pattaya at the earliest hours of this morning brought over a hundred arrests for violating Covid-19 measures, drinking, gathering, and smoking shisha. The raid of 2 venues that attempted to skirt the national bar and club closure laws by operating as an alleged restaurant took place between midnight and 2 am. The so-called restaurants had been operating…

  • 4 marijuana strains to be become National Heritages, possibly help effects of Covid | Thaiger

    4 marijuana strains to be become National Heritages, possibly help effects of Covid

    It will generate economic benefits for the country Thailand’s Health Minister, and noted non-fan of “unwashed farangs“, Anutin Charnvirakul, declared yesterday that 4 cannabis strains in Thailand will be registered as National Heritages. The move is done to promote research related to medical marijuana and combatting the effects of Covid-19. Anutin says the Medical Plant Research Institute through the Department…

  • Thai Lion predicts football matches, other abilities currently unknown | Thaiger

    Thai Lion predicts football matches, other abilities currently unknown

    Step aside Aslan, there’s a new mythical lion in town. A Thai zoo up in the northern province of Khon Kaen is claiming they have a lion that can predict the Euro 2020 football matches. The lion, a 5 year old white lion named “Boy”, has supposedly correctly predicted 4 Euro 2020 matches. The lion lives and does his sports…

  • Unsatisifed with haircut, grandfather goes to police station for help | Thaiger

    Unsatisifed with haircut, grandfather goes to police station for help

    A grandfather got a haircut he deemed bad enough to go to the police station. The man’s identity was not given. What is known is the man got a haircut that he believed did not make him look “handsome”. He said his hair was cut to different lengths. Logically, the next step was to file a police report. Which is…

  • Dozens of python eggs found underneath home | Thaiger

    Dozens of python eggs found underneath home

    A homeowner in Phitsanulok, a northern Thai province, had a surprise that many would see as far from lucky, yesterday. 45 python eggs were discovered underneath their home. A discovery the owners interpret as a sign of good luck. The Phitsanulok emergency rescue team had been brought to the area after a homeowner had found sizeable amounts of snakeskins behind…

  • Thai PM not happy with soccer gambling | Thaiger

    Thai PM not happy with soccer gambling

    Prayut Chan-o-cha, has voiced his concern that there has been an uptick in illegal gambling by Thai people throughout the UEFA European Soccer Championship (AKA Euro 2020). The PM told the Royal Thai Police, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, and “relevant agencies” to tighten the scrutiny of illegal gambling, with an emphasis on online gambling. He also asked…

  • Thai airports to use machines more, humans less | Thaiger

    Thai airports to use machines more, humans less

    A self-check-in service that includes luggage loading services, is coming to Thai airports. The Airports of Thailand has decided to bring the service to Suvarnabhumi airport to minimize physical interactions between passengers and staff, thus helping curb the spread of Covid-19. 180 self-check-in machines will be beta tested this month, before taking more permanent residence next month. Nitinai Sirismatthakarn, the…

  • BTS make musical history with a slice of ‘Butter’ | Thaiger

    BTS make musical history with a slice of ‘Butter’

    Four #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 12 months! South Korean band BTS have made history again with ‘Butter’, topping Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart this week… the 4th #1 hit from the 7-member BTS on Billboard’s Hot 100 Singles chart in 1 year, following ‘Dynamite’ and ‘Life Goes On’, and their collaboration on the ‘Savage…

  • Recent poll shows most Thai residents pin high hopes on first dose | Thaiger

    Recent poll shows most Thai residents pin high hopes on first dose

    According to a recent Super poll, nearly 90% of respondents say they want every Thai citizen to receive the first dose to fight Covid-19, but are less concerned when the second dose is given. Furthermore, almost 80% of respondents believe they can resume their pre-Covid-19 life as soon as Thais get their first dose. The director of the Super Poll…

  • Woman says man she met online scammed her out of 1.5 million baht | Thaiger

    Woman says man she met online scammed her out of 1.5 million baht

    In what appears to be a so-called “romance scam,” a 36 year old woman identified as “Miss A” says she’s been scammed out of almost 1.5 million baht. She had met someone over Facebook, a man with a good job at a hospital, she says. After messaging for a few days, the man asked for money due to financial difficulties.…

  • Mahidol University: We did not state Fingerroot is effective medicine for treating Covid-19 symptoms | Thaiger

    Mahidol University: We did not state Fingerroot is effective medicine for treating Covid-19 symptoms

    Mahidol University, located in Nakhon Pathom, a central Thai province, has denied they are associated with any claims made by product advertisers that extracts from Fingerroot, a root that has the appearance of long, jaundiced fingers, can be used to treat Covid-19 sufferers. A rector from the university, Professor Dr. Banchong Mahaisavariya, attempted to distance the university from the advertisers’…

  • BTS smash YouTube records with their new song “Butter” and are courted by Rock royalty | Thaiger

    BTS smash YouTube records with their new song “Butter” and are courted by Rock royalty

    On Thursday the internet-of-music went into a minor churn when the band Queen’s Twitter account commented about the forthcoming BTS release of ‘Butter’, the South Korean band’s second full-English track. “Are you ready, hey are you ready for this? Another One Bites The Dust.” Was Queen doing a collaboration with the 21st century’s biggest music act? A quick listen to…

  • Thaiger app sending you too many notifications? Quick fix here | Thaiger

    Thaiger app sending you too many notifications? Quick fix here

    We all hate it when our phone buzzes and the endorphins start firing, only for the excitement to be crushed as you realise it’s just a notification for an article about Tuk Tuk drivers having a fight somewhere off the Sukhumvit Road! Too many notifications can be really frustrating, which is why The Thaiger App lets you disable them and…

  • Sex toys popular in Thailand despite conservative laws | Thaiger

    Sex toys popular in Thailand despite conservative laws

    While Thailand is a conservative country with conservative laws, the underground sex trade and sex toy economy is a thriving not-so-well-kept secret. Thailand is famous for its LGBTQ acceptance and red-light districts, but many don’t realise that most drugs, gambling, soliciting for prostitution, sex toys, and even vaping are against Thai law. The customs department confiscated more than 4000 sex…

  • “Mommy, there’s a snake!” – Expat in Phuket shares her story | Thaiger

    “Mommy, there’s a snake!” – Expat in Phuket shares her story

    The following story was written by Amy Sukwan, an American who has been living in Thailand for 7 years. To share a story with The Thaiger, click HERE. “Mommy, there’s a snake!” my 8 year old daughter Eliza said, waking me up in the middle of the night. I came out of our modest bungalow in Phuket at some unholy…

  • A guide to being respectful when visiting a Buddhist temple in Thailand | Thaiger

    A guide to being respectful when visiting a Buddhist temple in Thailand

    Not all tourists do their research before going to a temple. Some take photos with Buddha statues in a way that is disrespectful to some Thais. Some don’t dress appropriately. A security guard at the popular Wat Arun in Bangkok would blow a whistle at many tourists, telling them to cover their shoulders and knees. Here’s a guide on how…

  • All about Muay Thai, Thailand’s national sport | Thaiger

    All about Muay Thai, Thailand’s national sport

    Muay Thai or Thai Boxing is Thailand’s cultural martial art and national sport. The origins of Muay Thai date back hundreds of years ago as modern-day Thai people needed a strong form of close-combat that used the entire body as a weapon to fight off those in neighbouring countries who were constantly trying to invade Siam, the former name of present…

  • Is this the next big change in pop music? The winners of the IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year Award, BTS | Thaiger

    Is this the next big change in pop music? The winners of the IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year Award, BTS

    https://youtu.be/bFmUwmQZ30A 2020 IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year Award. In the past 8 years the IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year Award has been given to Ed Sheeran, Adele, One Direction, and Taylor Swift and Drake. BTS are backed up by ARMY, their huge fanbase. The power of ARMY. The IFPI represents the recorded music industry worldwide. It’s…

  • Americans tend to misuse the Buddha image, but a Florida nightclub takes it too far – OPINION | Thaiger

    Americans tend to misuse the Buddha image, but a Florida nightclub takes it too far – OPINION

    Americans tend to misuse the Buddha image, but a nightclub in Tampa, Florida has taken it too far by placing a giant Buddha statue at its rooftop bar, allowing drunk people to sit and pose for photos, and even jump off on the statue. Businesses play an important role in society, and when they misuse a religious figure or image…

  • Phuket’s nightlife. Yes, bars and clubs are still open | VIDEO | Thaiger

    Phuket’s nightlife. Yes, bars and clubs are still open | VIDEO

    There was the original Covid-19 outbreak and lockdowns back in April and May in 2020, then again just before Christmas and New Year when the new clusters emerged in Samut Sakhon and the eastern coastal provinces, Patong’s nightlife was quiet enough, almost non-existent. Now when the restrictions are lifted, Nimz will take you through Phuket’s famous nightlife spot Bangla Road,…

  • Chinese New Year – The Year of the Ox – Thailand 2021 | VIDEO | Thaiger

    Chinese New Year – The Year of the Ox – Thailand 2021 | VIDEO

    The Thaiger visited the Jui Tui Shrine in Phuket Town this morning where the island’s huge Thai-Chinese community flock to commemorate Chinese New Year. So what’s the annual Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year, all about? Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) The date of the Chinese New Year is determined by the lunar calendar and takes place in January…

  • Ask The Thais | EP.3 | Ladyboys, Covid situation, Bad Students’ protest | Thaiger

    Ask The Thais | EP.3 | Ladyboys, Covid situation, Bad Students’ protest

    “Ask The Thais” is a new segment on The Thaiger where we ask some of our Thai staff to explain some of the unusual and sometimes inexplicable little nuances of Thai culture. You have a question? Send it in and we’ll get our MUCH BETTER LOOKING Thai staff to explain, from a Thai youth perspective, some of their culture and…

  • Lights, camera, Covid – Tourism Ministry wants film crews to come to Thailand now | Thaiger

    Lights, camera, Covid – Tourism Ministry wants film crews to come to Thailand now

    Without much luck with their ‘cunning ideas’ to draw back a few of the remaining world’s travellers, Thailand’s tourism officials are turning to the film industry to attract some people and investment. The Tourism and Sports Ministry is aiming to generate around 3 billion baht from foreign film crews and is targeting film projects with an investment over 100 million baht.…

  • The ‘office’ is SO last century. Say hello to the world of remote working. | Thaiger

    The ‘office’ is SO last century. Say hello to the world of remote working.

    Do you work from home? Or can you work anywhere have a laptop and wi-fi? Are you a trader or selling stuff online? You’re part of a growing trend in modern work practices as the fancy city office becomes an expensive relic of the ‘old normal’. 2020 became the year of people working from home. In same case, it was…

  • Future of Thai department stores is being redefined | Thaiger

    Future of Thai department stores is being redefined

    While department stores have been a familiar destination for Thai people for many decades, CBRE, an international property consultant, is witnessing a decline in popularity and stunted growth, particularly in 2020 when Covid-19 adversely impacted the sector. CBRE believes that to adapt to e-commerce disruption and the changing consumer behaviour, department stores in 2021 (and beyond) will have to fine-tune…

  • Dawn Wells, “Mary Ann” from Glligan’s Island, dies at 82 | Thaiger

    Dawn Wells, “Mary Ann” from Glligan’s Island, dies at 82

    Dawn Wells, one of the castaways in Gilligan’s Island, playing Mary Ann, has died in Los Angeles from Covid-19 complications. She was 82 years old. Her career lasted a lot longer than the fateful trip of the SS Minnow… the three hour tour! Dawn was born in Reno, Nevada, and started a career in Hollywood where she appeared in TV shows…

  • Bangkok’s commercial property market struggles through 2020 | Thaiger

    Bangkok’s commercial property market struggles through 2020

    This year Thailand’s developers had to work around the effects of government lockdowns and restrictions because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Indeed significant changes have occurred to the commercial property market in Thailand. CBRE Research reports that the Bangkok office market suffered a significant change in the net up-take, whilst the retail market consumer confidence index fell and the hotel market…