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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Joyland cleared for cinema screenings in Pakistan
Joyland, the Pakistani film portraying a romance between a married man and a transgender woman was cleared for cinema screenings in Pakistan Wednesday, reversing a ban imposed on filmgoers by the nation’s censors. Loved by critics and audiences alike, Joyland was nominated for the jury prize at the Cannes Film Festival and is expected to be Pakistan’s entry at next…
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A night of World Cup nostalgia and An Evening With Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne
The 2022 FIFA World Cup kicks off in earnest this weekend so why not get into the spirit of the tournament with a bit of nostalgia at An Evening With Paul “Gazza” Gascoigne? Gazza set the blue touch flame at Italia 90 with a set of scintillating displays as he helped England through the group stage to the World Cup semi-final…
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What 50,000 USD buys you for a condo in Bangkok, Hua Hin, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Phuket
When it comes to finding a place to call home in Thailand, there are plenty of options to choose from. But what does $50,000 buy you? While this may not seem like a big budget for a property, you’ll be happy to know that it can buy you a lot in Thailand. You can get a nice condo in Bangkok…
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Upcoming 6th Asian Youth Theatre Festival attracts troupes from 11 countries
The upcoming 6th Asian Youth Theatre Festival in Cambodia has proved to be quite popular internationally with youth troupes from 11 different countries set to attend. Siem Reap will host the event, with Cambodiown youth troupe joining the festival. According to Phnom Penh Post, the festival will run from November 24 to 27 and is organised by Khmer Art Action.…
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Monday, Tuesday, Wankday, and a Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne day!
Monday, Tuesday, Wankday, Gazza day! English speaking skills not up to scratch? Why not employ former England, Newcastle United, and Tottenham football legend Paul “Gazza” Gascoigne? Believe it or not, Gazza was once employed by his former club Newcastle to act as an interpreter for Brazilian star Mirandinha, who could not speak a word of English when he arrived at…
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Spielberg’s ‘Terminal’ man departs CDG forever
The man who lived in Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport for 18 years and was the inspiration for Steven Spielberg’s film The Terminal died yesterday in his “beloved” airport. Merhan Karimi Nasseri suffered a heart attack at the airport around midday. Police and a medical team were quickly on the scene but could do nothing to save him. Karimi Nasseri was…
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Disturbing video of Myanmar junta allegedly torturing victim goes viral
A disturbing video featuring an alleged Myanmar junta military member torturing a man has caused an uproar after going viral. The video was retrieved from a phone that was found on November 6 in the Moe Bye township in Kayah state by members of the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force. The group is one of many who are fighting the junta…
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Low-Rise House Key Driver In Property Revenue Hits New Heights
The third-quarter presales and revenue of major SET-listed property developers reached a record high thanks to an economic resurgence fueled by tourists’ in the second half of this year. Key SET-listed developers in Thailand, such as Supalai Plc, Sansiri, Noble, and AP development revenues, hit new heights in the third quarter of 2022. The third quarter of 2022 saw Supalai…
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Pattaya drag icon Maisie Trollette makes movie
Drag icon Maisie Trollette, a familiar sight in Pattaya’s gay clubs of 20 years ago, has made a movie. Based in Brighton UK, David Raven was hired by Pattaya clubs as an MC way back when, and is said to have raised hundreds of thousands of baht for AIDS victims, orphanages and other charities. Maisie is now 89, and the…
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Hollywood star’s bizarre Oscar gesture to Zelensky ridiculed
Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn loaned Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky one of his Academy awards in a scene which brought much mirth, merriment, and ridicule. The Hollywood star visited the Ukraine president yesterday and in a show of ostentation handed over one of his precious Oscars and said… “It is just a symbolic, silly thing but if I know this is…
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New foreign land ownership law in Thailand can be scrapped if Thais don’t agree
If Thai people aren’t happy with the newly proposed foreign land ownership law in Thailand, the whole plan can be scrapped, said Minister of Interior General Anupong Paochinda in Parliament yesterday. “We can improve the regulation, such as by increasing the investment to 100 million baht. The plan can be scrapped if people have serious concerns. We won’t see it as…
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Top 10 nationalities buying condos in Thailand
Thailand’s Real Estate Information Centre (REIC) revealed the top 10 nationalities buying condos in Thailand in the first six months of 2022, with Chinese and Russian investors leading the way. In Thailand, foreigners are permitted to own 49% of the units in any condominium building. The remaining 51% must have Thai ownership. The Inspector-General of the Government Housing Bank and…
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Universal acclaim? Jakapong’s pageant purchase dismays rights campaigners
Thai businesswoman Jakapong “Anne” Jakrajutatip recently purchased the Miss Universe Organization once owned by fellow reality TV star Donald Trump, something described in prehistoric quarters (US broadcaster NBC) as a “phenomenal milestone.” The deal cost an estimated US$20 million (750 million baht), but who is Jakapong, and what does she want? With million followers on Instagram, the 43 year old…
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Best land plots and villas with gorgeous sea views in Kamala, Phuket
Sponsored So you’ve finally decided to have your own slice of heaven in Phuket? Whether you plan to buy a luxury beach villa to rent out or a piece of land to build your dream holiday home, almost any property investment on this island is a good idea. Phuket is not only a blissful place to live, renting out a…
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Jack White strikes a chord in Bangkok for the first time
Former White Stripes frontman Jack White plans to strike a chord in the capital early next month with rock and roll enthusiasts. The US indie rock star is in Bangkok for the first time on the Pacific Rim Leg of The Supply Chain Issues Tour. White also visits Manila, Seoul, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur. The 47…
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Cabinet agrees to let foreigners buy land and houses in Thailand
A major decision was made today by Thailand’s Cabinet which will allow foreigners to buy houses and land in Thailand. The foreigner will be eligible to buy houses and land if they invest at least 40 million baht in Thailand and can maintain the investment over three years, according to Bangkok Biz News. The land purchased cannot be bigger than…
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Legendary Carabao rocker begs forgiveness over Elephant Duel “misunderstanding”
Rock star Yuenyong Opakul must report to the police to answer a charge of insulting Natthapat Suwanprateep, governor of Suphan Buri province, during an offensive rant last week. Pol Maj Gen Uthai Kawindechathorn, deputy commissioner of Provincial Police Region 7, yesterday said the frontman of celebrated rock group Carabao must visit Song Phi Nong police station in the southernmost district…
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The truth behind ‘rental guaranteed returns’ in Thailand
Guaranteed rental return is one of the latest schemes that is taking the property market in Thailand by storm. It’s easy to see why many people are tempted by the idea of this scheme. After all, who doesn’t like certainty? But a lot of people are also in doubt and left with questions — is guaranteed rental return something you…
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Tears in Hogwarts – Hagrid is dead
Robbie Coltrane, probably best known for his role as Hagrid in the Harry Potter movies, has died aged 72. Born Anthony Robert McMillan in Glasgow, Coltrane went to Glasgow School of Art until he had second thoughts about talent, and switched to acting in and doing standup, taking his name from jazz musician John Coltrane. Coltrane started out with small…
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Prepare to be spirited away by Ghilbi theme park
With only a few weeks left before the first Ghibli theme park opens on November 1, the world’s press has been allowed to take a look around. True to the Miyazaki vibe, the park in Nagakute has little of the razzamatazz or carnival atmosphere of Disney World. This is a much more quiet, low-key affair. Darker than Disney. There are…
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What $300,000 and less buys you for a villa in Pattaya
When it comes to property, a budget of $300,000 goes a long way in Pattaya. With that kind of budget, it’s possible to find a well-designed villa with plenty of space, a pool, and even a garden. So, if you’re looking to buy a pool villa in Pattaya with a $300,000 budget, here are some of the best options. A…
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10 things foreigners may find strange in Thailand
As a foreigner living in Thailand, you might notice some strange things and habits that are so far from what you know at home. From cultural quirks to monitor lizards wandering into convenience stores, here are things that most foreigners find surprising and strange in Thailand. Eating raw instant noodles Did you know that instant noodles can make a tasty…
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Son of a gun! Hunter Biden caught lying on pistol application
The hard drive that Hunter Biden abandoned at a Delaware computer repair shop is the gift to tabloid media that just keeps on giving. The New York Post yesterday claimed to have found a 4-minute, 30-second recording on a copy of the drive that has the United States President Joe Biden’s son begging his sister-in-law-turned-lover Hallie Biden for cash to…
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Ring craft – Muay Thai referees saving fighters from themselves
Muay Thai has some amazing referees, lots of them being former fighters themselves. One referee has recently been showered with praise for his quick reaction that saved a fighter from a “kill shot,” an aptly-named illegal kick to the head. Refereeing can be an unappreciated task – especially in combat sports. As well as risking injury yourself, you’re never going…
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‘The Trapped 13’ lets Wild Boars speak for themselves
We’re probably all too familiar with the uplifting tragedy of the Wild Boars football team. We know almost every detail of their time underground, their escape to the light and subsequent international celebrity. But still, the screen adaptations come, three in the last year alone. This time, it’s Netflix The Trapped 13: How We Survived the Thai Cave. The Trapped 13…
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Immersed in coffee on Ratchadamri Road
Visitors to CentralWorld on Bangkok’s Ratchadamri Road, have a chance to try and buy the best coffee beans from around the world, and gourmet coffee from across Thailand at Coffee Hub until Oct 11. It’s the first big public event by the Specialty Coffee Association of Thailand and promises a so-called immersive experience, perhaps a little too much for someone who does…
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“One For the Road” film is Thailand’s 25th Oscar attempt
Thailand is hoping that next year will be the year when the country finally brings home an Oscar. The kingdom has previously entered 24 films for consideration in the Best International Film category but has yet to have a single movie accepted. One for The Road is hoping to break that losing streak and be the first Thai film nominated…
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Hot tip – Don’t pay hot tips!
To tip or not tip is becoming a hot issue among Thailand’s restaurant goers and waiting staff. For foreigners, tipping can be problematic in this part of Asia with expectations ranging from Chinese-style (no tips ever, anywhere, for anything) to Filipino (tips with everything). No matter what your situation is though, according to the law, 10% is enough. On Tuesday,…
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What $100,000 buys you for a condo in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Koh Samui and Hua Hin
With a $100,000 price tag, the type of condo you’ll get in Thailand will differ from one city to another. You could buy a 2-bedroom ocean view condo on the coast or a tiny but charming 1-bedroom condo in a shiny glass building in the heart of the capital. Still, condos within this kind of budget are generally well-designed and…
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The tax returns don’t lie – Shakira prepares for court battle in Barcelona
Pop star Shakira is to stand trial in a Spanish court accused of defrauding tax collectors out of 14.5 million euros (536 million baht) between 2012 and 2014. The singer, whose real name is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, said she didn’t move to Spain until 2015. A court in Barcelona charged the megastar with tax crimes but no date has…
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