Expats
Thailand expat news, visas, work permits, property, and healthcare—stay informed with essential updates and insights for foreign residents. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for expat news in Thailand.
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Sponsored Pre-existing conditions? These expat insurance plans still have you covered
Many expats feel worried that their pre-existing health problems will stop them from getting insurance in a new country. This fear is common, especially when medical care can be expensive. But the good news is, some insurance, like the plans...
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Scottish expat loses legs in Bangkok lorry crash
A British man living in Thailand had both legs amputated after a horror motorbike crash with a lorry in Bangkok. Willie Braid, a 54 year old expat from Scotland, was hit while riding his motorbike in the capital on July 27. The driver of the lorry is alleged to have fled the scene in what appears to be a hit-and-run…
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Grab’s AI translator and big discounts woo Thailand’s expats
Grab Thailand is turning its attention to Thailand’s growing expat population — and it’s rolling out smart features and generous perks to win them over. With more than 5.3 million non-Thai residents now living in Thailand—an 8% jump since 2019—the company has seen delivery orders from expats skyrocket by over 50% in the past 12 months, signalling a major shift…
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Patong’s wave rave! Sirens to sound as tsunami drill hits beach strip
Tourists in bikinis and beach bums sipping cocktails in Patong got a surprise dose of civic duty this week, as town hall chiefs hit the streets to warn about a tsunami drill set to rock the resort next Tuesday. Mayor Lalita Maneesri led the charge on Monday, July 21, flanked by councillors, civil defence bosses and hi-vis-clad disaster response teams.…
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Cwm-back kid: Welshman flies home after coma drama in Thailand
A Welsh holidaymaker left fighting for his life in a Thai hospital has finally flown home after spending six weeks in a coma and racking up thousands in medical bills without insurance. Ashton Jones, from Cwmbran, jetted off to Bangkok on May 30 with a mate for a lads’ getaway but just five days in, his family were hit with…
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Stars, stripes and tourist gripes as Trump hikes visa fee kick off
Tourists, locals, and ex-pats in Thailand are being warned to brace for a wallet-busting new visa fee, after Donald Trump slapped a stinging US$250 charge on would-be visitors, just in time to cash in on the flood of sports fans heading to America. The controversial visa integrity fee has sparked outrage, with critics accusing the US president of using global…
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Aussie tourist found dead in Patong hotel bathroom
A 69 year old Aussie tourist was found dead in his Phuket hotel bathroom yesterday morning, just days after arriving for a six-week tropical getaway. Hotel staff at the property off Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Road in Patong made the grim discovery around 10.30am yesterday, Thursday, July 18, after a concerned Thai woman reported she hadn’t heard from the man in…
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Flatline shocker: Two Foreign men found dead in Pattaya condo
Two foreign men were found dead in eerily similar circumstances just two hours apart, and just two floors apart, in a Pattaya condo, sparking a full-blown police probe into the bizarre double tragedy. Pattaya police were left scratching their heads yesterday, July 17, after the bodies of a Swedish man and an Australian man were discovered in separate rooms of…
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Baht out of hell: British man in wheelchair fleeced by Pattaya babes
A disabled British tourist was left humiliated and penniless after three Pattaya Beach babes robbed him blind while he was in the shower, then vanished into the night. The victim, Chris John Glennon, who is speech-impaired and uses a wheelchair, told police he had invited two Thai women and a transgender woman back to his hotel after meeting them on Pattaya…
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GI dough! Retired American blows a fuse in Pattaya bar brawl
A retired American soldier turned English teacher went berserk at a South Pattaya bar last night, frightening staff and sending security into full alert. But, his fury ended up in handcuffs after a full-blown meltdown on Soi 5. The former American GI, James, thought to be around 60, is accused of spitting at bar girls, smashing a pot of incense,…
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US author issues grim warning for dream-chasers in Thailand
A retired American expat who swapped Wall Street for Sukhumvit issued a stark warning to farangs chasing a dream retirement in Thailand in his latest book: “Come unprepared, and Thailand will chew you up and spit you out.” The blunt advice comes from a former finance and cider mogul who cashed out young and moved to Thailand in his forties,…
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Thai hard with a vengeance: Dad quits broken Britain for Thailand
A fed-up dad from Nottinghamshire is packing up his life, and his family, to start over in Thailand with just a suitcase and a dream, after declaring he can’t afford to live in “Broken Britain” any longer. Dale Smith has had enough of sky-high bills, grim weather and what he calls “pointless” schooling for his kids. So this November, the…
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Booze ban barney: Phuket police defend dry crackdown on tipples
Phuket police have come under fire after swooping to shut down bars and restaurants mid-trade, claiming only venues with special service licences can sell alcohol during this week’s Buddhist holiday. The controversial clampdown came during Asarnha Bucha Day yesterday, July 10, and continues through tonight, July 11, for Khao Pansa, also known as Buddhist Lent. Officers in Rawai, Karon, and…
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Bangkok expressways free on July 10 and 11 for Buddhist holidays
Motorists in Bangkok will enjoy free access to major expressways for two days to mark the Asanha Bucha and Buddhist Lent holidays. The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) announced toll exemptions on July 10 and 11, from midnight to midnight each day. Some 61 toll booths across the Chalerm Maha Nakhon, Si Rat, and Udon Ratthaya expressways will waive toll…
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Hash bluff? British teenager’s ‘torture’ tale rubbished by Thai cops
A British teenager accused of smuggling cannabis into Georgia sparked an international row, after Thai cops rubbished her tearful courtroom claims that she was tortured and forced to carry drugs. Bella May Culley broke down in a Tbilisi courtroom, sobbing. “I was forced by torture… I just wanted to travel.” Thai immigration chiefs say her dramatic story is pure fiction…
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Viet’s all, folks: Thailand left in digital ID dust by Vietnam
Thailand has been caught napping again, as Vietnam surges ahead with yet another bold move to woo foreigners, slashing red tape and rolling out sleek new digital IDs for its growing expat population. On July 1, Hanoi launched a 50-day campaign to hand out free electronic identification to foreigners living, working, or studying in the country, and it’s already being…
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Cannabis cargo: British teen’s ‘snake-like’ scar tale in Georgia
A British teenager accused of smuggling a £250,000 (11.2 million baht) haul of cannabis into Georgia broke down in tears in court, and showed a snake-like scar she says proves she was tortured and forced into the crime. Bella Culley, from Billingham, County Durham, in the North-East of England, could face life behind bars if found guilty of trafficking nearly…
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Health Insurance for families and children in Thailand: What to choose
It’s easy to put off health insurance in Thailand when it’s just you (though you really shouldn’t). You feel fine, the costs seem manageable, and the risk feels low. But that changes the moment your family comes into the picture, especially when you have a child. Suddenly, you’re not only thinking about hospital bills, but also comfort, quick access to…
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Vietnamese passport dreams are made of this, leaving Thailand behind
Vietnam has torn up the red tape for foreigners with local family, making it easier than ever to bag a Vietnamese passport, no lingo, no money, and no five-year wait required, leaving Thailand behind. Foreigners married to Vietnamese citizens, or with family roots in the country, can now apply for citizenship without needing to speak the language, prove they can…
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Welshman on life support after vanishing on Thai booze-up
A Welshman is on life support, clinging to life in a Pattaya hospital, after undergoing emergency brain surgery following a night out in Thailand. Ashton Jones disappeared without a trace while partying with pals in a Bangkok nightclub, only to be discovered hours later in a hospital bed 55 miles away from the Thai capital, hooked up to machines and…
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How this spine surgery in Bangkok offer faster recovery, smaller scars, and better outcomes
When you think of back surgery, what comes to mind? For most people, it’s something intense that involves a big cut down the middle of the back and weeks or months of recovery. That image is still accurate in many operating rooms, but a growing number of spine surgeons in Bangkok are choosing a minimally invasive technique called Unilateral Biportal…
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British tourist dies in tragic fall in Phuket after night out
A 59 year old British tourist died after falling approximately 7 metres from a steep incline in Patong, Phuket, following a night of dining and drinking. The incident left the victim’s partner, Stewart Raynor, in shock. Today, June 4, Police Lieutenant Chittawan Pengkaew, Deputy Inspector at Patong Police Station, Phuket, received a report from the Patong Radio Centre about the…
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Snubbed middle-income retirees look beyond Thailand to SE Asia
For decades, Thailand has been the quintessential destination for retirees seeking an affordable, beautiful, and culturally rich new home. With its golden beaches, vibrant cuisine, and famously welcoming population, the Land of Smiles has lured hundreds of thousands of Westerners to spend their golden years soaking up its tropical hospitality. Yet, a quiet transformation is taking place beneath the palm…
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Baht off! Bangkok Bank shuts the door on tourist accounts
Tourists and short-term visitors in Thailand are getting the cold shoulder from Bangkok Bank after the banking giant quietly slammed the brakes on opening accounts for foreigners without long-term visas. Expats and digital nomads are reeling after Bangkok Bank, Thailand’s largest lender, introduced tough new rules barring tourists from opening deposit accounts, applying for credit cards, or using mobile banking…
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Expat moms-to-be: Navigating maternity insurance plans in Thailand
Expecting a baby while living abroad can be exciting and a little overwhelming, especially for expat moms-to-be in Thailand. Maternity insurance is important because it helps cover the high costs of private hospital care and gives you peace of mind during pregnancy and childbirth. Many expats find it tricky to understand the different insurance plans, waiting periods, what is covered…
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Rescue volunteer shocked as foreigner trashes Pattaya booth
A shocked rescue volunteer in Pattaya is pleading for justice after a mystery foreigner allegedly smashed into his emergency booth, causing thousands of baht in damage, including wrecking a defibrillator. Thawin Siangkong, who works unpaid for the Sawang Boriboon Rescue Unit, reported the late-night break-in to Pattaya police in the early hours of today, May 20. Armed with CCTV footage…
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Ex-British air hostess busted in Sri Lanka over 67 million drug stash
An ex-British air hostess has been busted in Sri Lanka over a massive £1.5 million (66.5 million baht) cannabis haul, just days after another young Brit was arrested for a similar smuggling run from Thailand. Charlotte May Lee, from Coulsdon in South London, was arrested at Colombo Airport, Monday, May 12, after touching down on a flight from Bangkok. Customs…
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High stakes: Teesside teen busted in cannabis smuggle shock
A Teesside teen feared missing in Thailand has turned up 4,000 miles away, busted in handcuffs and facing a possible life sentence after allegedly trying to smuggle a massive haul of cannabis into the ex-Soviet state of Georgia. Bella May Culley, from Billingham, County Durham, in the North-East of England, sparked a frantic international search after vanishing during what was…
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Danish man vanishes after no-show at Thailand airport
A Danish man who failed to board a flight home from Thailand in March has vanished without a trace, leaving behind a trail of confusion, concern and desperate pleas from loved ones as fears grow for his mental health and safety. The baffling disappearance of Jakob Jensen, has sparked an international search effort after the Danish tourist seemingly vanished in…
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Thailand targets nominee accountants to curb illegal foreign businesses
The Ministry of Commerce is set to introduce regulations preventing people acting as nominees from serving as accountants in a bid to curb foreigners from illegally operating businesses in Thailand. Oramon Sapthaweetham, Director-General of the Department of Business Development, revealed that Deputy Commerce Minister Napintorn Srisanpang, who chairs the Subcommittee on Preventing and Suppressing Nominee Activities, is prioritising the issue…
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Thai-hard life: Brit’s retirement dream sours over frozen pension
A British expat who dreamed of living out his golden years under the Thai sun says he’s been left counting every baht after his UK state pension was frozen and he reckons it’s “immoral” he’s been abandoned by his own country. Christopher Lee swapped Wrexham for Thailand back in 2010, lured by sizzling sunshine, spicy street food and a slower…
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