Thailand is safe, beautiful and cheap. From the misty mountains to the beaches. From luxury hotels and resorts to modest accommodation. There are several huge expat communities in the country you can join. In major cities, there are enough people who understand English and able to communicate with you, so you can enjoy your stay. In remote areas where people don’t speak English, you may…
Thai Beauty Secrets
Thai women have long been admired for their flawless and unique beauty. They have been envied for their long silky hair, radiant glowy skin and perfect nails. The secret to a Thai women’s beauty probably lies in their genes. However, there are also some traditional Thai beauty recipes that come from nature. So, I will introduce you to a few different elements of traditional Thai…
Should I Rent a Car in Thailand and Drive Myself?
Driving in Thailand can be an adventure, especially for a foreigner. The process of obtaining a Thai drivers license is not necessarily difficult, but learning how to drive in Thailand is a whole different story. There are several very important tips to keep in mind as a foreigner driving in Thailand. First of all, patience is the key word to remember when driving in Thailand.…
The hype of Elephant dung coffee from Chiang Rai continues
The coffee beans in a colander after being excreted by an elephant, from Chiang Rai Thailand. For several months, news of elephant dung coffee has been floating around on the internet and media. Now the news about the world’s most unusual coffee is still rolling. Coffee from civet droppings created in Indonesia had been the most expensive coffee in the world for many years. Now…
Retirement Planning
You are retired and content, living alongside tens of thousands of U.S. citizens who call Thailand home. Have you given thought to the last piece of the puzzle: having your final wishes carried out? Every year, the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, and U.S. Consulate in Chiang Mai, assist hundreds of bereaved families whose U.S. citizen relatives pass away in Thailand. We have seen the peace…
Kang Hed Ha – Another of Chiang Rai’s Hidden Gems of Local Dishes
Kanom Jeen Nam Ngiew (ขนมจีนน้ำเงี้ยว) might be Chiang Rai’s most famous dish. There are a countless number of delicious local menus that are little known to tourists or even local people today. While some dishes can be widely available in restaurants, some are available seasonally only, and some can be extremely hard to find due to the shortage of ingredients and people with the right…
Americans in Thailand can now get retirement benefits by direct deposit
April 19th Americans receiving social security, veterans or federal retirement benefits can now have them directly deposited free of charge in their Thai bank accounts, the US Embassy announced this morning. The US Treasury Department now offers direct deposit of federal benefit payments from the Social Security Administration, Veterans Affairs Department and Personnel Management Office, according to an email sent out by the embassy. “The…
I Will Never Move From Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai has an expat population that appreciates the quiet, laid back atmosphere of this little northern city. Quiet, stress free streets, incredibly friendly locals and a warm atmosphere make a winning combination for those in search of the quiet life. However, Chiang Rai is not the traffic free place of years ago when the only smells were buffalo dung and incense… The two stroke…
Cultural differences between America and Thailand
“In America, you can say anything you want as long as you don’t DO it. In Thailand, you can do anything you want, but don’t SAY it!” This was one of the lines in a talk last Sunday by Dr. Sunyarat (Ton) Ratjatawan, PhD, a Bangkok psychologist. Dr. Ton during his presentation to the Pattaya City Expats Club on Sunday, May 26, was explaining some…
Top Five Things To Consider If You’re Buying A Condo In Thailand
Not quite a Top Ten but some good straight-talking about buying condominiums in Thailand. One of the most commonly read or spoken summary of foreign ownership of property in Thailand is along the lines of “Foreigners can buy a foreign freehold condominium in their name”. At this sentence, many foreign investors switch off, and assume that the rest of the detail provided by the author…