Plans worth making in Thailand

Food, nights out, concerts, markets and the small stuff that makes a trip easier. When you'd rather not go alone, a Thai friend can come along.

Two espresso cups and a phone on a long wooden cafe table

How to get paid to be a friend, and what the job is really like

Yes, you can get paid to be a friend: by the hour, platonic, no bookings promised. What real services pay, how they work, the legal line and the scams.

9 November 2026Read the post

Ham, bacon, little sausages and egg on a blue-patterned plate beside an iced Thai tea at On Lok Yun in Bangkok

Best brunch in Bangkok: 18 places worth getting up for, by area

Brunch in Bangkok by area and station: cafes, Thai breakfasts and four hotel Sunday brunches, with prices, hours and when to book. Checked Oct 2026.

29 October 2026Read the post

The golden chedi and the gold ceremonial umbrella at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, above Chiang Mai

How many days in Chiang Mai? A 3-day itinerary built around the market nights

Three days for the city, four with Doi Inthanon. A Chiang Mai itinerary built around the market nights, with fees, songthaew fares and hours checked.

29 October 2026Read the post

New Year fireworks over the Chao Phraya River a few minutes after midnight on 1 January 2013, with lit-up dinner boats on the water and the Ferris wheel at Asiatique on the right

New Year's Eve in Bangkok 2026: countdowns, fireworks and getting home

New Year's Eve 2026 in Bangkok: what CentralWorld and ICONSIAM have confirmed, the river fireworks, chanting at a temple, and the trains home after midnight.

29 October 2026Read the post

Pastel Sino-Portuguese shophouses along Soi Romanee in Phuket Old Town, looking towards Thalang Road

Things to do in Phuket Old Town: a day, street by street

A day in Phuket Old Town street by street: dim sum and roti, shrines and museums, cafes, the Sunday market and Rang Hill, with hours and closed days.

29 October 2026Read the post

Cooks in Thipsamai shirts frying pad thai at the woks on the pavement outside the shop, trays of eggs and banana leaves by the stove

Best pad thai in Bangkok: 8 shops worth the trip, area by area

The best pad thai in Bangkok, checked in October 2026: prices, queues, closed days and stations for 8 shops, and whether Jay Fai is worth the wait.

28 October 2026Read the post

A bowl of khao soi topped with crispy noodles, with shallots, lime and pickled mustard greens on the side, at Khao Soi Khun Yai in Chiang Mai

Khao soi in Chiang Mai: 9 bowls worth crossing town for

The best khao soi in Chiang Mai, area by area: 9 shops checked in October 2026, with what to order, prices, closing times and closed days.

28 October 2026Read the post

Two friends clinking beers over a mookata grill in Bangkok

What is mookata? Thai BBQ explained, and where to eat it in Bangkok

Mookata (mu kratha) is Thai BBQ and soup in one pan. How to cook it at the table, step by step, and 7 places in Bangkok to eat it, checked October 2026.

28 October 2026Read the post

Pattaya Bay full of boats, seen from the trees on Pratamnak Hill, with the beach and towers curving away

Cafes in Pattaya: 14 worth the trip, area by area

Pattaya's daytime cafes by area: Pratamnak Hill sea views, Jomtien, Naklua and the drive-out cafes at Bang Saray, with hours, prices and what to order.

28 October 2026Read the post

Hundreds of sky lanterns rising over the crowd at a Yi Peng lantern release in San Sai, just outside Chiang Mai

Thailand in November 2026: weather, festivals and where to go

Thailand in November 2026, region by region: rain and temperatures, Loy Krathong on 24 November, Yi Peng, Pattaya's fireworks and the dry beaches.

28 October 2026Read the post

A noodle cart on Soi Ari Samphan in Ari, Bangkok, with shophouses across the lane

Ari, Bangkok: a Saturday in 14 stops, from breakfast to the bar

A Saturday in Ari, Bangkok: 14 checked cafes, Thai restaurants and shops by soi, with hours, prices, what to order and the walk from BTS Ari.

23 October 2026Read the post

Wat Arun lit gold at night across the Chao Phraya River, with a lit-up boat passing

Bangkok at night: 15 things to do beyond Khao San Road

Things to do in Bangkok at night beyond Khao San Road: jazz bars, rooftops, Muay Thai, a river cruise and late food, with stations, hours and last trains.

23 October 2026Read the post

Sky Bar on the 64th floor of State Tower in Bangkok at dusk, with the city and the Chao Phraya River behind

Best rooftop bars in Bangkok by budget, with 2026 prices

12 Bangkok rooftop bars checked in October 2026, cheap to splurge: drink prices, entry fees, dress codes, hours and the walk from the station.

23 October 2026Read the post

IMPACT Arena at Muang Thong Thani lit up at night, its curved roof over the IMPACT sign

IMPACT Arena Bangkok: how to get there, eat, and get home after the show

How to get to IMPACT Arena Bangkok on the Pink Line, which exit for your hall, where to eat, and how to get home at 11pm, with 2026 last trains checked.

23 October 2026Read the post

Squid and cuttlefish skewers on the grill at a stall on Yaowarat Road, under Chinatown's neon signs

Yaowarat street food: what to order on your first night in Chinatown

Bangkok street food at its best: a first night on Yaowarat Road, stall by stall, with what to order, prices, Monday closures and the MRT exit.

23 October 2026Read the post

Potted plants and old wooden shophouse doors outside a Mother Roaster cafe in Bangkok

Best cafes in Bangkok: 19 worth the trip, area by area

The Bangkok cafes worth crossing town for, by area and BTS or MRT station, with what to order, prices, hours and when it's quiet. Checked Oct 2026.

22 October 2026Read the post

The Chao Phraya River at sunset in early December, seen from Talat Noi, with boats lit up on the water

Bangkok in December: the weather, what's on in 2026, and what to book early

Bangkok in December is dry, with highs near 32°C and the year's coolest nights. The 2026 holidays, the countdowns and what to book early.

22 October 2026Read the post

The Chao Phraya River and the Tha Tien bank seen from the central tower of Wat Arun

Bangkok itinerary for 3 days: one line a day, with 2, 4 and 5-day versions

A 3-day Bangkok itinerary that keeps each day on one boat, MRT or BTS line, with stations, meals, rain plans and October 2026 hours. Plus 2, 4 and 5 days.

22 October 2026Read the post

Neon signs over Yaowarat Road in Bangkok's Chinatown at night

Bangkok night markets in 2026: which one to go to, night by night

Which Bangkok night market to go to each night: Jodd Fairs, the Srinakarin train market, Chinatown and more, with MRT exits, food and last trains.

22 October 2026Read the post

A latte with a heart and wings poured in the foam, on a wooden tray at a Chiang Mai cafe

Chiang Mai cafes: 16 worth the trip, area by area

Chiang Mai cafes worth the trip, by area: Nimman, the Old City, Santitham, Wat Ket and Mae Rim, with what to order, hours and closed days.

22 October 2026Read the post

Basic Thai phrases: how to say hello, and 40 more that get a smile

Basic Thai phrases for visitors, in Thai script with easy spelling: how to say hello, khrap or kha, the wai, ordering food, taxis and numbers.

21 October 2026Read the post

Two friends trying grilled snacks at the Chiang Mai Sunday night market

Loy Krathong 2026: the date, where to go, and how to float a krathong

Loy Krathong 2026 falls on Tuesday 24 November. Where to float a krathong in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Yi Peng lantern rules, and getting home after.

21 October 2026Read the post

A Thai friend and a visitor laughing over drinks at a Bangkok rooftop bar at dusk

How to meet locals in Thailand (and make Thai friends)

How to meet locals in Thailand: language exchanges, run clubs, badminton crews and campus markets, plus how Thai friendships work, from LINE to kreng jai.

21 October 2026Read the post